AMHERST — The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee is putting forward a $37.08 million fiscal year 2026 budget that would limit some anticipated staffing cuts at the middle and high schools, a proposal that would significantly increase assessments for the four member towns.

At a late Friday afternoon meeting, the committee voted 8-0, with Amherst representative Irv Rhodes abstaining, to recommend a budget that is 5.13%, or $1.81 million, above this year’s $35.27 million budget. The proposal is $812,126 short of a $37.89 million level-services budget, but preserves the middle school academic team schedules and two counselors at the high school, which had been among 18 positions considered for elimination.

The budget plan would mean year-over-year assessment increases of 6.5% for Amherst, Pelham, Shutesbury and Leverett, even as the Amherst Town Council has provided guidance that the town’s assessment increase should not exceed 4%.

The approval came despite worries about adopting what is called “option 3” of three potential budgets discussed the previous week, which committee members said may face an uphill climb in getting approvals from Amherst Town Council and the annual Town Meetings in the smaller towns.

“If we don’t swing the bat all the way, then we might miss something,” said Pelham representative William Sherr.

“Our job is to look at what the students need,” said Amherst representative Bridget Hynes.

Amherst representative Deb Leonard said Amherst could support the schools with some of the $5.7 million surplus the town had left from last year’s municipal budget.

Under the proposal, Amherst’s assessment would be set at $20.06 million, a $1.22 million increase over this year’s $18.84 million assessment, and $465,841 beyond the $19.6 million assessment the town would have under a 4% increase.

Pelham’s assessment would rise by $69,270, from $1.07 million to $1.13 million; Leverett’s assessment would go up by $106,174, from $1.63 million to $1.74 million; and Shutesbury’s would increase by $107,517, from $1.65 million to $1.76 million.

The vote on “option 3” came after the committee failed to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority for a slightly smaller, $36.88 million budget proposal. That would have held Amherst to a 5.5% increase, with 6.5% increases for the smaller towns.

Amherst representative Jennifer Shiao said she felt the 6.5% increase across the board was too risky and the committee should be pragmatic.

“I’m willing to risk to get to 5.49% and I’m willing to count on our community to come out and make public comment and do whatever they can to push the Finance Committee and Town Council,” Shiao said.

Shiao noted the smaller budget still brings back the middle school team schedules, world language and two counselors, and minimizes harm.

“It restores the ones that I think are most meaningful,” Shiao said.

“I want to vote a level-services budget, but that has no chance of passing,” Shiao said.

Shutesbury representative Anna Heard, joined by Sherr, Hynes and Leonard, voted against that budget. Joining Shiao in favor were Rhodes, Pelham representative and Chairwoman Sarahbess Kenney, Leverett representative Tilman Wolf and Amherst representative Sarah Marshall.

“I just think it’s going to be a lot harder to get Amherst to 6.5%. I don’t think they will be happy at paying just as much of a percentage increase for all the towns” Marshall said.

“It is more palatable to Amherst than ‘option 3,’” Rhodes said. “‘Option 3’ is just too far of a reach and too much of an ask.”

Heard said she is concerned about “kowtowing” to Amherst and doesn’t want to hear the town “complaining” and “crying” that all four towns are asked to have 6.5% increases.

“We’re asking Shutesbury to step up and take the bite and, oh poor Amherst, they can’t possibly do it, and that’s not going to play well in Shutesbury,” Heard said.

Rhodes cautioned that the committee shouldn’t be critical of Amherst and its personnel. “Vilifying Amherst is really out of line,” Rhodes said.

Marshall said the Amherst representatives also have to consider that they may be asking for more for the elementary schools. “I don’t want to end up robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Marshall said.

Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman said the Regional School Committee is running a risk no matter which budget it brings forward.

“Vote the best option for the children, and then we fight and advocate from there,” Herman said,

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.