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Governor Wentworth board holds public hearing on preliminary FY2026 budget; community questions funding and out-of-district costs
Summary
The Governor Wentworth Regional School Board opened a public hearing on its preliminary FY2026 budget Dec. 2, 2024, reviewing enrollment trends, proposed staffing requests, and revenue sources. Community members asked how reduced state funding, a proposed 6.5% budget increase, and out-of-district special-education costs affect taxpayers.
The Governor Wentworth Regional School Board held a public hearing on the preliminary FY2026 budget at the New Durham School gymnasium on Dec. 2, 2024. Board chair Brodie Deshaies reviewed enrollment trends, general fund adjustments, proposed new staff requests, three planned warrant articles and two negotiated collective bargaining agreements before inviting public comment.
Community members raised direct financial questions. Bobbi Boudman of Wolfeboro asked how reduced state funding has been reflected in the preliminary budget and what impact it will have on district services. David Bickford of New Durham asked why the proposed budget shows a 6.5% increase while taxpayers received a 2.5% cost-of-living increase. Boudman also requested the district provide the out-of-district special-education costs and the number of students placed out of district.
Superintendent Caroline Arakelian summarized the district’s process for developing and revising the budget with building staff, principals and administrators, and described revenue sources and the planned timeline for review. Board members followed with questions about the GWAT collective bargaining agreement increase amounts, lead remediation funding, and the procedure for incorporating missing budget numbers once they are available.
The board closed the hearing at 6:30 p.m. and will continue budget deliberations at upcoming committee meetings and at the Jan. 6 board meeting (preliminary warrant article review) and the Feb. 1 Deliberative session for final budget discussion.
