Regional School District 13 board presents revised $44.22 million budget ahead of June 2 referendum

Regional School District 13 Board Chair Robert Moore on June 1 presented a revised $44,218,342 budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year and explained reductions and procedural steps leading to a referendum vote on June 2.

Moore said the revised gross budget is $44,218,342 (a 3.94% increase over last year) after cuts that total $238,228. He identified the largest single change as the removal of a proposed library media specialist position and listed additional reductions including service security and print management ($9,000), unemployment compensation ($5,000), strategic planning ($10,000), travel ($5,000), legal ($20,000) and consultant/per diem reductions ($30,000). “The reduction in the gross budget was $238,000,” Moore said.

The district will submit the budget to a referendum on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in accordance with Conn. Gen. Stat. §10-51. The secretary read the formal warning and logistical details for voting locations: Durham Community Center, 144 Pickett Lane, Durham, and Middlefield Community Center, 405 Main Street, Middlefield. The board published and posted the warning on May 19, 2026, and the document is signed by Robert Moore, chairman of the board.

Moore said salaries and benefits remain the largest driver of the increase, describing a roughly $1.61 million gross increase attributable to wages and benefits. He explained a change in budgeting practice: the district historically budgeted salaries at 98% to reflect expected vacancies but is now budgeting at 100% because turnover has been lower than in prior years. “We only budget our salaries at 98%… this year we budgeted at 100%,” Moore said, noting contractual wage increases and a 0.6 social worker added in the draft budget while other positions were reduced.

Moore also outlined how costs are apportioned between the member towns: the allocation uses a five-year rolling average of student counts (1,311 students) to moderate swings; Durham’s share is about 65.38% and Middlefield’s about 34.62%. He said excess ECS state grant amounts used in the calculation are Durham $3,293,232 and Middlefield $2,100,359, producing estimated net town costs for 2026–27 of $24,576,403 for Durham (up $911,250) and $12,657,162 for Middlefield (up $608,335).

A resident, Roger Cleveland, asked how much additional state aid the district had received; Moore responded that the district received an additional $215,744 in state funds that reduced the net increase. Cleveland and others noted the mailed explanatory flyer did not clearly show the combined dollar total of the cuts; district staff said the flyer was shortened after legal review to avoid advocacy language and that the itemized reductions together sum to the $238,228 figure presented at the meeting.

Donna, who identified herself as representing "Positive Behavior Middlefield," asked about an almost $900,000 increase in salaries. Staff reiterated that the primary driver was the shift from 98% to 100% salary budgeting and contractual increases, not entirely new positions, and that prior use of fund balance to smooth costs is no longer available at the same level.

The moderator opened public comment, recorded speakers' names for the record, and closed the district meeting after a motion to adjourn to allow the referendum to proceed. The motion to adjourn was made and seconded and passed by voice vote.

The budget will be voted on by Durham and Middlefield voters on June 2, 2026; the board said explanatory information had been mailed to postal patrons in both towns. The Board chair offered additional detailed materials on request.