# Thomaston Board of Education's Personal Meeting Room


**Body:** Thomaston Board of Education
**Date:** October 20, 2026
**Jurisdiction:** SLED

**Tags:** Education, Information Technology, Grants & Funding


The Thomaston Board of Education held a budget and operations discussion on October 20, 2026. Staff reviewed the expenditure report, payroll cleanup, and the developing 2025–26 budget picture. They said recently approved SMART grant funding may allow some personnel costs, and possibly benefits, to be shifted from district budget lines to the grant. Special-education tuition and services remain a major pressure: the discussion cited a projected overage of roughly $385,000–$400,000, with about $31,000 in previously unreported special-education invoices also requiring verification and payment. Staff said figures remain subject to adjustment while the audit is underway.

The board discussed a proposed $5,000 additional charge for exam-day busing. Staff had not yet verified the charge against the transportation contract, and no vote on it is captured in the transcript. Members also discussed overtime and custodial coverage, as well as whether the district should consider a different payroll/finance system in the future; no software purchase or procurement decision was made. No contract award or other spending motion is recorded in the transcript.

**Source:** Thomaston Board of Education