MONTAGUE — Community members in the Gill-Montague Regional School District are advocating against fiscal year 2026 budget cuts that will result in layoffs for the school resource officer, the curriculum director and a special education instructional assistant.

These three positions were cut to rein in a $400,000 shortfall between the FY25 and FY26 budgets. Eliminating these positions would save an estimated $202,000. Other revenue was worked into the budget to cover the gap, including increased assessments from Montague and Gill providing a total of $58,550, and $100,000 from a transportation revolving account, among others.

Despite the Gill-Montague School Committee ultimately approving the balanced budget of $28.82 million, the public expressed concerns about the loss of the three positions during Tuesday’s meeting.

“I’ve seen time and time again the positives that have come from having a member of the public safety team in the school district,” Kyle Cogswell, a Turners Falls fire captain and a school district parent, said of SRO Dan Miner’s position.

His wife, Lesley Cogswell, who is a former Gill-Montague School Committee member, said the budget should not be approved. She advocated for the SRO position to be retained and asked the School Committee to think outside the box to find an alternative funding solution.

Miner, who had a chance to speak briefly on behalf of his role, said he understands the tough position the committee is in, and that becoming the SRO seven years ago was the best decision he’s ever made.

In an interview Wednesday, Miner said he’s hopeful the district will reconsider cutting the position, saying, “I think if they want to find the money, they will.” If the position is ultimately cut, he said he doesn’t take it personally and he will stay working at the Montague Police Department as an officer while K-9 Mack, the school district’s comfort dog, will become a community resource. Miner has already been out of the school district since February as he was moved to full-time patrol duty amid staffing issues at the Montague Police Department.

During public comment, Gill Elementary School first grade teacher Jenay Hall spoke about the director of teaching and learning position held by Heather Maynard. Hall listed the responsibilities the role carries as an administrative job that, if eliminated, would fall to other employees.

“This position is one that has the potential to support educators, and without it, you run the risk of losing incredible staff members to school communities where they feel more value and respect,” Hall said.

In an interview Wednesday, Maynard expressed appreciation to the school district for the time she’s been there since August 2024. She wishes the position wasn’t cut, but said she understands the need from a budgetary perspective.

Speaking as a principal and educator, School Committee member Carol Jacobs agreed that the director of teaching and learning is a position with many responsibilities that have grown over time, and that if it is cut, the principal would bear the weight of those responsibilities on top of their own role. Jacobs works at Newton School in Greenfield.

Before the $28.82 million budget was approved, Gill-Montague Superintendent Brian Beck said these cuts were made in an effort to not cut “student-facing” positions. He said the decision regarding which cuts were made ultimately came down to him, and Miner and Maynard said they spoke to Beck prior to Tuesday’s meeting.

Before the vote was taken, School Committee Chair Jane Oakes, and Business and Operations Director Joanne Blier clarified that after this vote, money can still be dispersed differently, but the goal was to get the final budget number approved. Although the possibility of finding money to retain the three roles was mentioned, Maynard said she felt the discussion she had with Beck indicated this cut is likely permanent and a “necessary step” to balance the budget.

“I’m not stating that it’s not possible that changes are made, but I’m saying our main goal here is to vote the final number,” Oakes said in response to Jacobs after she said that she really wants to see the roles retained. “Then if there is a request by us to go back and look at funding, or if there’s a way that things start to pan out a little differently, we just have that final budget number voted this evening.”

With the budget approved by the School Committee, the numbers will face approval by voters at Annual Town Meetings in Gill and Montague.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.