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Board delays final vote on RSU 18 FY27 school budget pending health‑insurance numbers
Summary
Superintendent told the RSU 18 board that health‑insurance rates are not yet available and recommended delaying a final vote on the FY27 school budget until the numbers arrive; board members agreed to defer action to avoid adopting a budget without full information.
The RSU 18 School Board agreed to delay final action on the district's FY27 school budget until health‑insurance rates are received, a step the superintendent described as critical to producing a reliable revenue estimate.
At the meeting the superintendent said he expected insurance numbers by the first week of April and recommended the board hold off because three members were absent and because the insurance figure alters the revenue side of the budget. "I don't wanna take action on the budget at this point in time because I really think we need to wait for that," he told the board. Members discussed timing, statutory deadlines, and the risk of using large portions of unassigned fund balance to offset taxes.
Board members expressed a desire for more detailed forecasts and for staff to present scenarios showing the effect of using reserves or fund‑balance draws. The superintendent cautioned that rolling forward sizeable fund balance draws (he cited an $800,000 planned draw) for multiple years would deplete reserves and pose fiscal risk.
No formal vote to adopt the FY27 school budget was taken at the meeting; staff will return with the health‑insurance figures and additional modeling before the next scheduled vote.
