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Easton Board of Education seeks $22.08 million for 2026–27; proposes $296,805 building maintenance account
Summary
Treasurer Jason McKinnon and ER9 Superintendent Devon Wible presented a $22,078,621 BOE operating budget request for 2026–27, a 5.99% increase driven largely by salary adjustments and special-education costs; a new $296,805 Building Maintenance Account drew questions about consistency with statute 10-222.
Treasurer and Finance Director Jason McKinnon and ER9 Superintendent Devon Wible presented the Easton share of the Region 9 Board of Education’s 2026–27 budget request on March 2, 2026, asking for $22,078,621, an increase of $1,247,834, or 5.99%, over the current year.
McKinnon said the increase reflects contractually required teacher salary adjustments and other cost drivers. He told the Board of Finance that roughly 4 percentage points of the 5.99% increase are the result of steps to close Easton teachers’ pay gap with neighboring districts and DRG A peers. He also flagged higher health insurance costs and special-education transportation as material budget risks.
The presenters proposed a new Building Maintenance Account totaling $296,805, described in the presentation as an additional 1.43% on top of the operating request. Chair Art Laske asked whether creating that account was consistent with statute 10-222; the meeting record shows the question was raised but the transcript does not record a formal determination or vote on that point.
Board members asked for performance context and metrics. Board member Josh Bailey asked about student performance data; McKinnon and Wible discussed prior salary levels and the rationale for the requested increases, tying most of the dollar change to salary adjustments under existing contracts.
Because the meeting ran late, the Board of Finance did not act on the BOE request or on a longer list of “fill-in” town budgets identified for later review, which included Treasurer, Debt Service, First Selectman, Professional Services, Probate Court, Town Hall, Cemetery, FICA, Contingency, Auditors, BOF, Town Attorney, Fringe Benefits, Firehouse Rent, Technology, Pension, and ZBA budgets.
A motion to adjourn, moved by Josh Bailey and seconded by Chair Art Laske, passed 6–0. The Board scheduled its next regular meeting for March 3, 2026.
Notes: The meeting minutes were submitted March 9, 2026, by Ira Kaplan, BOF Clerk. The transcript references statute 10-222 in discussion of the proposed maintenance account; no formal vote or legal finding on that question appears in this record.
