Finance board sends budget to public hearing

KENT — The Board of Finance motioned to send the town fiscal year 2026 budget to public hearing, which will occur on Friday, May 2. A town referendum on the budget will follow on May 16.

The Wednesday, April 23, meeting was the third meeting of the board this month.

The decision followed extended discourse between the Board of Finance, the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education focused on trimming down budget increases on both sides of the town spending plan.

The Selectmen met on Monday, April 21, to find $30,000 to cut from their proposed plan, as instructed by the Board of Finance. The group ultimately decided to bring the $30,000 allocated to Line 246 (“Contingency”) down to $20,000, Line 322 (“Welcome Center/Public Restrooms”) down to $20,000 from $25,000, and to cut $15,000 from the $60,000 proposed in Line 380 (“Transfer to Schaghticoke”).

With these adjustments, the Selectmen’s proposed budget that will be presented at the May 2 public hearing totals $5,347,501, marking a hike of $215,966 or 4.21% from last year’s budget.

The Board of Education could not meet before the April 23 meeting, but confirmed with the Board of Finance that it would cut $25,000 from its bottom line. The adjusted Kent Central School budget now stands at $5,197,492, up $76,335 or 1.49% from the fiscal year 2025 number.

Regional education spending, which is determined separately by the Region One finance board, was assessed at $2,615,310, representing an increase of $88,399 or 3.50% from the previous year. Combined education costs stand at $7,812,802, up $164,734 or 2.15%.

To balance the mill rate, the Board of Finance transferred $100,000 from the town’s general unassigned fund. The proposed mill rate currently sits at 16.93, marking a 8.55% increase from last year.

Latest News

Rhys V. Bowen

LAKEVILLE — Rhys V. Bowen, 65, of Foxboro, Massachusetts, died unexpectedly in his sleep on Sept. 15, 2025. Rhys was born in Sharon, Connecticut, on April 9, 1960 to Anne H. Bowen and the late John G. Bowen. His brother, David, died in 1979.

Rhys grew up at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, where his father taught English. Attending Hotchkiss, Rhys excelled in academics and played soccer, basketball, and baseball. During these years, he also learned the challenges and joys of running, and continued to run at least 50 miles a week, until the day he died.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kelsey K. Horton

LAKEVILLE — Kelsey K. Horton, 43, a lifelong area resident, died peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut, following a courageous battle with cancer. Kelsey worked as a certified nursing assistant and administrative assistant at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, from 1999 until 2024, where she was a very respected and loved member of their nursing and administrative staff.

Born Oct. 4, 1981, in Sharon, she was the daughter of W. Craig Kellogg of Southern Pines, North Carolina, and JoAnne (Lukens) Tuncy and her husband Donald of Millerton, New York. Kelsey graduated with the class of 1999 from Webutuck High School in Amenia and from BOCES in 1999 with a certificate from the CNA program as well. She was a longtime member of the Lakeville United Methodist Church in Lakeville. On Oct. 11, 2003, in Poughkeepsie, New York, she married James Horton. Jimmy survives at home in Lakeville. Kelsey loved camping every summer at Waubeeka Family Campground in Copake, and she volunteered as a cheer coach for A.R.C. Cheerleading for many years. Kelsey also enjoyed hiking and gardening in her spare time and spending time with her loving family and many dear friends.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eliot Warren Brown

SHARON — On Sept. 27, Eliot Warren Brown was shot and killed at age 47 at his home in New Orleans, Louisiana, in a random act of violence by a young man in need of mental health services. Eliot was born and raised in Sharon, Connecticut, and attended Indian Mountain School and Concord Academy in Massachusetts. He graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He and his wife Brooke moved to New Orleans to answer the call for help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and fell in love with the city.

In addition to his wife Brooke, Eliot leaves behind his parents Malcolm and Louise Brown, his sisters Lucia (Thaddeus) and Carla (Ruairi), three nephews, and extended family and friends spread far and wide.

Keep ReadingShow less
Randall Osolin

SHARON — Randall “Randy” Osolin passed away on Sept. 25, 2025, at the age of 74. He was born on Feb. 6, 1951, in Sharon, Connecticut to the late Ramon (Sonny) and Barbara (Sandmeyer) Osolin.

He was a dedicated social worker, a natural athlete, a gentle friend of animals, an abiding parish verger, an inveterate reader, and an estimable friend and neighbor. He was a kind-hearted person whose greatest joy was in helping someone in need and sharing his time with his family and good friends.

Keep ReadingShow less