Hoosac Valley Regional schedules Sept. 30 district-wide meeting to decide $22.48M FY25 budget

The Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee voted Monday to set a district-wide meeting for Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Hoosac Valley High School auditorium to present the FY25 budget of $22,481,719 to voters.

The vote followed a report from Audit & Evaluation chair Mike Henault that the subcommittee had reviewed grants and revolving accounts with representatives from Cheshire and discussed logistics for a joint meeting. The committee then voted unanimously to adopt and may communicate an official stance that it supports the FY25 budget and recommends its adoption at the Sept. 30 meeting.

Why it matters: If voters reject the proposed budget, state law and the regional agreement require the district to either propose a revised budget by Dec. 1 or face a one-twelfth funding status until a new budget is approved; the superintendent said in that scenario the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education could impose a budget that would likely mirror the district’s proposal. The superintendent, Aaron Dean, warned that cuts would involve a mix of reductions that could increase class sizes and reduce non-mandated interventions such as expanded social-emotional and mental-health services.

“We can provide the information which is the budget information,” said Mike Henault, describing the committee’s legal boundaries on advocacy. “We can’t advocate voting one way or another, we can publicize and give information.”

Committee members discussed producing a factual position paper explaining the budget and its likely impacts; Henault said the Audit & Evaluation subcommittee could approve and direct staff to use such a paper to communicate with district families. Erin Milne urged that any materials also be posted publicly.

Superintendent Dean outlined the kinds of reductions that would be considered if the budget fails, saying officials would seek the “least impactful combination” of cuts but must preserve state-mandated spending. The committee noted that voters should be told clearly how proposed reductions might affect staffing, athletics and student supports but emphasized they must avoid direct advocacy.

Next steps: The district-wide meeting is scheduled for Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Hoosac Valley High School; the committee will finalize communication materials and the Audit & Evaluation subcommittee will oversee distribution of factual information to district families and the public.

Provenance: Topic introduced in committee audit report and motion setting the meeting (SEG 001) and concluded with the committee’s amended budget-support resolution and discussion of next steps (SEG 002).