Masco School Committee Approves Program of Studies, Leaves $32.4 Million Budget Unresolved

ESSEX -- January 21, 2025, Masco Regional School Committee wrestles with a $32.4 million proposed budget carrying a 5.42 percent increase and no agreed path forward. Superintendent Pam Beaudoin presented the figure Tuesday as "proposed" rather than "recommended," telling the committee she could not endorse a spending plan that draws $750,000 from one-time reserves, leaves a healthcare funding gap of up to $575,000 unresolved, and still produces assessment increases of 4.48 percent for Manchester and 5.6 percent for Essex. The budget already incorporates $200,000 in administrative savings from two planned cuts, the elimination of the facilities manager position and a proposal to merge the middle and high school under a single principal following middle school principal Joy May Know's surprise retirement announcement. The CFO told the committee flatly, "I'm not happy talking about this budget," and projected the district's excess-and-deficiency fund dropping from $1.4 million today to roughly $450,000 by June 30, 2026. Committee members said they could not support the budget in its current form and directed the superintendent to convene a joint working group with town finance staff to model multi-year scenarios before the February 4 public hearing.