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Hoosac Valley committee schedules Sept. 30 district-wide meeting, recommends $22.48 million FY25 budget
Summary
The Hoosac Valley Regional School District’s audit and evaluation committee set planning steps for a district-wide meeting on Sept. 30 and circulated draft resolutions recommending adoption of the FY25 budget of $22,481,719; the draft resolutions were prepared for discussion but their formal adoption is not recorded in the draft minutes.
The Hoosac Valley Regional School District Audit and Evaluation Committee set a timeline for a district-wide meeting on Sept. 30 and circulated draft resolutions urging voters to adopt a $22,481,719 FY25 budget.
Committee members discussed logistics for the meeting, which the draft resolution would place at Hoosac Valley High School. The group emphasized that towns must be notified, town clerks will coordinate a check-in process, the committee must choose a moderator, and all related expenditures will be paid from district funds.
The committee’s draft language cites state rules as the legal basis for a district-wide meeting: M.G.L. c. 71, s. 16B and 603 CMR 41.05(3)(f). The proposed resolution also restates that the committee unanimously approved the FY25 budget on March 25, 2024 and reaffirmed it on June 27, 2024, and “recommends that this budget in the amount of $22,481,719 be adopted through the district-wide meeting scheduled for September 30, 2024.”
Members discussed outreach and contingency planning. The minutes flag that using reserves to cover a defeated budget would leave the district with insufficient funds for FY26 and that cutting roughly $600,000 in services would be educationally difficult. Committee members considered holding an informational forum (possibly tied to a school open house), engaging the Parent Teacher Group, and previous methods such as a phone tree run by ACTA as outreach options. Mike Henault offered to draft a formal resolution for the committee to consider.
Erin Milne, appearing via Zoom and identified as a school committee member in the minutes, advised that school committee members have “more leeway” to express opinions and advocate for the budget and said she would send a link with guidance on advocacy for committee members. The minutes also note Erin Milne asked that the committee vote at an upcoming meeting to take a formal position supporting the budget and move forward with it as drafted.
The draft minutes record the proposed meeting date and draft resolutions but do not record a formal vote to adopt the resolutions; the meeting adjourned at 4:55 p.m.
