Monroe board asks superintendent to shave $250,000 from proposed budget; final proposal sent to selectmen

The Monroe School Board voted to ask the superintendent to reduce the proposed 2026–27 school budget by $250,000 before submitting the package to the board of selectmen.

The motion, moved by a board member and seconded by Greg, passed on a voice vote after extended discussion about priorities and the town’s tolerance for tax increases. Board members said the dollar reduction was intended to bring the proposed increase below 5 percent; the superintendent later reported the budget to be submitted totals $78,393,993.27, a 4.82 percent increase.

Discussion centered on whether the board should identify specific line‑item cuts or leave the choices to district leadership. Supporters of the dollar cut argued the board needed to present a lower headline number to the town; others said the superintendent and administrative team should have discretion to reallocate or trim noninstructional items without reversing commitments to student supports.

Board members and staff noted several budget pressure points during the debate, including a roughly 15 percent rise in insurance costs and continuing transportation expenses. The motion as approved did not specify which lines to cut; board members explicitly left implementation to the superintendent’s discretion so the administration could reconcile operational needs with the board’s direction.

Next steps: the district will deliver the revised budget to the selectmen by Friday (as discussed during the meeting) and the board expects further refinements as final insurance and other vendor numbers firm up. The board did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript; the result was announced as the motion carrying on a voice vote.