Superintendent says Wachusett budget at risk as Rutland and Paxton prepare special votes

The Wachusett Regional School District Committee met at 7 p.m., where Superintendent Dr. Riley framed the district27s FY27 budget as precarious and urged residents of Rutland and Paxton to attend upcoming special town meetings that will determine whether the proposed budget can move forward.

Dr. Riley told the committee the district ranks low on statewide per-pupil comparisons, saying the district is "bottom 11%" overall and that certain categories place the district even lower. He said those rankings are based on Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) year-end reporting and noted an analysis by Barry Sklar supporting that comparison.

"We simply don't have the ability to cut," Dr. Riley said, adding that further reductions from the district27s current funding level would harm services. He described the FY27 request as the district27s smallest increase in 12 years (excluding the COVID year) and said the budget includes a $2,600,000 contribution to lower town assessments.

Dr. Riley listed other budget actions and context: he said the district reduced 12 positions across the system during this budget cycle and attributed part of the budget balance to higher interest earnings (he said interest revenue had exceeded $400,000 in recent years) and Medicaid receipts (about $850,000). He also credited recent negotiations that lowered medical costs, which members later quantified as roughly $1,000,000 in savings.

On reserves, Dr. Riley said the district27s certified excess and deficiency (E&D) was nearly $3.6 million but that after allocating about $1 million toward lowering town assessments it stands at roughly $2.6 million, equating to roughly a 2% reserve. He cautioned that auditors generally recommend a larger fund balance and said reducing the reserve much further "would not, I don't believe, be an intelligent financial move and would put the district at risk."

Chair remarks framed the procedural stakes: three member towns had already approved the budget (Holden, Princeton and Sterling), but the budget needs approval from at least four towns. The chair urged voters in Rutland to attend that town27s special meeting at Glenwood Elementary (tomorrow at 6 p.m.) and noted Paxton27s special town meeting is scheduled for June 22 at 7 p.m. at Paxton Center School.

Committee members asked procedural questions about the nature of the Rutland vote and thanked negotiators for lowering medical costs. The superintendent reiterated the administration27s case that the proposed budget is intended to balance fiscal caution with support for student services.

The next procedural steps are the scheduled Rutland and Paxton town meetings; the budget27s ability to move forward hinges on their outcomes.