The Town of Essex finance committee voted to endorse the Manchester‑Essex Regional School District budget totaling $10,776,959 and identified an override request of $698,196 that will appear on the town meeting warrant.

Jody, chair of the Finance Committee, told the Board of Selectmen the committee had reviewed the district proposal and recommended the apportionment to Essex, which follows the school committee’s March 18 vote. “The finance committee has been meeting weekly, reviewing our budget carefully,” Jody said.

The recommendation reflects an increase from last year’s apportionment of $9,889,756. Finance committee calculations allocate about half of the town’s new levy — roughly $189,000 — to the school apportionment, using $138,575 of the town’s new levy plus approximately $50,000 from a special school apportionment fund. The difference between that funded amount and the district’s requested total produces the $698,196 override amount that appears in the warrant language.

Town Administrator Brendan reported the figures and said the override amount will appear in both the ballot language and the article voters will decide at town meeting. The board subsequently voted to add the articles to the annual town meeting warrant, close the warrant, and sign/transmit the ballot text to the town clerk.

Members of the public addressed the board during the meeting. Theresa Whitman, a member of the Manchester‑Essex Regional School Committee, said she appreciated the finance committee’s approach to using available funds and described the $50,000 apportionment fund as helpful. Robbie Billsbury, a local teacher, urged that voters and officials view the matter as a townwide fiscal issue and not only a school request.

The Selectmen requested additional information as the warrant articles move toward town meeting and noted the schedule for subsequent steps in the school budget approval process under Chapter 71 of Massachusetts law. The Selectmen’s motions to add and close the warrant and to transmit the ballot question were approved by voice vote.