From left, Frewsburg Central School Board of Education Members Thomas Fenton, Randal Beckstrom, and Bradley Swanson, Thursday, view district documents. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

FREWSBURG – A first glance at Frewsburg Central School’s 2026-27 budget makes clear that changes are coming.

During the board’s first budget workshop, Interim Superintendent Lynda Quick told board members that it’s a first look at the tentative spending plan, and it’s a first step in the process that will take place over the next two months before its final and presented to district voters.

“So it’s still a work in progress, and I’m sure you’ll have questions, but we will be working on answers very promptly following this meeting over the next two months,” Quick said.

The 2026-2027 tentative budget is $25,277,100, about a 6.84% increase over the current 2025-2026 spending plan. Projected revenue is increasing about $598,000, and projected expenditures are about $1,633,420, so the projected deficit sits at about $1,035,350, Quick said.

Quick said numbers from the current spending plan have been rolled over into the 2026-2027 budget without any cost-cutting moves.

“We’re going to have to make some changes,” Quick explained.

The superintendent said one area of concern is the foundation aid provided by New York State, in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed state budget. Quick said like other school districts in the region, Frewsburg’s projected state aid is about 1%.

“In her budget proposal this year, she (Hochul) proposed that most districts in New York State receive a 1% increase,” Quick said. “It is concerning.”

It is an election year, Quick noted, where Hochul and many others are up for reelection, and the district expected, in an election year, that the district would see a good budget proposal.

“And one percent is not that,” Quick said.

For the current 2025-2026 budget, Frewsburg received a 2% increase in state aid.

“One percent is a pretty low starting place,” Quick added.

She told board members other areas of concern include health insurance is expected to increase by $433,927, and salaries are projected to increase by $350,298.

At their March 12 budget workshop, Quick noted, board members will look at salaries, fringe benefits, BOCES, special education, and review draft budget scenarios.

“So, we definitely have our work cut out for us in the next month to look at changes,” Quick said. “And our team has been looking at those various line items to see where we can make adjustments.”

Between March 13 and April 15 the board will review and verify state aid, and BOCES estimates, finalize expenditures, and complete a final budget draft.

On April 16, the board will adopt its final budget, and on May 7 public budget hearing will be held, and the budget vote is scheduled to take place on May 19.