WEST CANAAN — Mascoma Valley residents will have a chance to weigh in on a proposed 1.2% school district budget increase during a public hearing at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the auditorium at Mascoma Valley Regional High School.

The Mascoma Valley Regional School District School Board has proposed a roughly $32.45 million operating budget, which is about $323,000 higher than the current fiscal year’s budget, according to a draft of the warrant.

The increase is primarily due to an increase in health care costs for staff, said Michelle Lockwood, the district’s business administrator. Other contributors include employee step salary increases, and shipping costs for supplies and equipment. There is no information yet available on how the property tax rates in the five Mascoma Valley towns will be affected.

The district will hold its deliberative session — where voters in Canaan, Enfield, Dorchester, Grafton and Orange can propose changes to the budget — on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 9 a.m. at the high school. Voting will take place Tuesday, March 11, via Australian ballot at polling locations in each of the five towns. The proposed default budget is $32.1 million and it would go into effect if residents voted down the operating budget.

Residents will also be asked to weigh in on a new three-year contract for the district’s support staff, which the School Board negotiated with the Mascoma Valley Regional Support Staff Association.

In 2026, the estimated increase is $214,545; in 2027, $149,211; and in 2028, $63,354.

Four other articles on the proposed warrant would direct $375,000 total to reserve funds for facilities, accreditation, cafeteria equipment and sustainability projects, but do not require additional taxpayer money.

More information about the proposed warrant can be found at mascomaschools.org/school_board/school_board_meetings under “School Board Meeting Packets 2024-2025.”

Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.