Board of Finance hears municipal, education spending plans

NORTH CANAAN — First Selectman Brian Ohler, North Canaan Elementary School Principal Beth Johnson and Region One Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley presented 2025-26 spending plans to the Board of Finance March 19.

Education spending is up while municipal spending is down.

Ohler showed that town costs are down by $15,705, or -0.4%, to a new total of $3,227,232.

The largest increases to municipal line items in 2025-26 went to emergency services, with a $20,000 hike to ambulance operation costs and $40,000 more to the fire department’s equipment fund. These were offset by reductions in a number of areas, including a $30,000 savings in bulky waste costs at the Transfer Station and a reduced first selectman’s salary, down by $24,000 to match the amount the other two selectman receive annually — $6,500.

North Canaan Elementary School spending is up to a total of $4,810,475.49, a hike of $274,362.79, or 6.05%, compared to last year’s budget.

Region One’s assessment for North Canaan in 2025-26 is up to $5,636,433.12, an increase of $70,510.12, or 1.27%.

Combined education spending plans total $10,446,908.61, up by $344,872.91, or 3.41%, compared to 2024-25.

The Board of Finance will hold a budget workshop April 2 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall to discuss spending plans.