Middletown school board votes to request 5.59% budget increase after surprise utility backbill and higher workers' comp costs

The Middletown Board of Education voted 5-4 on Wednesday to request a 5.59% increase to the districts budget to forward to the mayor and common council, after Interim Superintendent Dr. Adley told the board of two unanticipated costs that could affect the coming fiscal year.

Dr. Adley told the board the district had been the victim of billing errors by Eversource that resulted in years of misstated charges and a recent backbill that "that's about $600,000" for the backtracked billing period. He also told members workers' compensation premiums have risen, which the district quantified in the meeting as an increase of approximately $62,000.

The disclosures set the tone for a lengthy debate over how aggressively the board should ask the mayor to fund the schools. Supporters of the 5.59% request argued the figure represents core contractual increases and said asking for less effectively produces a budget cut when those contractual obligations are considered. Opponents warned of the political difficulty of seeking higher taxes and urged tighter line-item scrutiny.

"I'll be supporting the motion to request the 5.59," said Mr. Grant, who voted in favor of the measure. Board members voting against the request said they favored more conservative requests or wanted clearer, itemized explanations of how additional dollars would be spent.

Board members and staff also discussed the mechanics behind the workers' compensation rise. A district staff member explained the district's "mod rate," a multi-year average of claims that drives premiums; recent years with larger claims increased the mod rate and, with it, current premiums. District officials said they have been working with their insurer, United Heartland, and instituting safety and light-duty programs intended to reduce future premiums.

On the Eversource matter, Dr. Adley said the utility can only legally seek a limited retrospective period and that the district expects to work with the city on reimbursement for charges tied to city-owned facilities. He urged the board to consider whether to fold the newly identified costs into the district's request to the mayor or to seek reimbursement from the city separately.

The vote followed procedural skirmishes over whether to "call the question" on an earlier motion to send a 4.37% figure to the mayor; that motion did not carry the board to a final request. After the 5.59% motion passed, the chair said, "We're moving forward with a 5.59 budget to the city." The board then adjourned, confirming its next meeting time.

The board's formal motions recorded in the meeting minutes include approval of the March 27, 2026 minutes (moved by Chris, seconded by Deb; unanimously approved), a motion to forward a 4.37% request (mover: Miss Klowski, second: Chris; not adopted as the board ultimately advanced 5.59), and the adopted motion requesting 5.59% (passed 5-4). The board directed staff to continue conversations with the city and insurer about the backbill and workers' compensation costs.

The outcome now goes to the mayor and common council, which will set the final allocation. Board members underscored that if the council sets a lower figure, the board may need to revisit line items and program decisions once the allocation is confirmed.