Harrisbrook School Closes $6M Under Budget

Finance Committee · Meeting of October 21, 2026

Ludlow's Harrisbrook Elementary School project officially closed $6 million under budget. Finance Committee Vice Chairperson Michael Kelliher told the committee the $53,656,904 final cost came in more than 10 percent under the roughly $60 million approved budget, after the town received a final $1.4 million MSBA reimbursement over the summer. The committee lacked a quorum to take any formal action, pushing approval of September minutes and member Aneta Lombardi's Public Safety Complex Committee update to November.

Town Accountant Michelle White spent much of the meeting explaining a new payroll encumbrance system, telling members "when I came here, being an accountant and looking at the budget, to me it's an easier way." Select Board liaison Tony Sanchez pressed White on distinguishing a real budget deficit from a reporting artifact, using a Planning Board line showing a negative $4,372 balance as an example.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,263 words

Source: the Finance Committee meeting of October 21, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.