Salisbury Board of Finance accepts budget proposals

SALISBURY — The Board of Finance accepted budget proposals from the Board of Selectmen, the Board of Education and Region One at its meeting Thursday, March 13.

First Selectman Curtis Rand and Comptroller Joe Cleaveland discussed the 2025-26 municipal budget proposal, which has a bottom line of $9,205,120, which represents an increase of $585,530 — 6.7%.

Rand and Cleaveland stressed that the proposal only details expenses and does not include revenue. Rand said he will have a clearer idea of revenue projections when the finance board addresses the budget proposals next month.

The finance board members were not taken aback by the 6.7% increase, which is larger than usual.

Joe Woodard even wondered if the town was allocating enough funds for battling hydrilla at East Twin Lake.

For Salisbury Central School, the total proposed is $6,901,041, an increase of $365,102 — 5.59%.

SCS Principal Stephanie Magyar said the bulk of the increase comes from scheduled salary hikes, and school board chair David Valcin said the teachers’ contract is in the second and most expensive year of a three-year deal with a cumulative 13% increase.

Region One Business Manager Sam Herrick gave a detailed explanation of the Region One assessment, currently $4,794,310, an increase of $386,297 — 8.76%. He said Salisbury will be sending a larger class to Housatonic Valley Regional High School than in previous years, and the overall HVRHS enrollment is projected to go down, thus making Salisbury’s share of the total larger.

Total proposed education spending for Salisbury for 2025-26 is $11,695,351, an increase of $751,399 — 6.87%.

The public hearing on the Region One budget is on Thursday, April 10, at 6:30 p.m. at HVRHS and online.

Latest News

Wake Robin developers reapply with P&Z
Wake Robin Inn is located on Sharon Road in Lakeville.
Photo by John Coston

LAKEVILLE — ARADEV LLC, the developer behind the proposed redesign of Wake Robin Inn, returned before Salisbury’s Planning and Zoning Commission at its May 5 regular meeting with a 644-page plan that it says scales back the project.

ARADEV withdrew its previous application last December after a six-round public hearing in which neighbors along Wells Hill Road and Sharon Road rallied against the proposal as detrimental to the neighborhood.

Keep ReadingShow less
Housatonic lax wins 18-6 versus Lakeview
Chloe Hill, left, scored once in the game against Lakeview High School Tuesday, May 7.
Photo by Riley Klein

FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley Regional High School girls lacrosse kept rolling Tuesday, May 6, with a decisive 18-6 win over Lakeview High School.

Eight different players scored for Housatonic in the Northwest Corner rivalry matchup. Sophomore Georgie Clayton led the team with five goals.

Keep ReadingShow less
Troutbeck Symposium 2025: the latest chapter in continuing a vital legacy

Participating students and teachers gathered for the traditional photo at the 2025 Troutbeck Symposium on Thursday, May 1.

Leila Hawken

Students and educators from throughout the region converged at Troutbeck in Amenia for a three-day conference to present historical research projects undertaken collaboratively by students with a common focus on original research into their chosen topics. Area independent schools and public schools participated in the conference that extended from Wednesday, April 30 to Friday, May 2.

The symposium continues the Troutbeck legacy as a decades-old gathering place for pioneers in social justice and reform. Today it is a destination luxury country inn, but Troutbeck remains conscious of its significant place in history.

Keep ReadingShow less
Roaring Oaks Florist launches self-serve flower market

Terence S. Miller, owner of Roaring Oaks Florist in the new self-serve area of the shop.

Natalia Zukerman

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Roaring Oaks Florist in Lakeville has launched a new self-serve flower station next to its Main Street shop, offering high-quality, grab-and-go bouquets from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week — including Sundays when the main store is closed.

Owner Terence S. Miller, who bought the shop 24 years ago at just 20 years old, calls the new feature “a modern twist on an old-school honor system,” with some high-tech updates.

Keep ReadingShow less