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Harvard school committee reviews FY26 budget, approves dishwasher purchase and extends bus contract
Summary
The committee reviewed an FY26 budget with $149,000 remaining, approved buying a new TBS dishwasher for $50,000–$55,000 from the Shaw Trust, and extended the Dee Bus contract for one year; Title I funding projections improved slightly.
The Harvard School Committee reviewed the district's FY26 financial position and approved several operational actions during its April 13 meeting.
Mandy Ostaszewski, director of finance and operations, said FY26 expenditures total $10.6 million with $5.8 million encumbered and an available balance of $149,000. She reported Special Education savings have offset required TSA match and utilities charges and that revolving-account needs for next year are already factored into planning.
The committee approved a capital request to break a three-year lease with Ecolab and purchase a new TBS dishwasher, estimated at $50,000 to $55,000, to be paid from the Shaw Trust. Liz Joyce moved the action, Amy Morton seconded; the motion passed by roll call vote 5-0.
Members also voted to extend the district's Dee Bus contract for one additional year after Ostaszewski said there are few competitors; the motion passed 5-0 (Move: Brian Killeen; Second: Dr. Katharine Covino). The committee accepted two reimbursements from Fanfair totaling $970 to student activity accounts and approved the March 23 minutes without objection.
Ostaszewski said preliminary guidance from DESE suggests the district's Title I reduction may be 7% instead of an earlier 10% estimate, potentially yielding roughly $30,000 more in funding, but that final numbers await the federal award and DESE's July calculations.
