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Minuteman's preliminary budget is under 3% growth; committee flags transportation and materials as key risks
Summary
The finance committee reviewed version one of the superintendent-recommended budget: departmental requests were cut by about $1.1 million; combined operational and capital spending is up about 2.99% with anticipated member-town assessments up roughly 3.34%; transportation (including foster-care and homeless-student routing) and inflation for goods and materials were identified as areas to revisit before the January recommended-budget presentation.
The Minuteman finance committee reported that the superintendent's first recommended budget reduces departmental requests by about $1.1 million and leaves the combined operational and capital budget roughly 2.99% higher than the prior year.
Finance members said the average required member-town assessment would be up about 3.34% under version one. The committee called attention to two areas that need more work before the recommended budget goes to the full school committee in January: transportation and goods-and-materials costs. Transportation costs are a particular concern because of uncertain routing and additional trips tied to homeless and foster-care students and because an upcoming open bid could increase prices beyond the 5% transportation increase currently budgeted.
Finance committee members also asked district administrators to revisit assumptions for supplies and materials, noting general inflation and potential tariff impacts for some building materials.
The committee will reconvene to refine transportation and supply estimates and aims to present a recommended budget to the full committee in January.
One direct quote: "For first time putting a budget together it was very impressive what Heidi has done," a finance committee member said, while cautioning about the transportation and supplies lines.
What comes next: the finance committee will meet again and the full budget proposal is expected in January; administrators said they are consulting with town managers and finance committees in member towns to refine assumptions.
