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Dartmouth committee delays budget subcommittee meeting until strategic plan is public
Summary
District staff asked the committee to postpone a Sept. 30 budget subcommittee meeting so members can review the district strategic plan before detailed FY26 budget work; the committee agreed and said it will schedule a replacement date at its next meeting.
The Dartmouth School Committee on Sept. 23 agreed to delay a budget subcommittee meeting scheduled for Sept. 30 so members can review the district's strategic plan after it is publicly released.
James Kiely told the committee the strategic plan is a critical component of preparing FY26 budgets and asked — particularly of budget subcommittee members — that the Sept. 30 meeting be postponed until committee members have had a chance to consider the plan. Chair Chris Oliver and Vice Chair Elizabeth Coughlin signaled no objection to the request and asked staff to schedule an alternate subcommittee date at the committee's next meeting.
Superintendent June Saba-Maguire told members the district would prefer to move forward with a vote on the plan at the Oct. 7 regular meeting if the timeline allows, but the committee will have time to review the document before any formal action.
Why it matters: the strategic plan will guide resource priorities and program funding for multiple budget cycles; delaying budget subcommittee work until committee members can review the plan means FY26 proposals will be developed with clearer policy direction.
The committee did not take a formal vote on the strategic plan itself at the Sept. 23 meeting. Staff said a revised subcommittee schedule will be proposed at the committee's Oct. 7 meeting.
