Finance Committee reviews Lincoln-Sudbury's $39.5 million budget proposal

SUDBURY — February 10, 2025 — Lincoln-Sudbury proposes $39.5 million budget, holding growth to 2.99 percent on out-of-district drop. Superintendent Andrew Stephens and Director of Finance and Operations Kirsteen Patterson told the Finance Committee that a 22 percent reduction in net out-of-district special education costs — driven by enrollment falling from 60 to roughly 48 placements and over $3 million in circuit breaker offsets — absorbed effective salary growth of 4.5 percent and projected health insurance increases of 10 to 15 percent. Sudbury's assessment would be approximately $34.6 million at the 87.24 percent apportionment. Co-Chair Michael Joachim noted that stripping out benefits, OPEB and debt, the comparable portion grows only 2.14 percent. Member Henry Sorett pressed for federal funding contingency plans covering roughly $400,000 in entitlement grants plus Medicaid and lunch program revenue, saying "I'd like to see some solid contingency planning." Member Eric Poch will draft the committee's recommendation. The district plans a $4 million fluid-applied roof restoration request for fiscal 2027.