BUCKLAND — The school committees of the Mohawk Trail and Hawlemont Regional school districts are preparing to finalize the numbers for the fiscal year 2026 budget after they hear feedback from the public in the next two weeks.

The Mohawk Trail Regional School District is proposing a $27.22 million budget and the Hawlemont Regional School District is proposing a $2.93 million budget. Mohawk Trail Budget Subcommittee members say the budget is as tight as they can make it after cutting $851,013 from their original proposal.

“This budget is higher than we’d like it to be and has more cuts than we’d like to make,” said Mohawk Trail School Committee member Kate Barrows. “But we feel like it’s a budget we’d like to put out to the community and get some feedback on.”

The public hearing on the Mohawk Trail budget will be held Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 6 p.m. at Mohawk Trail Regional School in Buckland. The public hearing on the Hawlemont budget will be held Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 6 p.m. at Hawlemont Regional School in Charlemont. Remote participation will be available for both meetings.

Mohawk Trail is proposing a $1.05 million increase over the fiscal year 2025 figures, while Hawlemont is proposing a $45,332 increase. These increases cover contractual salary increases and rising costs of insurance, benefits, transportation and out-of-district tuition.

“Most of this money goes to pay folks,” said Ben Markens, chair of the Ashfield Finance Committee.

To keep budget increases as low as possible, the Mohawk Trail Budget Subcommittee has made some cuts from the original proposed budget, including $513,639 in instructional costs.

Buckland Finance Committee member Paula Consolo said she was impressed that the Budget Subcommittee was able to trim $851,013 and the only program cut was the sign language course.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

Greenfield Police Logs: Feb. 24 to March 2, 2025

Greenfield moves to third round of Strongest Town Contest

PERFECTION! No. 1 Pioneer cruises past Hopedale 49-28 to capture MIAA Division 5 state title

FINAL FOUR BOUND! Smith College takes down Gustavus Adolphus for third straight NCAA Div. 3 Final Four berth

Greenfield Starbucks pours its first cup

Connecticut man closes on McGovern dealerships in Greenfield

Your Daily Puzzles

Cross|Word

Flipart

Typeshift

SpellTower

Really Bad Chess

Mohawk Trail is estimating a $113,970 increase in Chapter 70 state aid. The governor’s local aid proposal includes nearly $6.32 million in Chapter 70 funds for the district, which breaks down to roughly $75 a student and makes up 23.2% of the budget. Martha Thurber, chair of the Mohawk Trail School Committee, said it’s a nice increase when for years state aid has been relatively stagnant and unable to keep up with rising costs. She added that the district has been fairly successful in seeking grants to support its programming.

“It’s amazing 18% of our budget comes from other revenues, grants and offsets,” Thurber commented. “But state aid has been flat.”

Local assessments make up $14.7 million of the Mohawk Trail budget, a 2.4% increase from the current fiscal year.

Ashfield will see a 6.08% increase, making for a $2.86 million assessment. Ashfield makes up 17.96% of the district’s enrollment. The town expects to have 122 students enrolled in the district, down two from the current year.

Buckland will see a nearly $3.06 million assessment, a 1.61% increase from the current year. Buckland makes up 25.37% of the district’s enrollment. After losing five students, the town expects to have 160 students in FY26.

Charlemont will see a $807,443 assessment, representing a 4.38% decrease. The town expects to have 36 students in grades seven through 12, one less than this year.

Colrain will see a 3.31% increase for a total assessment of $2.58 million. Colrain makes up 20.45% of the district’s enrollment and is maintaining its current enrollment number with 133 students.

Hawley will see a $243,681 assessment, a 1.13% decrease from the current year. Hawley expects to have 10 students in grades seven through 12, the same number as this year.

With a $998,725 assessment, Heath will see a 1.9% decrease from the current year. The town makes up 8.67% of the district’s enrollment. Heath anticipates having 44 students from preschool to 12th grade, a loss of eight students from this year.

Plainfield will see an assessment of $1.13 million, a 4.24% increase from this year. The town, which makes up 7.84% of the district’s enrollment, expects to gain three students in FY26.

Shelburne will see a 2.11% increase with a nearly $3.02 million assessment. The town anticipates having 116 students, a drop of 14 pupils from the current year, and will make up 19.71% of the district’s enrollment.

The Hawlemont Regional School District, which expects to receive $663,595 in Chapter 70 state aid in FY26, is proposing a 3.8% increase in local assessments.

At $1.41 million, Charlemont can expect a 6.45% assessment increase. Hawley can expect a $256,079 assessment, which is just $80 higher than this year. The Hawlemont Regional School District has a total enrollment of 85 students. In FY26, Charlemont expects to have three more students than this year and Hawley will gain one.

The full budget books can be found at bit.ly/42THfpd.

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.

An earlier version of this article included an incorrect number describing the anticipated increase in Chapter 70 state aid to the Mohawk Trail Regional School District for fiscal year 2026. Mohawk Trail is estimating a $113,970 increase in Chapter 70 state aid. The governor’s local aid proposal includes nearly $6.32 million in Chapter 70 funds for the district, which breaks down to roughly $75 a student and makes up 23.2% of the budget.