Farmington budget committee backs $21.08M school budget; members warn of higher tax rate

The Farmington Budget Committee voted 9-1 on Jan. 16, 2026 to recommend a $21,078,972.42 operating budget for the 2026-27 school year, with a stated default budget of $17,296,646.01 if voters reject the proposal.

SAU 61 Finance Coordinator Stephanie Ham told the committee the operating total is composed of Fund 10 ($19,598,091.21), Fund 21 (food service, $508,726) and Fund 22 (grants, $972,155.21). Ham said anticipated revenues for Fund 10 are about $6,639,740 using conservative assumptions (95% of state adequacy aid, 80% of Medicaid and 80% of special-education aid). She said state adequacy aid is projected to fall by roughly $800,000 for next year, reducing expected revenue.

"Most of it goes to people — teachers, Special Ed staff, nurses, custodians, bus drivers," SAU Superintendent Giselle Pomeroy said, summarizing the budget's composition and stressing that roughly 92% of the district budget is fixed costs such as salaries and benefits. "Special Ed is almost 28% of our overall budget," she added.

Selectmen's representative John Scruton, who pressed staff for tax-impact figures, said the district's estimate puts the tax rate tied to the operating budget at $12.44 per $1,000 — an increase of $4.88 compared with the prior year. "That doesn't include the 70 cents the contract is going to add," Scruton said, noting the teachers' collective bargaining agreement would further increase taxpayer cost if approved. Ham confirmed the combined impact could reach roughly $5.60 per $1,000 when the contract costs are included.

An amendment by Scruton to state the operating total and the default budget explicitly was accepted before the committee voted on the main motion. Committee member Fred Pitman argued in favor of passage, citing inflation, aging school facilities and New Hampshire's property-tax structure as reasons to approve the funding: "This is for the better of the town, the students," he said.

The committee also considered and recommended several warrant articles related to the district budget. After discussion, it recommended Article #4 (the Farmington Teachers Association collective bargaining agreement) by 8-2 (Rebecca Varney and Carlene Lapierre opposed). The committee recommended the contingent Article #6 (a $20,000 appropriation tied to open enrollment revenue) 8-2 (Deering and Varney opposed). It recommended Article #7 (a $15,000 kitchen oven replacement) 8-2, Article #8 (a $400,000 high-school oil-tank replacement) 8-2, and Article #9 (a $160,000 bleacher replacement) 7-3 (Varney, Pitman and Lapierre opposed).

The school's leaders described the oil-tank replacement plan as an above-ground installation; they said a temporary tank would be used for another year if voters reject the article. On open enrollment (Article #5, for which the committee does not issue an appropriation recommendation) staff explained that nonresident students accepted through open enrollment generate revenue from sending districts but that the district must be prepared to provide or negotiate special-education services and that parents are responsible for transportation unless otherwise arranged.

The committee closed the public hearing at 6:44 p.m. and adjourned at 7:00 p.m.; the next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2026. The recommendations by the Budget Committee go to the district deliberative session and then to the voters; final outcomes will depend on the deliberative session and ballot votes.