Shaker schools default budget more than proposal at deliberative session

BELMONT — At a lightly-attended Shaker Regional School District budget hearing Jan. 15, a proposed budget of $30.4 million was approved by the advisory budget committee for Warrant Article 2. It will be reviewed at the town deliberative session at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5, where voters will hear an explanation of the budget, and have an opportunity for discussion and amendments.

Should Warrant Article 2 be voted down, the district will operate at a default budget of $31.5 million, which is actually $1.1 million higher than the proposed budget. The default budget, as defined by the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration, is the current year budget, less any one-time expenditures, plus contractual obligations.

The Belmont estimated tax rate per $1,000 valuation increases by $1.20, from $11.08 to $12.28 — a 10.83% increase — while in Canterbury, the estimated tax rate per $1,000 valuation increases by $0.78, from $14.28 to $15.06, a 5.45% increase.

The proposed budget shows a 2.9% increase over the previous school year, largely due to a massive contractual obligation and 21% increase in health insurance costs, because of changes in the price of premiums and prescriptions, or about $1.4 million.

“We definitely had some challenges this year with the budget. We put a lot of work in. One of the big issues we've, you know, went up against was the health insurance increases. They went up 21%; $1.4 million,” said Sean Embree, Shaker Regional School District chair. “I don't think we're any different than a lot of school districts and municipalities, but everybody's dealing with that.”

The cost of transportation and the district’s five-year contract with First Student was also a factor in the increase, which came in at $79,337.

“It's the year three increase of our five-year contract with First Student,” explained Superintendent Michael Tursi via email.

The collective bargaining agreement for the district, which is the contract between a district and its teacher union, comes with a cost, too. The burden is $379,512, due to an increase in salaries and benefits.

Committee members worked to provide a budget fair for taxpayers, even working on a reduction of force that included four 1:1 behavioral assistant jobs which were unfilled positions, and one math teacher position left vacant due to a retirement, which slashed $104,574 from the proposed budget.

State Adequacy Aid Funding also played a factor in budget modifications.

In Belmont, the loss of $1.5 million in adequate education funding is due to a decrease in enrollment, a reduction in the number of students who qualify for free or reduced meals, and the fact Belmont no longer qualifies for the Extraordinary Needs Grant.

The town no longer qualifies for the grant because they have an equalized property value over the number of free- and reduced-eligible students higher than $6.7 million.

Canterbury has the inverse, noting an increase in enrollment, resulting in an adequate education funding increase of $57,169. They also had a reduction in the number of students who qualify for free or reduced meals.

Additional warrant articles are:

• Article 1 — Election of officers for the Shaker Regional School District, including two candidates from Belmont and one from Canterbury, for a three-year term
• Article 3 — A proposal to add $250,000 to the School Facilities & Grounds Expendable Trust Fund from the unassigned fund, to be dedicated to upcoming projects in the Capital Improvement Plan like an HVAC systems replacement; current balance is $255,563
• Article 4 — A proposal to add $50,000 to the Special Education Expendable Trust Fund from the unassigned fund balance in the event of an unanticipated special education placement; current balance is $396,763
• Article 5 — A proposal to add $20,000 to the School Technology Expendable Trust Fund from the unassigned fund balance to support the Capital Improvement Plan; current balance is $152,013
• Article 6 — A proposal to add $10,000 to the Food Service Equipment Expendable Trust Fund from the unassigned fund balance in the event of food service equipment replacement; current balance is $25,185

“Articles 3, 4, 5, and 6 would utilize the fund balance available at the end of the current year so no new taxes would be raised to fund them,” according to a slide from the school budget proposal presentation.

All warrant articles require a majority vote, and were recommended by the school board.

There were no public comments. 

The deliberative session will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at Belmont High School. In case of inclement weather, the deliberative session will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. 

For more information, visit sau80.org/school_board/fy_2026_2027_budget.

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Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.