The School District Budget Committee presents its preliminary budget to the public this Thursday night. Then the public gets listened to for most of the meeting. Following this hearing, the Budget Committee finalizes the District Budget recommendation for the Deliberative Session to be held on February 7 (snow date 8).

The Budget being proposed right now has the support of both the school board and of the superintendent and district leadership team.

It is 0.6% higher than the current budget. Voter-approved raises would have made the budget 2.8% higher, without some reductions and reallocations from current spending levels.

With instruction from the School Board, the Superintendent initially presented a lower budget request. The School Board recommended a bit higher. The Budget Committee added some spending, and all came to agreement that this budget meets the needs of the District with conscious attention to taxpayer needs.

Please come to the High School Auditorium (Rte 111 Kingston), 17 Danville Rd, for the 7:00 PM Public Hearing. Let the Budget Committee hear from you.

And please circle Feb 7 and Feb 8, 7:00 PM, to attend the Deliberative Session. That is the night voters present decide the budget that will go to the polls in March. That is the night some members of the community can try to increase the budget.

See you tomorrow night! 7:00 PM.