SBRSD School Committee Votes Unanimously to Rebuild FY27 Budget from Level-Funded Baseline

LENOX — April 9, 2026 — Southern Berkshire Regional School District School Committee voted unanimously to scrap its current FY27 budget process and start fresh with a level-funded baseline. The committee, meeting April 9, approved a motion by member Kim Alcantara to build the new budget beginning with fixed contractual obligations — salaries, transportation, and benefits — and add back spending requests with full committee oversight until reaching an assessment figure acceptable to the district's five member towns. Financial consultant T.J. of Open Architects confirmed the approach is feasible and said it would be "cleaner" than the current process. The committee also voted unanimously to transfer $4,158.08 in ESSER 3 grant overpayment to the school choice fund, acting hours before an April 10 state deadline. Three towns — Sheffield, New Marlboro, and Egremount — have already indicated they will hold special votes in June rather than require the district to meet the standard town meeting cycle, with Superintendent Brian Rickett calling the flexibility "a gift of time." The committee voted to shift budget update meetings from weekly to bi-weekly, timed with Finance Committee sessions.