Shutesbury School Committee approves calendar, budget at 6.32 percent increase

SHUTESBURY -- March 19, 2026, Shutesbury School Committee unanimously approves 6.32 percent budget increase and 2026-27 school calendar amid oil spill response. The committee voted Thursday to finalize the Shutesbury Elementary School budget for the coming year, driven by contractual salary costs and higher special education out-of-district placements, while Buildings Committee member Frank McGinn detailed an ongoing DEP-monitored remediation after 39 gallons of heating oil leaked from an underground vault tank into a nearby stream, leaving the town on the hook for an estimated $13,000 to $15,000 after a $10,000 insurance deductible. School Building Subcommittee member Nate reported Capital Planning approved a $15,800 Berkshire Design Group engineering study as the first phase of a parking lot reconstruction projected at $300,000 to $500,000 and not expected until 2028-29. Superintendent Shannon announced a pending $25,000 rural aid supplemental allocation and $21,743 in circuit breaker extraordinary relief, while Shutesbury Education Association co-president Viva Butler delivered a public statement urging the committee to reexamine data oversight practices and compensation equity for support staff.