Council adopts 2026 pension MMO; council also authorizes LSA grant application for police bicycle patrol program

Council adopted the 2026 Minimum Municipal Obligation (MMO) for the combined nonuniform and police pension plans and authorized staff to submit an application to the Commonwealth Financing Authority for Local Share Account (LSA) category 4 facilities funding to support a bicycle patrol pilot program.

Council moved and unanimously approved the MMO funding for 2026. Michael Nistica, chief administrator, said the municipality’s MMO rose by about $197,000 from the prior year based on the 2025 actuarial evaluation and changes to normal cost; he noted state aid that offsets the obligation has also increased but cautioned the higher pension requirement is “impactful to the overall budget.” The adopted MMO total (combined nonuniform and police) as read into the record was $791,845.

Separately, council adopted Resolution No. 804‑25 to approve and ratify an application for a $20,352 LSA Category 4 Facilities grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority to fund the purchase of equipment and programmatic costs to reinstate police bicycle patrols. Staff said the proposal would not reduce routine patrols and would be used for community‑oriented patrols on trails and in neighborhoods when staffing permits; the grant application authorizes staff to be signatories if the award is made.

Why it matters: the MMO is a statutory municipal obligation that affects the upcoming fiscal year budget; the small LSA grant, if awarded, would fund a community policing initiative on bicycles.

Next steps: pension obligation funding will be incorporated into the 2026 budget process; staff will submit the LSA application and implement a bicycle patrol program only if the grant is awarded and staffing/resources allow.