At their February meeting, the Botelle Board of Education members learned that the proposed education budget for 2025-26 stands at $2,703,690, up 4.29 percent from current spending of $2,649,086.
In presenting the budget to the board, John DeShazo said the main drivers of the budget increase are contractual salary increases, special education and health care benefits. “There’s not much you can do about those,” he said.
He said the more than $37,000 figure for health benefits is not yet firm but is based on the maximum increase of nine percent.
The board delayed action on its budget proposal until its March meeting as several members were absent.
On the municipal side, First Selectman Matt Riiska is buoyed by a reduction in the town’s portion of the Northwest Regional School budget this year. “It’s a huge help,” he said. “Last year, it was $2,146,683 and this year it’s down $155,555 to $1,991,128.”
The reason for the reduction? Norfolk is sending 10 fewer students to the school, shifting its proportional share of the regional school’s budget.
In addition, several large-ticket items are all or partly completed. The new boilers for the elementary school have been ordered and paid for; the new fuel tanks at the school have been installed, and the roof has been replaced.
The cost of a new firehouse remains on the horizon as Riiska expects to pay no more than interest on the cost of the project in the 2025-26 budget. The full budgetary effect of the new construction will be reflected in 2026-27.
Riiska will present his proposed budget to his board next week during their March 5 meeting.