Ellington Budget Season Ramps Up

ELLINGTON, CT — A series of March meetings will shape Ellington’s proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget, with residents set to weigh in on both the town and school spending plans before they move toward referendum.

Town officials have scheduled multiple public sessions at Town Hall as part of the annual budget process.

Town And School Budget Meetings Set For March

On Monday, March 2, the Board of Selectmen will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the Nicholas J. DiCorleto Jr. Meeting Hall, 55 Main St., for a presentation of the proposed operating budget by the finance officer and public works director, followed by discussion and possible deliberations.

On Wednesday, March 11, the Board of Education will hold its budget hearing at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.

On Thursday, March 12, a BOS/Commissions budget hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m., also at Town Hall.

Board Of Education Budget Totals $49.27 Million

The Board of Education’s proposed 2026-27 budget totals $49,274,008, compared to the current adopted budget of $47,921,412. Salaries and benefits account for just over 79 percent of the total budget.

In his budget message, Acting Superintendent Oliver Barton described the proposal as “a very lean budget,” reflecting a 2.93 percent increase at the superintendent’s level, with the board’s adopted increase at 2.82 percent.

Spending Context: Per-Pupil Costs And ROI

District leaders note Ellington ranks seventeenth lowest in the state in per-pupil spending and would have needed more than $10 million to meet the statewide median in 2024-25. The district also ranks seventh statewide in return on investment, based on academic outcomes relative to spending.

Under the town’s budget process, the Board of Finance will review the proposed budgets before forwarding a final plan to Town Meeting and referendum this spring.