WHITMAN — April 15, 2026 — Facing an increasingly tense budget season, the Whitman-Hanson Regional School Committee is navigating a delicate balance between fiscal relief and immediate needs. At the April 15th meeting, officials debated a potential $191,000 deal with a private solar company to pave school lots in exchange for road access, even as members expressed deep concern over the six-month delay it would cause for repairs at the high school.
The Full Story
The meeting opened with a somber tone as the committee held moments of silence for Elaine Newcomb, a paraprofessional at Duval, and John Noone, a former Whitman School Committee member and Whitman Finance Committee member. However, the atmosphere quickly shifted to the pressing financial realities of the FY27 budget.
Whitman Select Board member Shawn Kain addressed the committee during public comment, emphasizing the town’s goal to avoid a tax override. Kain noted that Whitman had “bumped up” the budget for the school assessment to the number certified by the School Committee, 4.85%, while cutting $500,000 from other town departments to share the burden. He specifically mentioned “non-mandated busing” as a critical area for potential cost savings, calling transportation a “hot button issue” for the town’s financial leadership. [06:42]
