Auburn School Committee preview of FY27 budget shows big increases in transportation, utilities and tech costs

Miss Couture, the district presenter, told the Auburn School Committee on March 18 that the proposed FY27 non‑salary technology budget is $261,000 — “approximately a $40,000 increase,” or “just under 18%,” she said, adding that about $26,000 of that increase comes from higher costs for existing software licenses and $13,000 from two new software purchases.

The presenter said cost center 6 (system administration) would rise by about $115,000 (roughly 8.6%), driven by standard salary and benefits increases, a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment and a budgeted 12% increase in health insurance. Cost center 7 — school administration for principals and assistants — is projected to increase about $125,000, “almost 100% in salary and benefits,” Miss Couture said.

Transportation was the largest single headline: “We have a $550,000 increase,” Miss Couture said, attributing the rise to salaries, benefits and purchase‑service shifts. She told the committee that roughly $131,000 of that increase reflects higher health‑insurance costs and that five additional transportation staff who did not have health insurance last year are now enrolled, increasing the insured count from 25 to 30 drivers/aides.

Miss Couture said some increases reflect accounting changes and reclassification of lines (for example, combining driver and aid payroll into the same account), not solely new positions. She also noted the district deferred purchase of a new bus this year because the transportation cost center was already increasing.

On facilities and maintenance (cost center 9), the presenter said the FY27 increase is about $400,000 (≈7.2%), with roughly $300,000 attributable to utilities increases, $35,000 to insurance and $65,000 to debt service on capital improvement bonds. “Utilities alone, that $300,000 increase … 152,000 of it is in utilities,” she said.

The committee also reviewed capital improvement plans, including a proposed middle‑school renovation. Miss Couture said Herman Associates presented a plan to accommodate sixth graders at the middle school; she cited about $5 million in specific needs to accomplish that shift and noted a $1.2 million bond figure shown on the slide. She explained that while the CIP request may appear in FY27, bond payments typically begin in FY28 and that first‑year interest costs can be higher, giving an example of about $1.5 million in early debt service depending on bond terms.

Miss Couture reviewed the district's combined local debt service and explained state reimbursement under ED279 covers a large share of some high‑school debt (she said approximately 88%), leaving a local share of roughly 12% for taxpayers. She reported combined local debt service of about $2.15 million, noting that future increases depend on whether the district issues new bonds in FY27 or later.

Why this matters: the committee and the city council will weigh operational impacts separately from debt service as budget deliberations continue; the district intends to present the AMS CIP request to the city council on March 30 and hold a joint school committee/city council budget workshop April 6.

Committee members asked detailed follow‑up questions about accounting reclassifications, purchased services, vendor bidding, effect of a newly contracted mechanic on supplies, fuel price volatility and the district’s strategy to reduce purchase‑service reliance by using district drivers for some routes. Adam Platt, the city council representative on the committee, emphasized that city budget deliberations are debt‑service driven and noted the city manager‑proposed budget includes larger increases on the city side.

Next steps: The AMS CIP proposal will be discussed with the city council March 30; if approved, the district expects the CIP bond to add debt‑service pressure beginning in FY28. The committee will continue line‑item review at upcoming meetings and has a joint budget workshop with the city council scheduled for April 6.