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

Middle school showdown
Lans Christensen

Kent Center School defeated the Region One middle school girls soccer team Monday, Oct. 20. Although showers paused for the game, cold winds relented. Kent scored 15 minutes into the first half and again moments later. The first half was about to end when Kent made it a 3-0 game. The Region One team, consisting of players from Lee H. Kellogg School, North Canaan Elementary School, Cornwall Consolidated School, Sharon Center School and Salisbury Central School, got on the board with only a minute left. The second half saw Kent score again for a 4-1 final score.

Lans Christensen

Keep ReadingShow less
Berkshire League soccer finals come down to Housatonic vs. Nonnewaug
Riley Klein

Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s girls and boys varsity soccer teams took on their counterparts from Nonnewaug High School for the Berkshire League tournament finals on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Results available @lakevillejournal on Instagram and Facebook. In the semifinals of the tournament, the HVRHS boys beat Shepaug 1-0 and the Nonnewaug boys beat Northwestern in a shootout (4-3) after a 1-1 tie. The HVRHS girls beat Terryville 5-2 and the Nonnewaug girls beat Thomaston 3-1.


Keep ReadingShow less
Letters to the Editor - October 30, 2025

Adding to last week’s ‘No Kings’ coverage

I’m writing to add to Ruth Epstein’s excellent account of the four spirited demonstrations that took place in the Northwest Corner on Saturday, Oct. 18.In her effort to cover the lively and often joyful demonstrations in Cornwall Bridge, Kent, North Canaan, and Salisbury, Ruth had to leave the crowded green in front of the White Hart Inn before “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” a rambunctious play, wonderfully adapted by Leslie Elias for the No Kings demonstration.

Keep ReadingShow less