Charlestown council approves $273,020 in budget changes, funds ordinance advertising, courts, parks and police overtime

The Charlestown Town Council on March 31 approved $273,020 in changes to the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, transferring the money from the town's unassigned fund balance to cover several one-time and ongoing needs including advertising for an ordinance review, municipal court operations, resurfacing work at Nanivert Park and increased public-safety overtime.

Council President Councilor Carney opened the budget discussion by recognizing the Budget Commission and department staff for their work on the proposal. “I just wanna take a moment to acknowledge first the work of all of our department heads… and our budget commission who spent countless hours,” Carney said.

The council voted on multiple line-item additions and subtractions during a single budget-review session. Treasurer Patrick Gormley listed specific additions staff recommended: $1,800 for the Conservation Commission for two picnic tables and invasive-plant removal, $75,000 for advertising tied to a long-running townwide ordinance review, $10,000 for a state-required planning/zoning software, $13,700 for a second monthly municipal-court session on a trial basis, and an additional $120,520 toward a revised $180,520 quote for resurfacing the tennis and pickleball courts at Nanivert Park.

The council approved those line-item changes by roll-call votes. Motions and outcomes included:

- Add $1,800 to Conservation Commission (line 017405020) for picnic tables and invasive-plant eradication. Motion made by Councilor Marr; seconded by Councilor Sloane. Roll-call: Marr yes; Councilor Sarah yes; Sloane yes; Stokes yes; Carney yes. Outcome: approved, 5–0.

- Add $75,000 for advertising related to the ordinance review (line 014904935). Motion made by Councilor Sarah; seconded by Councilor Sloane. Roll-call: unanimous, 5–0. Treasurer Gormley explained the town must advertise ordinance changes under the charter and that several lengthy notices are expected because the council is completing an ordinance overhaul that had not been done in decades. Gormley said, “I am suggesting $75,000 just to cover ourselves.”

- Add $10,000 for state-required planning software (line 01490495). Motion made by Councilor Marr; seconded by Councilor Sarah. Roll-call: unanimous, 5–0.

- Add $13,700 for an additional municipal court session to handle increased case volume. Motion maker and second not consistently named on the record; roll-call vote recorded as unanimous, 5–0. Town staff said the extra session is a trial run (May–June) to address increased in‑person activity tied to recent enforcement and grant-supported enforcement efforts.

- Add $120,520 to the Nanivert Park tennis/pickleball resurfacing project (line 990.994) to supplement a $60,000 transfer already set aside; the updated project quote was $180,520. Motion made by Councilor Sloane; seconded by Councilor Sarah. Roll-call: unanimous, 5–0. Treasurer Gormley explained the mechanics: the $60,000 sits in the FY25 budget and will be moved at a later quarter transfer to a restricted fund, and the additional $120,520 will be appropriated now.

The council also approved expense and revenue adjustments elsewhere in the packet, including two public-safety overtime increases and small outside-agency funding changes:

- Increase police overtime wages by $34,500 (bringing the proposed total closer to recent actuals). Motion made by Councilor Stokes; seconded by Councilor Sloane. Roll-call: unanimous, 5–0.

- Increase dispatch overtime by $20,000. Motion made by Councilor Stokes; seconded by Councilor Sarah. Roll-call: unanimous, 5–0.

- Remove $1,500 previously proposed for the Charlestown Land Trust (line 730.7339). Motion made by Councilor Sloane; seconded by Councilor Marr. Roll-call: unanimous, 5–0.

- Remove $1,000 for the Community 2000 education fund (line 720.7341). Motion made by Councilor Marr; seconded by Councilor Sarah. Roll-call: unanimous, 5–0.

Treasurer Gormley noted a correction to the budget total that appeared in the online packet (the correct total in the large printed book was $30,053,009.36). He also highlighted the town’s unassigned fund balance: roughly $7.6 million, or about 25 percent of the budget, and staff reported roughly $705,000 of that could be used to offset budget changes without altering the recommended tax rate.

After approving the line-item additions and subtractions listed above, the council voted to bring $273,020 from the unassigned fund balance into FY26 to cover the approved changes. The transfer motion was made by Councilor Marr and seconded by Councilor Sloane. Roll-call: Marr yes; Councilor Sarah yes; Councilor Sloane no; Councilor Stokes no; Councilor Carney yes. Outcome: approved, 3–2.

Separately, the council approved a 5‑cent-per‑pound increase at the Charlestown Residential Collection Center (the “poundage” fee) to help the enterprise fund cover equipment and operational costs. Motion made by Councilor Stokes; seconded by Councilor Marr. Roll-call: Marr yes; Councilor Sarah yes; Councilor Sloane yes; Councilor Stokes yes; Councilor Carney no. Outcome: approved, 4–1.

Items left for follow-up or additional information included a request for a written job description and backup material for a proposed $10,000 GIS intern line (council members asked Administrator Allen for that documentation before finalizing that line) and further detail from IT staff about multi‑year renewal contracts and the drivers of a large increase in renewal-service line items. IT staff and Treasurer Gormley explained several multi‑year licensing and cybersecurity products were being annualized and that some increases reflected multi‑year payment mechanics and rising cybersecurity costs.

The council set the next steps for the budget calendar: the council will consider a tentative budget at its April 14 meeting, forward a budget to the public hearing on May 5, and the final budget would be set for the June 2 referendum vote.

Ending: The council concluded the budget-review session after final votes and adjourned; public comment was not recorded during the meeting’s budget discussion period.