The Milton School Committee finalized a $75,613,973 budget for the 2027 fiscal year on Monday, a plan that relies on increased student fees and internal reallocations to preserve a high-level nursing position and critical elementary school support. The bottom line marks a significant effort to respond to community outcry over the previously proposed elimination of the Nurse Director role, though officials warned the decision leaves the district with little financial breathing room.

Superintendent John informed the committee that while the district had initially planned for a nurse float position, the administration prioritized the Director role after hearing from the public. They feel the need for a Director to provide high-level administrative leadership, he said, noting the district would also work to shield the Tucker School from a potential $135,000 shortfall in federal Title I math intervention funding. Motion Made by A. Serio to approve the FY27 budget in the amount of $75,613,973. Motion Passed 5-0.

Chair Amanda Serio expressed gratitude for the revised plan, stating, I appreciate the community feedback and finding a way to make this work. It was helpful to hold the public hearing and allow time for everyone to take in comments. However, Member Nathan David Hutto cautioned that the restoration of the nursing role required difficult trade-offs. It's not like we found $140,000 we didn't know we had, Hutto said. We are going to have to sacrifice something else or rely on attrition to finance this. This will be a tight budget year.

To help bridge the gap, the committee sanctioned a $40 per student increase for transportation fees, raising the annual family cap by $80. The district also implemented a 10% hike in building rental fees for for-profit groups, such as dance recitals. Motion Made by M. Loring to approve the fee changes for FY27 as presented and discussed. Motion Passed 5-0. Member Mark Loring noted the district is aiming to hold a line item of about $75,000 within the budget through these increases. Business Manager Katie clarified that the rental hike targets the other category of users, explaining, That is the area we are targeting for the 10% fee increase. Member Bao Qiu inquired about the impact on local nonprofits, with staff confirming those groups would not see a rate change.

Member Elizabeth Carroll described the final tally as the best compromise we could arrive at with the competing priorities and financial pressures. Despite the unanimous support, Member Annamma Varghese shared anxieties about the district's long-term fiscal health. I'm nervous we'll be in a similar situation next year, Varghese said, adding that she wished for more creative solutions to provide flexibility in future cycles.

During the public comment period, resident Ron Kenny challenged the district’s DEI department and restorative justice practices following what he described as a series of racial bullying incidents involving his children. Anyone can be a racist. Racism is racism and racism is always wrong, Kenny said, urging the committee to affirm common-sense definitions of racism. If our schools cannot say something that simple and obvious, then we should ask why we are paying for the ideology that tells us otherwise.

The committee is scheduled to present the finalized budget to the town's Warrant Committee on Tuesday. Member Mark Loring also provided a correction regarding a $500,000 town reserve fund, noting that while the Select Board has discussed the use of free cash, they have not yet held a formal vote on the matter.