THE SELECT BOARD, from left, Chair Dick Dalton, Vice Chair Phil Crawford and Select Board member Alexis Leahy aired concerns on March 13 about the lack of information the School Department has shared regarding the fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budgets.
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Select Board expressed concerns on March 13 about the lack of “critical information” school officials have provided about the fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budgets.
Superintendent Tom Geary walked the Select Board through the recommended $34,196,514 operating budget for FY26, which is an 11 percent over FY25’s $30,806,245 appropriation (see separate story). He said the School Committee is currently in collective bargaining negotiations with the Lynnfield Teachers Association (LTA).
“It includes funding for both union and non-union compensation,” said Geary. “Our future budget needs will be about 4 percent going forward.”
Geary is also requesting a $650,000 capital budget for technology infrastructure and hardware needs. He recalled that the school system has traditionally received $250,000 for technology expenses over the past 15 years, but that allocation was reduced to $125,000 in FY25.
“Although we were appreciative, we all know that everything in life has increased in the past 15 years,” said Geary. “Two-hundred-and-fifty thousand dollars is unfortunately inadequate, and $125,000 is just unacceptable. I don’t anticipate needing $650,000 in the future, but $250,000 won’t suffice going forward either.”
After Geary gave an overview of the recommended FY26 operating and capital budgets, Select Board Chair Dick Dalton said, “This is certainly a challenging year when it comes to developing a budget that we can bring to Town Meeting.”
“One thing that I’m certain of is that an override cannot be avoided – unless, of course, we were to consider draconian reductions in both the town and school district budgets,” said Dalton.
Dalton said Town Administrator Rob Dolan will be presenting the consolidated FY26 operating budget to the Select Board on Thursday, March 20, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Al Merritt Media and Cultural Center.
“It’s not going to be pretty,” said Dalton. “So why do we find ourselves in this situation? It’s not because of reckless spending on the part of the school district or the town. Simply put, revenue is not growing at a rate that is keeping pace with inflation. As a municipality, our revenue growth is limited by Proposition 2 ½. We are at a point in time where new growth is minimal, and that means that there aren’t any significant new revenues over and above what is provided by the increase allowed under Proposition 2½. The problem is then further complicated by a State Legislature and an administration that are quick to add financial burdens on municipalities, but callously ignore and disregard how we can fund the obligations. When employee health insurance increases by a double-digit amount that we have no control over, we just can’t absorb that in the normal course of business.”
Dalton said Dolan will be announcing on March 20 that there will be “various layoffs, employee buyouts, restructuring of certain departments and functions as well other cost reduction measures and revenue enhancements” on the town side of government.
“No new positions are proposed and, in fact, we will reduce staffing without impacting services,” said Dalton. “Despite those measures, the town side of government will not be able to produce a balanced budget without an override.”
Dalton said, “Most of the deficit is attributable to the school district.”
“That is not a criticism,” said Dalton. “It is a fact. We have been told that the 11 percent increase is what is needed by the school district in order to maintain the standard of excellence that it has become known for.
“For me personally to endorse 11 percent as well as an aggressive capital expenditure proposal, I need to be convinced that the 11 percent is the right number. We are making progress, and getting to that point as we work together.”
While Dalton said he supports an override, he said the town and the School Department have to “adopt a plan that is sustainable.”
“We don’t want to be in a position where we are going to adopt a plan that we all agreed to go forward with, and next year or the year after, we are coming back to the voters,” said Dalton. “That has to be avoided, and we have a responsibility to avoid that. I’m comfortable with what we’ve done on the town side to address the challenges that we are facing, but I am not quite there yet with regards to the school district budget. I need some critical information to determine that 11 percent is right. I am not saying I want to cut it down. I just want to know it is in the range of what is appropriate. It could be less or could be more. I believe that this board has an obligation to satisfy itself that the School Committee’s strategy and goals are fiscally responsible and in the best interest of the town as a whole.”
In a surprising announcement, Dalton immediately appointed Dolan to serve as a voting member of the School District Negotiating Committee, “effective immediately.” He said a state law gave him that authority.
“I am instructing the town administrator, who has years of experience in school district negotiations, to represent the board and to report back to us on an as needed basis,” said Dalton. “The reports back to us will be delivered in executive session, as permitted by Massachusetts General Law. I would also suggest to the School Committee that we conduct a joint executive session in which we can openly talk with each other as independent groups, and exchange some of this critical information.”
Dalton also proposed that Geary and Finance Director/Town Accountant David Castellarin provide monthly budget updates to the Select Board throughout FY26 as a “condition” that the board backs the School Department’s two spending plans.
“If we are going to ask the residents of this town to absorb an increase in real estate taxes, then we owe it to them to be fully accountable,” said Dalton.
Dalton also said he does not want the public to “interpret my remarks as being critical of the superintendent and the School Committee, nor should they be interpreted as me not supporting the schools.” He noted that he and Dolan have been meeting with Geary and School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy “on a regular basis.”
“I think there has been a good working relationship between the committee and the board, but we have to come to a close on this,” said Dalton.
Dalton said the Select Board went on a tour of Summer Street School on March 13, and he was impressed with how teachers are using technology in the classroom.
“My big take away was how much more productive and meaningful a class can be with the use of technology, and how teachers are individualizing programs in a class,” said Dalton.
Select Board Vice Chair Phil Crawford also said he was impressed with how elementary school students are using technology in the classroom.
“The capital request is certainly well justified, but what we would like to get is a breakdown of the cost,” said Crawford. “I would like to get that before our next meeting.”
Crawford recalled that Focus Technology conducted an audit of the Technology Department last year.
“We have never seen this audit,” said Crawford. “I would like to see a copy of the audit by our next meeting.”
Geary said legal counsel informed school officials that the audit will become a public document if it gets released. He expressed concerns that releasing the audit will make the school system vulnerable for cyber attacks.
“You don’t want the ‘bad guys’ to get your public document,” said Geary. “That is what we have been telling residents.”
“I believe that it is a public document,” said Crawford in response.
Geary said the audit would have to be “heavily redacted” if it were released publicly. He offered to have a conversation with Crawford about the audit’s “highlights.”
Crawford expressed his support for Geary’s suggestion.
“I don’t want to cause any issues,” said Crawford.
In addition to the town dealing with rising health insurance, special education, snow removal and trash collection costs, Crawford also noted that the town and School Department’s collective bargaining agreements (CBA) will be expiring at the end of the current fiscal year.
“I know that the majority of what you are asking for is salary increases that have to do with the CBA,” said Crawford. “How much that is being forced on you by the MTA (Massachusetts Teachers Association), I don’t know, but I would assume most of it.”
Crawford urged the School Committee to finalize the next collective bargaining agreement with the LTA sooner than later.
“I obviously want to see the CBA come out as beneficial to us as possible, but not crazy numbers like I have seen in other towns,” said Crawford. “You just can’t do it. I don’t think this town is going to be receptive to multiple overrides because of a school collective bargaining agreement.”
While Crawford said he “wants the best schools,” he stressed that the district’s budget increases have to be “sustainable” in FY27 and FY28.
“Four percent is not sustainable,” said Crawford. “You are going to be looking at doing an override every year just to accommodate the salary increases, which we can’t do.”
Dalton concurred with Crawford that 4 percent school budget increases moving forward would not be sustainable.
Select Board member Alexis Leahy said the School Department’s proposed 11 percent budget increase is the largest of all town departments.
“We all want to see the schools succeed,” said Leahy. “It is a challenging year not just for the schools. I do have concerns about the sustainability over the next couple of years. Having spent some time on the Finance Committee, I am not entirely sure 4 percent is going to be feasible every year.”
Leahy also urged school officials to share more information with town officials because it will result in “the best outcome for the town.”
“I think the more collaborative we can all be, the better,” said Leahy. “Not just with each other, but other committees as well. We need something for the whole town that will set us up for success for several years. One of my biggest pet peeves is when things are kicked down the road, and I think that is something we are reflective of now with the amount of technology upgrades that we need. It is clear some of those repairs were kind of pushed. I want to make sure that we are not still doing that so we don’t have this challenge going forward.”