North Haven Referendum Results For Revised Budget

NORTH HAVEN, CT — North Haven’s budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year was approved by more than 330 votes on Tuesday, according to the North Haven Democratic Town Committee.

Citing results from the North Haven Registrars of Voters, the Democratic Town Committee reported 1,892 voted in favor of the revised budget with 1,559 against.

The first budget referendum failed by 723 votes on May 19.

(Original post) NORTH HAVEN, CT — The referendum on the revised North Haven budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year will take place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9.

Voting will be at the Recreation Center at 7 Linsley Street.

The first budget referendum failed on May 19.

After the referendum failed, the Board of Finance reduced the Board of Education’s proposed budget by nearly $1.75 million.

Superintendent of Schools Patrick Stirk said the school board then held a budget workshop to address the reduction and “hard cuts were determined and have resulted in loss of various positions and resources for next school year.”

During a special budget town meeting on June 2, Stirk said the Board of Education’s adjusted budget represents a 4.53 percent increase, or $3.1 million, over the current spending plan.

Stirk said the overall increase to the medical and dental insurance line for the 2026-27 school year is $2.94 million and the overall increase to the workers' compensation insurance line is just over $530,000.

“Adding these two increases together equals $3.4 million, while the Board of Education's total overall increase for '26-'27 is less than this amount, at $3.1 million,” Stirk said. “The district must account for this difference of $369,000 just to make up the deficit in the insurance and workers' compensation.

“This does not account for any contractual increases or other increased costs such as gas, electricity, and many of the line items in our current budget.”

Stirk said with the budget’s projected 4.53 percent increase all “student-centered programming, creative learning program, future problem solvers, musical, choir, clubs, all that's in place now will remain in place next year.

“All athletic programming at the middle school and the high school will remain in place,” Stirk said. “The occupational therapist position that was discussed in earlier discussions with the board and with the public, it's a newly proposed position, and that will remain in the budget as well. And all instructional supplies will remain at the '25-'26 funding level.”

Stirk said the cuts that will go with the 4.53 percent increase will be the elimination of 19 positions, including 15 certified positions, one director, and three non-certified positions.

“And please, as a reminder, this number does not include the nine positions that were eliminated due to retirement, which brings the total number of positions to 28,” Stirk said. “The breakdown of these positions are as follows. The elimination and the restructuring of the content area coordinators across the district. The elimination of four classroom teachers at the elementary level, and the elimination of the seventh-grade world language at the middle school. The elimination of the director of the building and grounds position, and the elimination of three non-certified clerk positions.”

Stirk said that school officials “understand that our community is facing very tough economic times, and a failed referendum is a clear signal that our residents are feeling the impact.”

“But as we look forward to this next referendum, we must also understand the stakes for maintaining a safe and viable school system are high,” he said. “This is no longer an abstract debate about numbers on a ledger. These cuts have a human face and a direct impact in our ability to maintain an operable school system for North Haven. We present these facts tonight to provide as much clarity and transparency as possible.

“We face an incredibly difficult situation, but we believe that confronting it with honesty, heart, and a shared responsibility, we can still protect the integrity of our schools and the education of our students.”

Also at the special meeting, North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda said he is supporting the budget.

“Further cuts will eviscerate the Board of Education,” Fred said. “Further cuts, because they'll have to be on both sides, will emasculate the town services. Think about that, ladies and gentlemen. And I'm not trying to be a fearmonger here. You haven't heard me say what's going to be cut.

“You haven't heard me say in a previous presentation these are the things that are going to be cut. But that's where we are right now.

“If this budget fails, why I am supporting it is that we're at a point that we can't go any further without a significant reduction in services. If it fails, we go back to the drawing board. If it passes, we move forward.”

To view the revised budget, visit here.

To watch the video of the special budget meeting, click here.