The Kensington School Board scheduled a public budget workshop for the week of Oct. 20 and agreed on an evening session at 4 p.m. in the Kensington Elementary School building to review priorities and draft budget drivers.

Board members and staff told the meeting that the district will present a first draft of the fiscal year 2027 budget in November, follow with a second draft in December and take the proposed budget to the January public hearing and subsequent deliberative session in February. Staff recommended a workshop so the board can review budget drivers, encumbrances, and priorities in advance of formal drafts.

On financial oversight, the administration presented an estimate from an outside accounting firm that currently audits other SAU 16 districts. The three-year quote discussed was $9,450 for the first year (FY '26 audit billed in FY '27), $9,830 for year two and $10,225 for year three. Board members said an outside audit would provide additional checks, improve grant reporting and could be useful for future borrowing needs; one board member said, “we have complete trust in Molly and her staff,” while noting an external audit can provide helpful checks and systems improvements.

The board directed administration to explore the procurement pathway: whether the quoted firm can be retained without an RFP and, if an RFP is required, to run a competitive bid process consistent with statutory procurement rules. Legal counsel will be asked to confirm whether the three‑year contract total would trigger a formal RFP requirement. The superintendent’s office will report back at the budget workshop and include the audit cost in the budget materials if appropriate.

Board members also discussed how grant funds will be appropriated in the upcoming budgets: unlike prior practice that routed some grant revenue through the SAU, grants will be appropriated within the Kensington School District budget so grant revenue and expenditures match in the district accounts. Administration told the board that the SAU audit has noted prior-year findings on grant accounting and that moving grant appropriations to the district budgets is intended to reflect legal ownership and correct prior practice.

The workshop was tentatively scheduled for October 22 at 4 p.m. at Kensington Elementary School; the board asked staff to post it as a public workshop and circulate materials in advance.