Finance director presents level‑service FY27 budget for Southwick‑Tolland‑Granville; teachers and residents warn cuts would harm programs

Nick Bernier, director of finance and operations for the Southwick‑Tolland‑Granville Regional School District, on March 18 presented a level‑service proposed FY27 budget that holds current services steady while accounting for contract increases, health‑insurance and debt‑service costs.

Bernier said state aid remains uncertain after the governor's January proposal, with Chapter 70 largely flat and a $75 minimum per‑pupil increase in the proposal. He told attendees that combined required minimum local contributions for the three towns will rise by $581,546 over the current year and that a reduction in statewide rural‑school aid (to about $12 million this year) reduced the district’s allocation by roughly $91,000.

The presentation outlined major revenue and cost drivers: town assessments and school‑choice tuition outflows, Medicaid reimbursement uncertainty, and use of certified END (free cash) to balance budgets. Bernier proposed a conservative END draw of about $650,000 while noting the district certified lower amounts this year and that continued reliance on school‑choice and END balances is not sustainable long term.

On the expenditure side, Bernier cited personnel and benefits as the largest pressure points. He said personnel cost increases under current collective‑bargaining agreements total roughly $709,000 and health‑insurance costs rise by about $176,000; debt service will increase as the district begins repaying earlier borrowing tied to boiler design and studies (~$323,000 borrowed for design work). He also called out an estimated $50,649 annual cost to add a second school resource officer (SRO) to the district budget.

Administrators reported approximately 258.3 full‑time equivalent staff supported by the budget and about 24.7 FTE positions funded by grants or revolving accounts; grant levels have fallen from COVID‑era peaks, creating recurring funding pressure. The district said it currently has 14 out‑of‑district special‑education placements and roughly 150 in‑district students with IEPs; private provider rate changes can produce unexpected budgetary charges, administrators warned.

Public and committee questioning focused on personnel cuts, class sizes and program impacts. Bernier and administrators confirmed eight positions were reduced in the current year, including two instructional coaches and a mix of classroom and specialty positions (examples discussed: woodshop, science, English/ELA, guidance, math, technology), with some retirements not replaced. Committee members and staff provided grade‑by‑grade class‑size figures and warned that further reductions in teacher counts would constrain the district’s ability to accept school‑choice students.

Jen Gates, a 15‑year teacher in the district and co‑president of the Southwick‑Tolland‑Granville Educators Association, told the committee that level funding protects classroom opportunities and prevents program cuts that disproportionately affect student supports. "When we cut those programs, we take that out of students' lives," Gates said, urging the committee to sustain positions that provide individualized instruction, interventions and mental‑health supports. She also highlighted district accomplishments including Special Olympics inclusion recognition and increased AP participation and scores.

Residents at the hearing pressed the school committee to seek creative cost savings without harming educational services; town officials and the committee acknowledged taxpayer concerns while noting the district aims to present adjusted numbers to the finance subcommittee and the school committee before any vote.

The school committee will review feedback at a finance subcommittee meeting scheduled the day after the hearing, present revisions at its next meeting and decide on timing for a formal vote (committee materials noted deadlines tied to warrant article submission). No formal motions or votes were taken at the public hearing.

What’s next: the finance subcommittee meets to consider adjustments, the school committee will review changes at its next meeting, and warrant articles for town meetings must be finalized in advance of April 1.