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Town and Schools FY27 Operating Budget development priorities

Town Operating Budget:

Early January brings the first step in the Budget setting process by creating a recommended FY27 budget based on current data available on revenues and upcoming expenses.  The numbers are changing (slightly) over the last few  days. But ourTown Administrator (TA) plans to have the draft finalized Friday the 16th for the Select Board’s meeting materials, as they meet Tuesday Jan 20^th, and the Charter directs the TA to submit a recommended budget for consideration  by the 21^st.

From Town Administrator Gregory Johnson

Four major budget factors

• The Override approved for this Fiscal Year was incorporated within the base revenue collection and the basis for both the COA and Schools’ draft budgets.
• Consultants advise the town to budget for a 15% health insurance costs increase, which is approximately $1 million over this FY. This is the second highest Budget items of the top 8 budget categories already, so a very significant increase
• A significant change in budgeting for solid waste and recycling collection and processing services will be the introduction of the new Town Meeting approved enterprise fund, so households will receive bills for services rather than purchase stickers.
• The Select Board will be asked to consider funding schemes for water supply capacity improvements, including using General Fund monies and tax collection to support the design and construction of the next phase of the Water Master Plan at Rockland Avenue.

Maynard Public Schools FY 27 budget progress to date:

From the School Superintendent Brian Haas’ Message on January 9, 2026 https://app.smore.com/n/bsf52

During the December 18, 2025, School Committee meeting, the Committee voted to approve the Superintendent’s FY27 school budget recommendation. The proposed budget totals $25,575,000 and reflects months of collaborative work by district and school leaders to support safe, effective, and equitable learning environments for all students.

The recommended budget meets all contractual obligations and includes key staffing priorities, such as restoring a Grade 5 classroom to reduce class sizes at Fowler, adding a Health/PE teacher at Maynard High School to expand course access and support the Health Professions pathway, and establishing an Athletic Trainer position to enhance student-athlete health and safety.

The Town Administrator’s current allocation for FY27 is $25,217,000, resulting in a $358,000 gap as the budget process moves forward. Additional priorities under consideration include expanded transportation access, targeted math and intervention supports, and summer programming for multilingual learners.

Link for the FY27 Budget presentation – https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/538/Maynard_Public_Schools/6164220/FY27_School__Budget_Presentation_-_December_18__2025.pdf

As the FY27 budget continues through the town review process, the district will provide updates and keep the community informed.

January 6, 2026 Town Administrator Gregory Johnson’s Monthly Report here: https://townofmaynard-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4178/January-6-2026  orhttps://townofmaynard-ma.gov/439/Town-Administrators-Office

Sources:  https://go.boarddocs.com/ma/tom/Board.nsf/Public  Town Websites, Bob McCarthy