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Board adopts $26.8M 2026–27 budget and authorizes up to $355,000 for buses; resident urges different budgeting approach
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Summary
The board adopted a $26,799,680 operating budget for 2026–27 (a 2.16% tax-levy increase cited on slides) and authorized acquisition of up to two 66‑passenger buses at a cost not to exceed $355,000; public commenter Heinz urged budgeting from actual expenditures rather than prior budgets.
The Berlin Central School District board adopted the district’s 2026–27 operating budget and approved a transportation capital proposition authorizing bus acquisition during its April 21 meeting.
Administrators presented a proposed operating budget of $26,799,680 for fiscal year 2026–27, described a tax‑levy figure shown on presentation slides (around $11 million) and cited a levy increase percentage of about 2.16 in the slide deck. Presenters also described $507,000 in grant funding by category (Title I, Title II, special‑education grants and others) and outlined how some prior grants had been reclassified to avoid supplanting core salaries.
After public discussion and trustee questions about equipment specs and budget assumptions, the board moved and recorded roll‑call votes to adopt the operating budget as proposed.
The board then resolved to authorize acquisition — by purchase, bond issuance or lease‑purchase — of up to two 66‑passenger school buses at a combined cost not to exceed $355,000, with the board authorized to levy the necessary tax or issue debt as permitted. Presentation slides noted state aid and replacement schedules as factors in the timing of bus purchases.
During public comment, community member Heinz criticized the district’s budgeting approach, urging trustees to set baseline budgets on actual expenditures rather than prior budgets and argued that relying on budgeted (rather than actual) spending can mask true cost trends. Heinz said the board appeared to accept projected spending increases too easily and urged more conservative budgeting.
The board announced upcoming public budget hearings (May 7 and May 19) and then moved into executive session for legal advice and contract negotiations to close the meeting.
