Regional School District 08 board hears proposed $32.6 million budget, public urges careful vetting of safety staff

Regional School District 08 officials presented their proposed fiscal year 2025–26 operating and capital budget and answered public questions at a public hearing. The administration proposed a $32,620,487 budget — a 2.6% increase from the current year — made up of a $32,054,487 operating budget and $565,487 in capital spending.

Dr. McNamara, who led the presentation, said the proposal was reduced from an initial 4.3% increase and that $443,414 in cuts and eliminations (including the removal of a math teaching position) helped lower the final increase. "The proposed budget for fiscal year 2025–26 is $32,620,487, and represents an overall budget increase of 2.6 percent," Dr. McNamara said.

The administration identified the primary cost drivers as health insurance, contractual salary increases, special education placements and technology and utility costs. Dr. McNamara noted that 73% of the operating budget is devoted to salaries and benefits.

Officials also reviewed capital priorities. The board flagged a set of near-term facilities projects — new roofs for both schools, replacement of boilers and HVAC controls, upgraded fire and security systems, a new loading dock, and tennis court replacement — and stressed the urgency of those efforts for safety and building integrity. The most costly single project described was replacement of the track, which the administration estimated at $1,584,330. The district reported available unallocated capital and recurring-account balances that would cover the majority of the track cost but said an additional roughly $525,487 would be required to complete it.

The presentation described a new school-of-choice partnership with Columbia. Dr. McNamara said Columbia will pay a base tuition of $15,124 per attending student and cover transportation; nine Columbia students are counted in the current projection. "The tuition that is paid by Columbia is factored into the region as revenue and reduces the member town levy," Dr. McNamara said. He added that initial projections were anecdotal and that the district will use surveys and outreach to improve future forecasting.

Enrollment changes within the three-member towns affected levy splits: the district said Hebron’s share increased while Andover’s and Marlborough’s shares declined, altering how costs are apportioned to each town. The audit for FY 2023–24 produced an anticipated surplus of $1,383,719; the district plans to retain the equivalent of 2% of last year’s budget for a large capital project and apply the remainder as credits to member towns to reduce next year’s levies.

During the public-comment portion, an Andover resident who identified himself as Eric Shuto urged the board to vet any proposed safety or security officers carefully, citing nearby cases in which school officers had been arrested for inappropriate contact with minors. "I would encourage the board to do would be to vet these people very, very carefully," the resident said, adding that the community should consider how additional screening or oversight can prevent harm.

Dr. McNamara responded to a question about better projecting enrollment that included Columbia students, saying the partnership is new and that early outreach, marketing and formal family surveys will be used to refine projections. He said the district expects the number of Columbia students to grow as the program becomes established.

The public hearing concluded and the board moved to convene a special meeting immediately after the hearing to consider adoption of the proposed budget. The motion to adjourn and reconvene for the special meeting was made by Scott Soyette, seconded by Mike Fuller, and the chair called for approval.

Next steps: the board will hold the special meeting to consider formal adoption of the budget; the administration recommended the capital projects be advanced in a timely manner to address safety and facilities needs.