Cromwell Board of Finance Recommends $42.5 Million School Budget in 6-0 Vote

Board of Finance · Meeting of April 2, 2026

Cromwell Board of Finance unanimously recommended a $42,482,767 Board of Education operating budget and approved $30,000 for a community festival at a special April 2 meeting. Chair John Ireland presided over a session that lasted past 10 p.m. and covered nine school capital projects — totaling more than $406,000 — plus a rapid series of town departmental appropriations. The school budget's largest single driver is a roughly $1.07 million jump in health insurance costs after the district switched to the State Partnership Plan following quotes from six carriers; Finance Director Chris reported Cigna sought a 32.86 percent increase and Anthem 31.77 percent before the State Partnership Plan's 23.71 percent rate was accepted.

Outgoing Superintendent Dr. Macri, in what she called her final budget appearance after seven years, told the board that stripping out the insurance increase leaves the rest of the budget at roughly 2 percent growth. Member Steven Wygonowski, who chairs the community events committee, presented a detailed festival budget projecting $44,000 in revenues against tight expenses for a late-September celebration of Cromwell's 175th anniversary, with the board leaving open the possibility of supplemental funding if sponsorships fall short of the $55,650 committed or pledged to date.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 1,452 words

Source: the Board of Finance meeting of April 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

CROMWELL — April 2, 2026 — The Cromwell Board of Finance voted 6-0 at a special Thursday evening meeting to recommend a $42,482,767 operating budget for the Board of Education, while also advancing a slate of school capital projects and approving $30,000 to fund a community festival marking the town's 175th anniversary.

The meeting ran more than two hours and covered the Board of Education's full budget presentation, a detailed review of capital spending requests, and a rapid series of appropriations for town departments ranging from the town clerk to the Conservation Commission. Outgoing Superintendent Dr. Macri, attending what she indicated would be her final budget presentation before leaving the district after seven years, was thanked by board members at the close of the school portion of the meeting.

The Full Story

Chair John Ireland opened the special meeting by reordering the agenda to address Board of Education capital expenditure items first, with school facilities director Claudio and IT manager Steven Van Bakhoven present to answer questions. The board placed on its future-appropriations list nine school capital items totaling more than $406,000, covering an indoor air quality assessment at Cromwell High School, a failing water heater replacement, telephone system upgrades at Woodside Intermediate School, security camera renewals at three schools, HVAC design work at the high school, classroom blinds at Ellsworth Community School, and a domestic water storage tank at the high school.

The telephone system item generated the most debate. The original request called for $180,283 to replace aging NEC phone systems at Woodside Intermediate School, Cromwell High School, and Ellsworth Community School with a unified Mitel platform. The town council had reduced funding to $50,000 for Woodside only. Van Bakhoven told the board the two-system setup prevents staff from identifying internal callers and makes call transfers between buildings impossible. The superintendent said the interoperability gap was a daily frustration.

"I have no idea who's calling me. So if I'm in a meeting and I get up to look at my phone and Mrs. Hicks isn't in the office, I look at it and I say, okay, it's maybe a parent, which is fine. And I will not apparently leave a message. If I see that it's a principal, I automatically think something's going on, right? I can't tell the difference." [00:19:55] — Superintendent Dr. Macri

Member Matthew Blanchette moved to amend the Woodside phone appropriation upward from $50,000 to $55,206, reflecting a fresh quote obtained March 30. The amendment passed unanimously, and the board asked Claudio to obtain updated quotes for the remaining two schools before the continued meeting on Tuesday. Member Steven Wygonowski made most of the formal motions throughout the capital portion of the evening, with the vice chair providing seconds.

On the operating budget, the board devoted the bulk of its time to health insurance costs. Finance Director Chris reported that after soliciting six carriers, only three submitted proposals — with Cigna quoting a 32.86 percent increase, Anthem at 31.77 percent, and the State Partnership Plan at 23.71 percent. The district is switching from a high-deductible plan to a PPO through the State Partnership Plan, which also eliminates a prior district contribution to employee HSA accounts.

"From my standpoint, I think there's definitely been an increase in the partnership and stuff there and very much appreciated. And all I ask and we look for is did you do the due diligence and did you put forth the effort? And seeing that they got at least six carriers out there, five responded or whatever, you know, that's all you can ask." [02:24:14] — Chair John Ireland

Member Daniel Kelly and Wygonowski both voted aye; the tally was recorded as six votes in favor with no opposition. Before the vote, Dr. Macri told the board that stripping out the roughly $1,069,000 health insurance increase, the rest of the budget grew by approximately 2 percent. The board also heard that the district is contributing $396,636 in accumulated surplus funds — drawn from a fiscal year 2025 surplus of $598,206 after $201,570 was allocated to the high school track project — to offset one-time capital technology purchases and reduce the operating budget request.

Member Ed Maley pressed the administration on a spike in non-certified staff costs, which the superintendent attributed to a surge in Connecticut FMLA leave usage following a state law change. The district has logged approximately 50 non-certified employees on FMLA leave so far this fiscal year, against a total workforce of roughly 398 to 400, forcing the district to hire long-term substitutes covered by general-fund dollars even when the absent employee's salary is grant-funded.

On the community festival, Wygonowski, who chairs the community events committee, presented a detailed budget showing total anticipated revenues of roughly $44,000 — including $25,650 in committed sponsorships — against projected expenses that leave the $30,000 appropriation tight even with a 10 percent contingency built in. The event, planned for late September at Pearson Park, is intended to celebrate Cromwell's 175th anniversary and the U.S. Bicentennial. Wygonowski said fireworks and a possible drone show are under consideration, with a fireworks quote ranging from $7,000 to $20,000 depending on show length.

"We're not going to go cheap on the bathrooms, right? ... We're not going to be like, oh, everyone's got to walk from everywhere in town, right? We're looking at busing and looking at different costs for all that and trying to be smart where we can." [02:39:31] — Steven Wygonowski, Member and community events committee chair

Ireland left open the possibility of the committee returning for additional funds later in the summer if sponsorships and other revenues fall short.

Why It Matters

The $42.5 million Board of Education budget recommendation is the formal figure the Board of Finance is placing before the Common Council. The health insurance switch to the State Partnership Plan drives the single largest line-item increase — roughly $1.07 million — and board members noted the budget would be nearly flat without it. The board's capital list, totaling more than $406,000 in new requests, will also advance to the council; a continued meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 7, where the telephone system project may be expanded to cover all three remaining schools if updated quotes arrive in time. The community festival appropriation of $30,000 is now approved and draws on existing community events committee funds; organizers may return for supplemental funding before the September event.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Place IAQ assessment at Cromwell High School ($41,400) on future-appropriations list Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Place water heater replacement at Cromwell High School ($35,985) on future-appropriations list Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Amend telephone system appropriation for Woodside Intermediate School from $50,000 to $55,206 Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Place telephone system upgrade at Woodside Intermediate School ($55,206) on future-appropriations list Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Place CCTV renewal at Ellsworth Community School, phase one ($62,100) on future-appropriations list Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Place CCTV renewal at Cromwell High School ($51,750) on future-appropriations list Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Place CCTV renewal at Woodside Intermediate School ($41,400) on future-appropriations list Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Place HVAC design work at Cromwell High School ($103,500) on future-appropriations list Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Place ECS classroom blinds, phase three of four ($21,993) on future-appropriations list Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Place domestic water storage tank at Cromwell High School ($58,276) on future-appropriations list Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $42,482,767 for line item 47, Board of Education operating budget Tally: For: 6, Against: 0, Abstain: 0, Total: 6

- Vote: Appropriate $238,609 for the town clerk Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $136,614 for the elections department Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $184,467 for the tax collector Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $286,192 for the assessor's office Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $1,950 for the town council (line item 17) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $62,974 for the Board of Finance (line item 18) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $30,000 for the community events committee (line item 19) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $1 for the charter revision committee (line item 20) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $600 for the board of assessment appeals (line item 21) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $1,250 for the zoning board of appeals (line item 24) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $1,900 for Inland Wetlands (line item 25) Tally: Approved unanimously

- Vote: Appropriate $1,400 for the Conservation Commission (line item 26) Tally: Approved unanimously

Source

Cromwell's community access TV: Board of Finance meeting, April 2, 2026