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Winthrop board hears FY27 budget previews: transportation down overall; electric‑bus charging and repairs rise
Summary
Administrators previewed FY27 budgets: transportation spending is down about 16% overall but includes new electricity and electric‑bus charging costs; nutrition projects a 5.88% increase (largely food costs) with no local subsidy requested; adult ed faces a small state subsidy dip and staffing adjustments.
Dr. Foley and department leaders presented initial line‑item previews for FY27 and invited the public to a community forum March 19 to review budgets in detail.
Interim Transportation Director Colleen Soua told the board the transportation budget (Article 8) is down a little over 16%, primarily because of reductions in the transportation director's salary and benefits, fewer positions carried after recent staffing changes, lower contracted services and the elimination of a previously double‑booked overtime item. She said some costs are increasing: equipment repair and maintenance (approximately $13,600 projected), newly budgeted district transportation electricity (district‑wide electricity projected to increase ~20%), and electric‑bus charging costs (the district is now managing charging between about 25% and 75% to preserve battery life). Soua said the district removed insurance coverage on the electric buses to reduce costs and is awaiting EPA guidance regarding sale/disposal of those buses.
"We were charging them up to 100%. And then we had a phone call with an EPA representative and he suggested keeping them between 25 and 75 so we can keep the battery," Soua said.
Nutrition Director Sam Baldwin said the school nutrition program anticipates a 5.88% budget increase for FY27, with roughly 4 percentage points driven by higher food costs and increased meals served if enrollment grows; the program is not requesting local operating funds and plans modest professional development spending.
Adult Education Director Josh Farar described a slight reduction in state reimbursement that affects his subsidy estimate and said the program will use some unallocated enrichment funds as needed and reallocate staffing hours (reducing one administrative assistant position to part time while shifting hours to instructors) rather than make large new local requests.
Dr. Foley distributed a handout breaking down proposed operational cuts (excluding capital projects) and said those reductions — combined with capital needs presented separately — will shape the district’s forthcoming FY27 proposal to voters. The board asked for additional detail and reaffirmed the March community forum as an opportunity for public Q&A.
