[{"_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",6581327,"mediaKeyId","3149571-d7360dc19f6104762e49a4efa9a6f79d","parentId",3149571,"title","Norwood schools propose $65.3 million FY26 budget to staff new middle school and expand special-education supports","audioSeconds",2160,"startMs",4288695,"endMs",6449595,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3149571-d7360dc19f6104762e49a4efa9a6f79d&start=4288&end=6449","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3149571-d7360dc19f6104762e49a4efa9a6f79d/thumbnail_4288695.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6581327/Town-of-Norwood/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Norwood-schools-propose-653-million-FY26-budget-to-staff-new-middle-school-and-expand-special-education-supports","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6581327-3c78e68aa56865400059246b088f3a8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443088&Signature=bLbuGiBJwhuAXqvhKcVt~rgvocjTvn1rN6S128HKHW-AFbDuas1QyVq6SOJsanvCY1wt6K4U2e4S~CyzMPVp1KFuX7uc21zCsMnX3qE-X5aVP-XOzIjlhA912il39VGwoHXFoFQTQQX74lk5x05EGe2KrY~T9tm0a4tluwwSFxNVW7ViHzjQptxAFYBeKhgbqeVJ2x0WJAXaiYGWHZEuVx~gKD6aIIR8f68v-LMuDcvieQ-9GPIJs7BLaqbz8FeZ0bPrXFGcg5Ju04G9X0qboSRkbuS-b3HGfYX63-UGGRYWhBcsYZzBssD3ds-4EF-uCUeabxbqL7dGpBpHRvvY4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Norwood, MA","date","2025-04-29T00:00:00Z","article","School leaders presented the Norwood Public Schools' FY26 operating budget at the same information session, outlining staffing and program changes to support the opening of the district's new middle school and expanded student supports.

Tim Lawson, introduced as a representative of the schools, said the budget reflects months of review and community input and emphasized safety as a top priority: \"One of the primary things that I heard from almost everyone was safety. Safety, safety, safety,\" he said. Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Sean Manny walked the audience through position changes, transportation costs and federal grant support.

The school proposal calls for a $65,292,117 operating budget for FY26, a 6.7 percent increase from the prior year. School staff numbers were shown as roughly 577.3 FTEs in the final proposal. Officials said 6.6 FTEs are new to the budget to staff the new middle school; additional staff and classroom teachers will move from existing elementary schools to the new building.

Manny detailed the staffing mix: certified additions for the middle school include one special-education teacher, an assistant principal, art and music teachers, a school counselor and an English-language-learning teacher. Separately, about a dozen elementary classroom teachers and roughly the same number of support staff will transfer to the middle school as it opens; those transfers largely do not increase the district's overall headcount because they are reallocations of existing positions.

Transportation was flagged as a significant cost driver. Manny said the district's yellow-bus contract is expected to rise in the next bid cycle and that the district will add two to three buses to move fifth graders to the middle school. \"You typically see a large increase in that first year of a contract bid,\" he said, noting recruitment difficulties for in-house bus drivers and the need to increase pay for drivers and monitors.

Special-education and \"high-needs\" students were a central focus. Officials reported special education enrollments at about 24 percent of students and described a broader \"high-needs\" category (including English-language learners and economically disadvantaged students) representing a larger share of the student body. Manny said the district expects roughly $11.9 million in gross out-of-district tuition costs but will receive an estimated $4.5 million in circuit-breaker reimbursement from the state, reducing the net budget impact to about $6.0 million for tuition.

District staff said federal and state grants (Title I, II, III and IDEA) fund approximately 27 FTEs and that the schools will pursue expanded Medicaid (MassHealth) claiming to move two positions onto that revenue source. The superintendent and finance staff said they had reduced some program requests (for example, scaling back a high-school Latin course and some elementary library hours) to lower the overall increase after initial proposals.

Officials did not take votes during the information session; they said warrant articles and any ballot or town-meeting actions would be presented at later information sessions before voters and town-meeting members consider them.

No final contract approvals or funding votes were conducted in the session; school leaders encouraged attendees to review the full budget book and attend subsequent information sessions and the May 12 town meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Norwood: Town Meeting Information Session: 4.28.25","oneSentenceSummary","School officials proposed a $65.29 million FY26 operating budget, a 6.7% increase driven by contractual salary costs, transportation, and staffing for the district's new middle school and added special-education and behavioral supports.","taxTitle","Town of Norwood, Norfolk County, Massachusetts","taxId",52806,"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},6581331,"Norwood details FY26 town budget; finance director cautions against long-term use of free cash",4236,22895,4258985,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3149571-d7360dc19f6104762e49a4efa9a6f79d&start=22&end=4258","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3149571-d7360dc19f6104762e49a4efa9a6f79d/thumbnail_22895.jpg","/articles/6581331/Town-of-Norwood/Norfolk-County/Massachusetts/Norwood-details-FY26-town-budget-finance-director-cautions-against-long-term-use-of-free-cash","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6581331-b92300fc829b32dee5d7bca5d3fb0888/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443088&Signature=frvV3SUjPQ4c68Yx8g46MOM2gLJ2jH~Snw3iEd12FWCrbhefnZeH~XfZHo4wiV21vvcGm-7Puj70fKnLYo-vb0axlURaBmU30F1zxcpf~rgT-Ann5e4c5gANSYrGPYR-k3d3lOCloOVIOGQkgSQywWvDh9e3jicHr2fJbZdlRAEKHM19EkUlZMfU3LL89UOrwBF7vyd5tVnkO2sOUUoz5WDB3MBj2a40q8R6FQrMLr1-BbdobiuIP~4OlspcsW0JQJX80U42LDozbM7swOhBFbSg4bo5A0TkuOlmQlFi7IQcKW6maX4AajuHbYDiXvmHrYFdyjujSETnlwMU0hZqsw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Norwood officials presented a budget overview and municipal finance primer at an information session ahead of the May 12 annual and special town meetings, stressing that the town's short-term surpluses should not replace structural budget solutions.

The presentation, led by Finance Director and Treasurer Jeffrey O'Neil and introduced by Assistant General Manager Michael Rosen, reviewed reserve accounts, debt obligations and revenue drivers that will shape the FY26 general government budget. \"Free cash in general, it's a one-time revenue source,\" O'Neil said, adding that long-term reliance on that source would be problematic: \"Long term use, yes\" would affect the town's finances.

O'Neil told attendees the town's stabilization fund — the primary reserve often compared to a savings account — holds about $12 million, roughly 7 percent of general fund expenditures. He said last year's certified free cash was $29 million, of which roughly $9 million was appropriated at the fall town meeting and about $20 million remained unspent and available for other uses once certified. O'Neil described free cash as useful for short-term smoothing and capital buys but not for sustaining recurring operating costs.

The finance director gave a detailed accounting of debt and tax drivers. Total outstanding debt was presented at about $208 million, with roughly 30 percent of that tied to the general fund and the remainder associated with enterprise projects and other non-tax sources. O'Neil noted two debt exclusions related to school construction that are paid outside the Proposition 2\u0000bd levy limit, and he described the town's AA+ bond rating as one notch below AAA.

On revenues, O'Neil reviewed property-tax rules under Proposition 2\u0000bd (a 2.5 percent annual levy growth cap plus new growth), the town's conservative $900,000 estimate for new growth, and major revenue lines including motor vehicle excise, building permits and state aid such as Chapter 70 school funding. He described how enterprise funds (electric, water/sewer, broadband) are self-supporting and pay indirect charges to the general fund for shared services such as billing and finance.

Officials also described reserve and contingency accounts: a finance commission reserve fund of $150,000 for unforeseen emergency expenses; and revolving funds for self-supporting activities such as school cafeteria and recreation programs. O'Neil said the town had reduced one capital item (road construction) in the FY26 proposal and that, overall, operating costs are driven largely by labor and contractual obligations such as step increases and cost-of-living adjustments.

Public safety repeatedly surfaced during questions. A resident and the fire chief said call volume has risen and the department has relied heavily on mutual aid; the chief said, \"We've had 98 mutual aids into the town since the first of the year,\" and described using mutual aid and existing staff to manage higher ambulance demand. HR Director Lisa (last name not specified) said the town has added active recruiting efforts to bring in trained firefighter-paramedics.

Assistant General Manager Michael Rosen closed the session by reminding attendees of two more information sessions that week (town-meeting 101 and land-use overview) and the May 12 town meeting schedule.

Where possible, officials provided figures and constraints rather than policy decisions; no formal votes or motions were taken at the information session.","Town finance officials presented a FY26 general government budget overview, outlining reserves, debt, and revenue assumptions and warning that repeatedly using one-time \"free cash\" to cover ongoing operations would harm the town's fiscal position.","actionData","errors"]

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Norwood schools propose $65.3 million FY26 budget to staff new middle school and expand special-education supports

Norwood details FY26 town budget; finance director cautions against long-term use of free cash