At the forefront of the conversation was the 91% spike in the special education instruction line for FY 25, a jump largely attributed to the transition of using the IDEA grant for tuitions in the upcoming year. This substantial increase became a focal point, with the Commission examining the use of revolving accounts for staff members in out-of-district programs and the addition of new staff in special education. This resulted in a total budget increase of $7,439,422.74 across all four budgets.

The Commission navigated through the intricate details of the budget allocations for each town, with the recalculated assessments reflecting varying percentage increases or decreases from the previous year. Notably, the conversation delved into the use of circuit breaker funds to offset tuition costs and the potential fiscal challenges looming in FY 26 due to changes in circuit breaker funding. The gravity of the situation was emphasized with an estimated $2.6 million in additional placements for FY 24 and FY 25 that were originally unanticipated in the budget.

Concerns were raised about the sustainability of the proposed budget increases, with the acknowledgment that these challenges were not unique to Silver Lake but felt statewide. There was apprehension expressed regarding the towns’ capacity to support such budget increases and the potential effects on other departments. Additionally, the Commission cited the introduction of pre-kindergarten and salary adjustments as primary factors contributing to the budget hike.

The meeting also broached the topic of potential budget cuts, with the Commission contemplating the reduction of staff positions, including special education support staff. The prospect of cutting positions through attrition or actual layoffs was met with concern about the implications for affected staff members and the larger school community. In an effort to balance the budget, there was a proposal to allocate $2.1 million in circuit breaker funds for FY 26 at Silver Lake, prompting discussions on how to present the budgets to the towns and whether reductions were necessary.

The Commission did not shy away from the difficult decisions at hand, as evidenced by the proposal to reduce the Silver Lake Regional School District’s budget by $1.5 million. The potential impact of such a reduction on the member towns was scrutinized, along with the possibility of administrative salary freezes. The meeting also touched upon shared cost agreements for positions like the K-6 curriculum coordinator and the implications of shifting budget authority.

In addressing understaffing concerns, the Commission recognized the need for greater flexibility in roles such as the director of student services and the urgency of hiring additional accounting department staff, as recommended by auditors. The Capital Plan was discussed, with a focus on removing the ad building plans and considering engineering alternatives, as well as the inclusion of 7D compliant vans for transporting students with special needs.