Board Of Finance Cuts $2M From Darien Public Schools Budget: Report

DARIEN, CT — The Darien Board of Finance last week cut $2 millionfrom the Board of Education budget, according to Darien Times.

Previously at $121.8 million, the spending plan represented a 6.48 percent increase. With the cut, the increase is now 4.73 percent, and more in line with finance board budget guidance.

Before budget discussions last week, Board of Finance Chair Jim Palen said the guidance of a 3-4 percent overall expenditure increase "was not a random number picked out of the sky."

"That was based on prior operating budgets, it was based on the contracts, some of which have already been in place for over a year, it was based on movements in the grand list, it was based on our full five-year debt service model," he said. "It was a fully baked in guidance that reflected many things. It wasn't pulled out of thin air as some might suggest."

Board of Finance members Paul Hendrickson and David Martin voted against the cut, Darien Times reported.

View last week's budget meeting on Darien TV79 here.

"At a special meeting of the BOE [in] May, the administration will present proposals to the BOE for its consideration on how the district might realize $2M of reductions," said Superintendent of Darien Public School Dr. Alan Addley, in his weekly message to families last Friday. "This is clearly a challenge which will require creative thinking and difficult decision making."

Addley said school board discussions on the budget will continue on May 14, with an expected vote on the revised fiscal year 2025 budget on May 28.

Read more from Darien Times on the budget cut