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East Bridgewater panel raises busing fees to $275, family cap to $500 and updates building rental rates
Summary
Facing projected shortfalls, the committee approved a $275 individual busing fee and a $500 family cap for 2026–27 and adopted updated building rental rates after a market comparison; staff cited revolving funds that offset part of the projected deficit.
The East Bridgewater School Committee voted April 28 to increase the 2026–27 individual busing fee to $275 and set the family cap at $500, and to approve updated building rental fees that district staff say will yield roughly a 6% increase in rental revenue compared with current collections.
Kathy, a district finance presenter, told the committee the non-salary budget is about $5.7 million and that estimated non-salary expenses were approaching $7 million, producing an apparent shortfall before accounting for revolving funds. She said the district’s revolving accounts — school lunch (about $515,000), the circuit breaker account (about $1.3 million, with another payment expected in June) and school choice (about $773,000) — reduce the net position to an estimated positive balance of roughly $217,000 before fiscal year end.
On busing, the presenter said the budget assumes a $12,500 increase; the proposed changes to individual and family-cap fees would roughly align with that assumption. The committee discussed whether the same students will use transportation next year and asked staff to monitor impacts; one member urged that fee schedules be reviewed annually rather than allowed to drift.
On building rentals, staff said fees had not been updated since 2018. Proposed changes include raising certain auditorium and field rates, reducing some cafeteria fees and aligning AV and custodial hourly rates with market comparators. Staff said the adjustments aim to remain slightly below surrounding towns’ rates in some categories to avoid pricing the district out of rental revenue while addressing wear-and-tear and facility maintenance needs.
The motions to set the busing fees and to adopt the building rental fee schedule were moved, seconded and approved by voice votes. Committee members scheduled a follow-up review and asked staff to return with receivable details and an annual review plan.
