By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — The Board of Finance on Tuesday passed the Board of Education’s proposed spending plan for 2024-25.

The meeting was short, but the board had held several public gatherings on the budgeting process, including education funding, at the Westport Library.

Board of Education Chairwoman Lee Goldstein thanked the finance board for considering the schools’ proposed budget, and reminded members that the main factor driving the increase is healthcare spending.

The schools are asking for a $147,300,744 budget for the next fiscal year. That’s about $11 million, or 8.08 percent, more than the current year.

“It’s not secret that we are analyzing going to the state [health insurance] plan,” she said. “That is not something that we can unilaterally decide. That’s an agreement we reach with seven bargaining units.”

“Over the last two years I’ve been very satisfied with the budget request,” Board of Finance Chairman Lee Caney said. “There’s been a lot less gamesmanship in terms of coming in higher and then negotiating down low.”

“You came in with a solid budget,” he said. “We have one of the best, or the best, district in the state and obviously we want to keep it that way.”

He recognized that cost drivers have been special education, transportation and healthcare.

Member Michael Keller liked the transition to a new bus company, First Student.

“I think you’ve found a better provider than we’ve had in the past and this morning I was solo-parenting, and I got both boys on the bus, and I knew exactly when they were coming so there was no long waiting with the new app,” he said. “It’s awesome, I knew that was something that the community has been asking for.”

Member Danielle Dobin also credited the school board with making the bus company change.

“I know it was a heavy lift and that all of you went above and beyond,” she said.

She also said she appreciated the school board for holding off on hiring assistant principals, “and just maintaining operating expenses where you could in a way that makes sense and still preserves the educational excellence in town.”

The appropriation will go next to the Representative Town Meeting, the town’s final funding body.

Thane Grauel grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond for 36 years. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.