Hopkinton residents will vote on a $22.5 million school operating budget, and decide whether to set aside money for future projects at their annual meeting Saturday.
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Hopkinton High School gymnasium. This year’s $22,553,797 budget is up 2.6% from the current school budget of $21,973,387. The district estimates a total tax increase of $1.16 per $1,000 of property value, or $348 for a $300,000 home.
The major areas of increase are in employee salaries and benefits, a payment on their building project bond, foodservice and supplies. The district has reduced costs in transportation and contracted services.
Voters will also be asked to approve a negotiated pay boost for teachers, which will increase what the district spends on salary and benefits by $393,082 next year, and a negotiated pay boost for educational support staff which will increase what the district spends by $122,889 next year.
The rest of the meeting will center on trust funds, and setting money aside for specific, future purposes. Hopkinton residents will be asked to approve adding $200,000 to the district’s building repair and maintenance fund for projects to be completed in upcoming years, like refrigerator and freezer replacements, HVAC upgrades and roof replacements.
They will also be asked to approve the creation of a new benefit trust fund with $200,000, to help reduce the budget in future years if costs of employee health insurance or other benefits increases.
Voters will consider adding $100,000 to a special education trust fund and the addition of $25,000 to a technology trust fund in case it’s needed in the future.
In the polls on March 8, incumbent Norm Goupil won another term on the Hopkinton School Board with 702 votes, beating out challenger Dean Owens who received 418 votes. Laura Beaudoin was elected school district clerk with 977 votes, David MacKenzie was elected school district treasurer with 978 votes and James Newsom was elected school district moderator with 992 votes.