Sharon Board of Finance sends BOS and BOE budgets to Town Meeting after tuition‑funding decision

The Sharon Board of Finance on April 28 voted to send the Board of Selectmen's proposed budget to Town Meeting while keeping a $41,250 tuition receipt for Sharon Center School in the BOS accounts, and later advanced the Board of Education's zero‑increase budget to Town Meeting.

Vice Chairman Fowler called the special meeting to order at 5:03 p.m. and said, “as this is a special meeting the agenda as read cannot be changed so there is no public comment.” Region 1 Business Manager Mark Herrick reported he had checked with the State Department of Education and that “adding this to the BOE budget would affect the MBR,” a point that drove discussion of alternatives for giving the BOE access to the funds.

Board members discussed three options: establishing a special fund for the tuition receipts; creating a BOS line item titled “Town Support for Education” and paying bills from that line; or leaving the funds in the Undesignated Fund and following the normal BOE→BOF→Town Meeting access procedure. After discussion, member Susan Flaton moved to approve the BOS proposed budget as presented and to keep the tuition receipts in the BOS; the motion was seconded by Mr. Hecht and carried 4–2 (yes: Hecht, Flaton, Pastre, Toppan; no: Fowler, Bartram). The board agreed to hold meetings over the summer to explain options to taxpayers and to develop a sustainable approach to tuition payments and any formula to be used going forward.

The meeting then turned to the BOE's zero‑increase budget. Members reviewed acceptable uses of the 2% non‑relapsing funds, noting those funds are limited to one‑time costs, and cautioned that a zero‑increase request may not be sustainable if enrollment projections decline. Flaton moved to advance the BOE zero‑increase budget to Town Meeting; Hecht seconded. The motion carried, recorded as three in favor (Flaton, Hecht, Toppan) and two "in favor with regrets" (Bartram, Fowler); Mrs. Pastre had left the meeting prior to that vote. Board members also noted that if Town Meeting rejects the budgets, the town would continue under the current 2025–2026 budgets and tax bills would be mailed at the existing mill rate with a second mailing if needed.

With no further business, Mr. Bartram moved to adjourn; Mr. Hecht seconded and the meeting was adjourned at 6:09 p.m. The minutes were respectfully submitted by Recording Secretary Tina Pitcher. A special meeting is scheduled for May 8 following Town Meeting; the next regular BOF meeting is May 19 at 6:30 p.m.