Ayer Select Board Faces 11.9 Percent School Assessment, Possible Million-Dollar Municipal Cuts

AYER -- February 3, 2026, Ayer Select Board receives record-high 11.9 percent school assessment in preliminary FY27 budget presentation. Superintendent Dr. Adam Renda and Assistant Superintendent Charlie Cleary of the Ayer-Shirley Regional School District told a joint session of the Select Board and Finance Committee Tuesday that the total preliminary operating assessment and debt for Ayer stands at $17,131,705, the largest since the regional agreement was formed, driven by a 14.4 percent health insurance increase, $70,000 per month in special education transportation costs, and $65,000 per month in electricity expenses, alongside reduced state Chapter 70 aid and federal grants that have fallen by roughly $500,000 since 2018. Town Manager Robert warned the board that the 11.9 percent figure "is not viable" and that absorbing it would force more than a million dollars in municipal budget cuts reaching personnel. The district is pursuing solar energy contracts, direct parent transportation agreements, and an in-house 18-to-22 special education program it estimates could save between $200,000 and $500,000 combined, but none of those savings are yet secured. A certified budget must reach both towns by approximately March 17.