In Case You Missed It - North Haven Budget Update

DTC Leadership
Apr 17
3 min read

This week was an important one in North Haven’s budget process, with multiple meetings and meaningful community input shaping where things stand today. Here’s a clear summary of what happened and what it means going forward.

Monday: Budget Public Hearing

On Monday, the town held its Budget Public Hearing.

Nearly every speaker who came forward advocated for:

Restoring education funding
Restoring firefighter positions

Many members of the community, including several from the DTC, took the time to speak, share perspectives, and make it clear what matters most to them.

The message from the public was consistent:invest in education and public safety.

Fire Commissioner Peter Criscuolo who prepared visuals for his public comment

Wednesday: Board of Finance Actions

On Wednesday, the Board of Finance met and made several unprecedented adjustments to the proposed budget, including:

Restoring funding for 2 firefighters
Restoring $500,000 to the Board of Education budget
Making smaller adjustments across other departments

This reflects movement in response to both community input and continued dialogue between boards.

Adjustments made by members of the Board of Finance (thank you!)

Thursday: Board of Education Response and Clarifications

At Thursday’s Board of Education meeting, the BOE:

Thanked the Board of Finance for restoring funding
Provided clarification on several key points that had been discussed publicly

Here are some of the most important clarifications:

Paraprofessionals (Paras)

There has been a claim that the district had a “buffer” for 10 additional paraprofessionals.

This is not accurate.

This likely refers to Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) funded through grants. These positions actually save the district hundreds of thousands of dollars and should not be interpreted as excess staffing.

Administrative Positions

There was considerable confusion around backfilling administrators. The district has experienced some turnover in administrative staffing and explained:

The Director of Facilities position remains unfilled
A High School Assistant Principal position was eliminated, with funds redirected to special education services

“Surplus” Clarification

There has also been confusion around the idea of a “surplus.”

A true surplus means all obligations are fully funded and money remains.

That is not the case here and has not been the case for a long time.

Unspent funds do not account for:

A backlog of capital needs
Underfunded insurance reserves

When those are considered, it’s clear the district has not had a true surplus in years.

Budget Vote (6.3% Increase)

There was a misleading claim that the Board of Education voted unanimously to align with the 6.3% budget set by the Board of Finance.

This was not an endorsement of the number, but a commitment to act in good faith and work within the amount provided.

At the same time, the BOE:

Clearly outlined the impact of reductions
Formally requested an additional $500,000 to reach a more sustainable level

Additional Updates

DRIP Grant: Funding will support needed repairs across buildings, including the middle school and Clintonville. This addresses safety and maintenance needs, not surplus building.
Bus Patrol Program: Now live. Residents can review details on the town website.
Food Services Audit: Completed with positive feedback.
School Calendar Updates:
- Last day of school: June 17
- Graduation: June 16
- First day of school (2026–27): August 31
- Eid al-Fitr: recognized as a day off
- April break: Week of April 12, 2027

The calendar voted on by the BOE for the 2026-2027 school year

Workers’ Compensation Workers’ compensation is projected to end the year with about $35,000 remaining. The proposed budget does not rebuild this reserve, leaving little margin for unexpected costs.