MSAD 52 board adopts trimmed budget, moves revised warrant to member towns after budget referendum failed

The MSAD 52 Board of Directors approved a revised fiscal year budget of $39,811,133 on May 28, 2026, after a budget validation referendum failed and a multi-hour work session to identify reductions and revenue adjustments.

The board and administration presented two reduction packages and models showing town-level impacts. Administration told the board that a 0.5 percentage-point reduction would represent about $195,900; negotiated salary increases in the draft budget totaled roughly $924,264 and districtwide health-insurance costs rose by about $696,000 (an ~11.2% increase), factors board members said largely drove the proposed increase.

Why it matters: The district must finalize a budget picture in time to hire for key positions and provide certainty to staff and towns. Administration said prolonged uncertainty had already affected recruitment for some positions. The board’s action narrows the local tax increase residents will see and sends the revised warrant and the certified referendum documents to municipal clerks for the next administrative steps.

What the board approved: In discussion and votes the board approved a package that combined modest program/line-item reductions and a larger carry-forward transfer from the unallocated fund balance. Specific elements included moving more of one instructional coach’s salary to Title I funding, trimming library book purchases and select small equipment lines, reducing some athletics transportation lines, removing an elementary middle-school expansion basketball line, and a small technology reduction. The board also voted to increase the unallocated fund balance transfer (carryover) to reduce local assessments. Administration described the combined changes as producing the $39,811,133 figure the board voted to forward to towns.

Public comment set the tone: Dozens of residents urged cuts to non-instructional spending and highlighted property-tax burdens. Commenters included Crystal Nicholas Green, who urged cutting administrative salaries and edtech spending rather than programs, and Evan Park, who questioned a separately discussed land purchase and urged outsourcing administrative functions to save money. Multiple speakers told the board they had not known about the referendum date; a number of board members acknowledged that turnout and outreach were factors in the ballot’s defeat.

Board debate and motions: A motion to move forward with “Option 1” (the administration’s smaller-reduction package) was moved and seconded. Several board members argued for deeper cuts (including proposing removal of a school-resource-officer position), but those motions did not secure majority support. An amendment to increase the carryover transfer by $100,000 (from roughly $600,000 toward $750,000 of carryover) passed after debate about the long-term risks of drawing down reserves.

Process notes and next steps: The board approved the formal computation and declaration of the referendum votes for the record and authorized sending certified copies to municipal clerks. The board planned to sign the warrant and related paperwork immediately after the meeting and scheduled the next budget meeting for June 11 in the auditorium.

Quotes:
"We are being told tighten your belts," a board member said during debate, urging cuts to discretionary items rather than classroom programs.
"If we don't have a clear budget, hiring becomes very difficult," the superintendent said, explaining why the board needed to finalize the numbers.

Ending: The board adopted a revised budget mix of modest program trims and fund-balance usage to lower town assessments and certified the referendum results for municipal clerks. The administration and board said they would monitor the district’s audited fund balance and return to the towns with the adopted warrant documentation as required.