SEYMOUR — The Seymour Board of Education on Feb. 5 unanimously approved a revised $39.9 million budget for fiscal year 2024 – 2025, a slight decrease from a budget the board approved last month.
The initial budget the board approved Jan. 29 was $40.3 million, which represented an increase of $2.1 million, or 5.6 percent, more than the current budget.
The revised budget, which eliminates three requests for new staff positions, is still a 4.7 percent increase from the current budget.
Seymour Board of Education Chairman Chris Champagne said he asked Superintendent of Schools Susan Compton to take another look at the budget the board approved Jan. 29.
“Even though we approved a budget (Jan. 29), some of us felt it was a little high,” Champagne told the board at its Feb. 5 meeting. “I asked Dr. Compton to take a look and come back and hopefully we can amend this so we can go to the (Seymour) Board of Finance with something a little bit more realistic and in line with what the superintendent thinks we can do.”
The three new staff positions eliminated in the revised budget are a unified arts teacher, a social worker and an instructional coach.
Board member Stephan Behuniak said the budget the board approved Jan. 29 was good. He voted in favor of the revised budget, but said she was only doing so to keep the board unified.
“It feels like maybe we’re being a little scared to go and tell the truth and be honest about what we need because we’ve been burned in the past,” Behuniak said.
Last year it took three tries to get voters to approve a school budget.
“I will reluctantly support this because I believe it’s important for us to be unified, but I’m not exactly thrilled about it,” Behuniak said.
The board is scheduled to discuss its budget with the town’s finance board at a meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at Seymour Town Hall.
Once the finance board reviews all the various town department budget requests, its members will approve a budget and send it to voters in the spring to decide the school and town budgets.
Here is the breakdown of the revised $1.8 million increase:
*Certified contractual staff increases — $419,246
*Non-certified contractual staff increases — $146,436
*Health insurance — $562,321
*Pension contribution — $65,185
*Special education (including tuition/transportation for outplaced students) — $296,697
*Technology — $24,720
*Facilities (repairs and maintenance)- $28,620
*Property/liability insurance- $28,770
*Classroom teacher at Seymour Middle School- $108,827
*English language learner teacher for the elementary schools- $108,827
