ORANGE — With three members absent for various reasons, the Mahar School Committee on Wednesday approved a 4% budget increase for the next school year.

The committee voted 8-0 to recommend a $16.4 million budget, which represents a $631,853 increase over the current year’s budget. State law requires a two-thirds majority to recommend a budget.

“We did the right thing,” said Peter Cross, the committee’s chair. “So I’m happy to support it.”

The budget, and its individual town assessments, will now head to annual Town Meetings in Orange, Wendell, New Salem and Petersham.

If the spending plan is approved, the Central Office and the school building leadership line items will see decreases of 10.2% and 14.3%, respectively. Central Office includes expenses for the superintendent, director of finance and operations, human resources, payroll, and accounting. School building leadership includes curriculum director, principal, assistant principal, dean, and instructional coach.

Special education out-of-district costs would increase by $212,797, or 18%, and special education transportation would rise by $50,053, or 10.7%.

General education comprises 76% of the total proposed school budget. The figures include a 1.3% increase in insurance costs. Seven positions were slated to be eliminated in the fiscal year 2026 budget, but the teachers union agreed to a hike in the insurance deductible amount to save enough money to spare two of those jobs.

Michele Tontodonato, director of finance and operations for the Ralph C. Mahar Regional and Union 73 school districts, said at the March meeting that the Mahar Teachers Association’s courtesy helped save about $100,000. She described the 13.61% increase in health insurance costs for active teachers and retirees as “pretty high.”

Chris Bailey, Mahar’s union president, said at a March School Committee meeting that he and his fellow teachers were grateful they were asked about this solution and they were happy to accommodate.

“Obviously, when you’re facing losses, we try to do what we can,” he told School Committee members. “The association has limited control over budgets, so we appreciate being approached and having a say. I know there’s some other schools out there right now that are complaining about not having a say.”

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.