[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6091907,"mediaKeyId","2857762-b28a9cb861beffd8d02210c5a74315e0","parentId",2857762,"title","Bay Path presents FY26 budget; adds diesel vocational program funded by capital grant as state lottery proposal looms","audioSeconds",2017,"startMs",42130,"endMs",2059995,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2857762-b28a9cb861beffd8d02210c5a74315e0&start=42&end=2059","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2857762-b28a9cb861beffd8d02210c5a74315e0/thumbnail_42130.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6091907/Town-of-Charlton/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Bay-Path-presents-FY26-budget-adds-diesel-vocational-program-funded-by-capital-grant-as-state-lottery-proposal-looms","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091907-3fd2ddb81c21157a321e7c42c90e8442/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177473&Signature=U50PtdwmXn8Na2YLvJa3YE0iEiXp8ECKTsGzRL-69Z2IFirXGmNE9W~GtUPmAK74M2J~7Jh9XECPvAw8bIE3tKCeXPulSeuvxiYo5xmcr-iXG58HuRPFrft8hHu0hHRJlsJfmGzNG021sQfW0-a55zfFJgND9HU9d8MaCTqqsfxo9NLEtp0kaNEnzWzUnAz5bT7HxfzU9RTCb13X4l7mz~xvO8Y0R8pszy3eLgNO80ZvP9s5J7vxWxr1SlUgtZhZHy5gEFJvpYm85GX02RkZUOyR8zsMSZSeX9CfdAnwDAUqufNwRolsdoQGa5Yy0uyP9J5vPpefKkyGdYvReln~PA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Charlton, MA","date","2025-04-03T00:00:00Z","article","Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School presented its FY26 proposed budget (accepted by the school committee March 3) and described program expansions that the district says are funded largely by state grants and existing reserves. The FY26 assessment to member towns is proposed at $30,298,721 (total budget including school choice is listed as $30,592,510); Chapter 70 and Chapter 71 preliminary estimates from the governor's budget were cited as $14,565,806 and $1,375,375 respectively.

The presentation matters to the school’s 10 sending towns because the district’s required minimum municipal contributions collectively increase by $388,016 and transportation assessments rose by $345,176, the district said. The budget includes a $1,552,003 debt-service assessment (listed as $845,000 in principal and $707,003 in interest) and proposes using $500,000 from excess and deficiency (E&D) funds to reduce a prior-year net-school-spending shortfall.

Key program and personnel changes are front-loaded in the FY26 plan. The district plans to expand a newly created diesel vocational program to a two-instructor model (one instructor hired midyear, a second proposed in FY26), funded with a Capital Skills Lab Modernization grant reported as “just over $700,000.” The grant will also underwrite conversion of an existing small-engine repair space into a dedicated diesel lab (taking advantage of existing ventilation and drains), creation of a state-of-the-art IT/marketing lab, and other shop conversions. The budget lists purchases for shop equipment, a steaming oven for culinary, a utility vehicle for grounds, updated HVAC student workstations and a new frame machine for auto collision.

The district also proposes adding a vocational instructional coach, a health/dental vocational aide for dental assisting, and 10 part‑time summer student positions to assist buildings-and-grounds staff and provide student work opportunities. Contractual wage increases and a cited 18% projected rise in health-care costs are factored into personnel spending. The district said its FY26 operational budget does not require assessments above member towns’ minimum contributions beyond those increases already noted.

Bay Path staff reviewed enrollment and seat allocations: the district projects 1,236 students next year across all grades and 330 available freshman seats. Charlton was listed at 2,053 school‑age children (11.6% of district school‑age population of 17,695) and allotted 38 incoming freshman seats under the district’s allocation formula. The presenter explained wait‑list practices and that unfilled seats are reallocated to the sending town’s waiting list (for example, Charlton’s spots remain with Charlton until acceptance windows and reallocation occur).

Presenters described an ongoing admissions-policy discussion at the state level. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has proposed regulatory changes that would move many vocational‑technical admissions toward a lottery-based model. Under the draft DESE approach described to the group, students meeting basic eligibility would each receive a ticket; additional “tickets” could be added for better attendance or absence of serious discipline incidents, creating a weighted-lottery mechanism. District officials urged interested residents to submit public comments to DESE while the rulemaking comment period is open.

District leaders said letters of acceptance and wait‑list outreach would be finalized and sent to families within the week using the district’s current admissions policy; the district emphasized it is operating this year under its established selective/score-and-lottery hybrid process while the DESE proposal is still in public comment.

Why this matters: the budget and program changes affect town assessments, seat allocations, and the district’s ability to add career‑training capacity. The DESE rulemaking — if finalized — could change how vocational seats are allocated across sending districts statewide and may increase demand for more seats in vocational programs.

The presenter noted the FY26 budget is preliminary and subject to change as state budget figures move through the legislature; the district intends to update towns if state Chapter 70/71 numbers change.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Charlton: Finance Committee Meeting March 26, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School presented its FY26 proposed budget (accepted by the school committee March 3) and described program expansions that the district says are funded largely by state grants and existing reserves.","taxTitle","Town of Charlton, Worcester County, Massachusetts","taxId",54464,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6091902,"Charlton reviews FY26 municipal budget, keeps several public-safety hires and moves $10,000 to Old Home Day and police details",2196,2145800,4342000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2857762-b28a9cb861beffd8d02210c5a74315e0&start=2145&end=4342","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2857762-b28a9cb861beffd8d02210c5a74315e0/thumbnail_2145800.jpg","/articles/6091902/Town-of-Charlton/Worcester-County/Massachusetts/Charlton-reviews-FY26-municipal-budget-keeps-several-public-safety-hires-and-moves-10000-to-Old-Home-Day-and-police-details","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6091902-fbc58701fd960bbdaac5282261ea4cc0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771177473&Signature=bdTjJrjKiFATTe5~pCHY-5L7xWB1u7xb5QYHUW4~U-L5UtQTOahoIajERs8MVD40txul5Oo25pJEvPMAj08aAIbVil9Xzrdy-3kmJkOgVz~5T3MMgBTgXDg6ICJixkwl~859cR72uKgfNjID8Gb7Oo5IimsIQKPkMf~8ILdZ69KAikjEvSeyjt9KNlqysF94ZYXH72B~KH4YwTdZ2EFFhT8aYndUL7rvb6XCvIpVVRXKV5ISse-arXVlynrGZJjTmIbcjPhvypjWadKR7qpPYdlUfyVfcGqF5~-2Oc0X0Y4KCFlLyP7uOM50efrXY9wvFiIbJ9JI~GgFVtsqbRAsKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Town of Charlton officials reviewed the FY26 municipal budget draft and discussed public‑safety staffing, capital items, and reserve planning during a meeting that followed a school‑budget presentation earlier in the session.

Town staff reported that the proposed fiscal‑year budget fits a number of requested public‑safety positions: an administrative sergeant and an emergency telecommunicator on the police side, plus an EMS officer on the fire side. The draft also includes a part‑time building inspector requested by the finance committee; the town said library and a deputy position requests were not included in the current version because of prioritization and fillability concerns for part‑time roles.

Officials reported that ambulance accounts receivable totaled roughly $153,000; the town is working with Comstar (the collection vendor) to reconcile and pursue collectible balances. Town staff said some accounts are uncollectible (for example, Medicare patients) and those will be adjusted during the reconciliation process.

The board discussed Old Home Day funding and policing of special events. Finance staff proposed moving to a $10,000 total allocation for Old Home Day with the recommendation that $8,000 go directly to the Old Home Day Committee and $2,000 be allocated to the police department to cover detail costs for the event. Officials said the race associated with Old Home Day extends farther into town than other activities and often requires more coverage; the vote to set the $10,000 allocation was discussed as part of the budget conversation.

Capital and supplemental items under review include an authorization for debt related to replacing Fire Engine 2, a revised health‑department cleanup and MCP services supplemental lowered to $313,386, and a supplemental request tied to a schoolhouse rehabilitation project where construction bids exceeded earlier engineering estimates (presenters cited a construction cost near $290,000 against an earlier $220,000 estimate plus contingency). Officials told the board they would seek the necessary supplemental borrowing language or warrant articles as required.

Officials said the town is keeping a conservative approach to budgeting for local receipts (per DOR guidance and historically variable funds such as building permits, detail revenues and meals/cannabis taxes). They reported a general fund reserve (free cash/stabilization) above the town policy target: current free‑cash percentage was discussed as approximately 12% against a 10% target. The town also reported it retained a double‑A plus bond rating from S&P in a recent call ahead of planned borrowing.

Votes taken during the meeting that were recorded on the transcript were procedural approvals of minutes and adjournment: the board approved the minutes of the February 26 meeting and of the March 17 meeting (both approvals recorded as unanimous), and the meeting concluded with a unanimous vote to adjourn.

Why this matters: staffing and capital decisions will determine municipal services and taxpayer obligations for the coming fiscal year; the town’s management of ambulance receivables and reserves affects long‑term fiscal stability.

Town staff said the budget draft may be adjusted if union contracts settle before final warrant drafting; the town will present a balanced warrant number and carry some asks to the October town meeting if needed. The next joint meeting with the board of selectmen and school officials was scheduled for April 16.

","Town of Charlton officials reviewed the FY26 municipal budget draft, proposed new public‑safety and administrative positions, discussed outstanding ambulance receivables and collections, and agreed to allocate $10,000 total for Old Home Day (split $8,000 to the committee, $2,000 to police details); board approved minutes for prior meetings.","actionData","errors"]

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Bay Path presents FY26 budget; adds diesel vocational program funded by capital grant as state lottery proposal looms

Charlton reviews FY26 municipal budget, keeps several public-safety hires and moves $10,000 to Old Home Day and police details