District proposes $52.44M budget and separate $1.27M parking-lot article; board outlines tax impacts ahead of March 3 vote

The Missisquoi Valley School District #89 presented a proposed budget of $52,440,854 for the coming year and is asking voters to decide separately on a $1,270,500 special article to replace and improve the parking lot at the MBU campus.

Laura McAllister, identified in the meeting as the district's director of finance operations, led the budget presentation and highlighted academic gains (a reported 12% increase in ELA scores, 6% in math and 8% in science), enrollment stability at about 1,797 students, an average class size of 17.3 and 95% average daily attendance. McAllister said the proposed budget reflects salary cost-of-living adjustments, rising health-insurance premiums and inflation as primary cost drivers.

The proposed spending total represents a 2.9% increase over last year and a per-pupil spending figure of $12,351 (a 1.3% rise). The presenter also outlined that the district spends roughly $1,757 less per pupil than the state average. McAllister said the budget is framed as a level-service budget intended to avoid cuts to student services where possible.

The board separated the MBU parking-lot project into a distinct article so voters can approve the overall budget while choosing whether to add the parking-lot work. McAllister gave estimated tax impacts for a $200,000 homestead: without the special article, the presenter said a Franklin household would see about a $174 increase, Highgate about $124 and Swanton about $198. She later said the incremental impact of the special-parking-article alone would be roughly $106 in Franklin, $94 in Highgate and $100 in Swanton (all estimates in the meeting material and dependent on final equalized rates and any state-level buy-down).

Board members and public attendees asked whether the district could install lighting without a full repave; facilities volunteers and the board's facilities lead said lighting-only bids would likely be inefficient because electrical, water/stormwater and base repairs make a full resurfacing prudent. The board reported that stormwater permitting and an engineering review (including coring) have been completed and that coring showed the pavement base needs work that is budgeted into the project.

The presentation also noted an SRO position funded through a federal grant; the district characterized that as offsetting tax impact ("net 0" on the tax rate) for the first year, with full expenses included in the budget but billed against grant or Medicaid-related reimbursements.

The board listed polling locations for the March 3 vote (Franklin Town Hall, Highgate Sports Arena, and Swanton Village Municipal Complex), said the full budget book is available on the district website and described additional outreach (paper copies at town offices, video, local newspaper notice, social media). Officials also mentioned state-level discussions of a $75 million property-tax buy-down that could reduce the final tax rates, and several board members urged voters to follow legislative action because state decisions could alter local tax outcomes.

The meeting closed with reminders about voting logistics, continued public concern about affordability, and a motion to adjourn.