West Bridgewater Finance Committee Reviews $22.5 Million School Budget, Eyes April Votes

WEST BRIDGEWATER — March 19, 2026 — West Bridgewater Finance Committee hears $22.5 million school budget request and capital preview topping $4 million. The committee spent several hours on March 19 reviewing fiscal year 2027 departmental budgets, with the West Bridgewater Public Schools proposing a $916,949 increase — a 4.93 percent jump — driven largely by a proposed 19 new or expanded staff positions including a half-time district nurse at $36,236, a full-time library media specialist at $72,473, and a reading specialist partially funded by Title I. A Finance Committee member noted that removing those two positions alone would bring the increase to just under 4.5 percent. Southeastern Regional School District Superintendent Holly McClannan reported West Bridgewater's FY27 vocational assessment will fall $90,021 to $1,035,493, reflecting a 14.6 percent enrollment decline after the district's first-ever admissions lottery selected only nine of 29 West Bridgewater applicants. Town Administrator David told committee members the town holds $4.3 million in free cash — its highest ever — including $750,000 in interest income, and flagged a capital request slate that includes a $1.7 million fire ladder truck and a roughly $928,000 Town Hall staircase reconstruction; the Finance Committee is scheduled to vote budget recommendations on April 2 and capital warrant articles on April 23.