Berlin Finance Committee Deadlocks on $9.9 Million Regional School Budget

BERLIN — March 25, 2026 — Berlin Finance Committee splits 2-2 on the Berlin-Boylston Regional School District's revised $9.9 million assessment for fiscal year 2027. The deadlock came after district administrators submitted a last-minute $157,593 operating reduction — received around 5 p.m. on the day of the March 25 meeting — that brought the total assessment to $9,911,633, still $162,407 above the Finance Committee's prior recommendation and representing a 7.3 percent overall increase against 3.1 and 3.65 percent increases approved by neighboring West Boylston and Nashoba Regional districts. One member said "coming to us with an original budget at 9 percent was insulting," while another argued the district "made a good effort to come halfway." The committee also voted 4-0 to recommend transferring $46,748.99 from free cash to cover the FY26 snow and ice deficit and $507,397 from free cash to the capital stabilization fund, and approved a reserve fund transfer to cover a fuel oil shortfall. Capital Planning Committee chair Anna Crane, joining by phone, reported that the district's published capital requests were nearly double the $194,537 her committee formally approved, with approximately $150,424 in additional items never submitted through the capital planning process.