WEST CANAAN — Mascoma Valley residents will have an opportunity to weigh in on the Mascoma Valley Regional School District’s proposed school budget Saturday morning.

The proposed 2023-2024 operating budget for the district — which includes Enfield Village School, Canaan Elementary School, Indian River Middle School and Mascoma Valley Regional High School — is 0.1% higher than the current school year’s, said superintendent Amanda Isabelle. The $30.54 million budget was endorsed by all five members of the School Board and all seven members of the budget committee.

“When we put this budget together we did our best to (level) fund it, fully understanding that the cost of living has increased; inflation is impacting our families,” Isabelle said, citing the increasing costs of fuel, electricity and food, among other needs. “We did our best or prepare to prepare a budget that meets the needs of our students while being fiscally responsible to our taxpayers.”

The default budget is $30.27 million, the same as the current year’s budget. Voting for the district, which includes the towns of Canaan, Dorchester, Enfield, Grafton and Orange, will take place Town Meeting Day, which is on Tuesday, March 14.

At Saturday’s meeting, which begins a 9 a.m. at Mascoma Valley Regional High School, voters also will have a chance to weigh in on other school warrant articles. There is a three-year teacher contract, from fiscal year 2024 to 2026, that will cost an estimate $542,459 the first year, $353,306 the second and $314,452 the third. 

The proposed budget also calls for putting $250,000 into the facilities capital reserve for the capital improvement plan, $25,000 for the special education capital reserve fun and $5,000 for the accreditation activities capital reserve fund.

To view the proposed warrant and the annual report, visit mascomaschools.org.

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

]]>