BET Budget Panel Presses Greenwich Schools On Transportation, Pool Costs
Other Committee · Meeting of February 5, 2026
Greenwich BET panel presses schools on bus, pool costs in day-two budget hearing. Superintendent Dr. Tony Jones and finance staff Ben Brandon and Patrick Lie walked the Board of Estimate and Taxation's Budget Committee through a $3.66 million year-over-year salary increase and a transportation budget that has grown to $15.4 million, up 18 percent, after the district switched bus vendors to DACO last year following a threatened December walkout.
Brandon said the district has scouted "close to 50 locations throughout the region" for bus parking. Members also learned the state is expected to underfund Greenwich's special education excess-cost grant by about $781,000, and that a $4 million high school pool renovation is paused for a redesign combining it with new tennis courts and a driveway project. The schools' 2026-27 budget carries the Board of Education's 7-1 endorsement.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 795 words
Source: the Other Committee meeting of February 5, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
GREENWICH — February 5, 2026 — Members of the Board of Estimate and Taxation's Budget Committee spent a second full day of hearings pressing Greenwich Public Schools administrators on soaring transportation costs, a stalled high school pool renovation and special education spending as they reviewed a 2026-27 school budget the Board of Education approved 7-1 last month.
Superintendent Dr. Tony Jones led a team of administrators, including Vice Chair of the Board of Education Sophie Coven and finance staff Ben Brandon and Patrick Lie, through a budget that raises personnel costs by $3.66 million, driven by union contract salary schedules and offset in part by an 11.5 full-time-equivalent reduction in certified staff. Districtwide, the total workforce is set to shrink by 8.8 full-time-equivalent positions compared with this year, continuing a decline tied to falling elementary and middle school enrollment.
The Full Story
Transportation dominated much of the morning session. The district's prior bus vendor threatened to walk off the contract in December 2024, forcing Greenwich to hire a new carrier, DACO, on the condition that the district find its own parking for the fleet. Brandon told the committee the district has since examined roughly 50 potential parking sites and now splits its buses among a church lot on Sherwood Avenue, Western Middle School's pavement and the old Greenwich train station lot, all under temporary approvals. The district plans to issue a new competitive request for proposals in February once it secures more permanent parking, which officials said would give Greenwich leverage to negotiate lower rates. Next year's transportation budget totals $15.4 million, an 18 percent increase over the current year.
Committee member Doug Fenton pressed administrators on the cost of last year's school start-time changes, which eliminated 18 bus routes. Jones and her staff said reversing the change districtwide would cost about $2.66 million, while undoing the later elementary start time shift alone would cost $1.6 million; officials did not clarify whether that $1.6 million figure is included within the larger total.
On special education, Jones said the district expects to end the year under budget for outplacement and settlement costs for a second straight year, a turnaround from years when the board had to seek interim funding from the BET. Finance staff said the state's excess-cost reimbursement grant, meant to cover costs exceeding four and a half times the per-pupil average, is budgeted at about $1.7 million next year, roughly $781,000 short of what the district calculates it is actually owed because the state caps the grant pool. Administrators also described growing pre-kindergarten enrollment, with classrooms rising from 18 this year to a projected 21 next year; the current tuition-based program charges just under $10,300 for a five-hour day against a per-student cost of roughly $30,000.
The Greenwich High School pool project, budgeted at $4 million this fiscal year for design and minimum improvements, is on hold while the district redesigns it as one combined project with new tennis courts and a driveway realignment. Facilities Director Dan Watson said the existing pool has serious deficiencies, including a locked-out diving board and an emergency shutoff added because of drain entrapment risk. Separately, the district's open capital report showed $85 million in available capital funds, with about $59 million, or 70 percent, tied to active building committees, the largest being $44 million for the Old Greenwich School renovation.
"The salary is not great. A lot of people that are in those positions, they love the work, but if they end up finding a position that's going to pay more, they will leave in the middle of the year." — Dr. Tony Jones, superintendent
"We have looked at close to 50 locations throughout the region, and every time we even get close, something comes up." — Ben Brandon, Board of Education finance staff
"I would say yes, we're looking at this as being a community facility." — Sophie Coven, vice chair, Board of Education, on the proposed high school pool
Why It Matters
The transportation and pool decisions carry real budget weight for Greenwich taxpayers: a $15.4 million busing contract that has grown 18 percent in a year, and a high school pool project whose price tag is still unsettled while the existing pool operates with documented safety workarounds. The excess-cost grant shortfall of about $781,000 means the town continues to absorb special education costs the state does not fully reimburse. The Board of Education is expected to revisit Central Middle School enrollment and staffing at its February 19 meeting, and the BET's own budget decisions follow in early March.
Key Motions & Votes
No formal votes taken at this meeting.
Source
Greenwich Community Television: Board of Estimate and Taxation Budget Committee meeting, February 5, 2026