Westerly adopts FY2026 budget after final public hearing, adds $13,000 to local nonprofits

The Westerly Town Council voted 5-2 on April 22 to adopt the town's fiscal year 2026 budget after a public hearing and extended deliberations that produced several small, targeted increases to local subsidies.

Councilors approved modest additions totaling $13,000 to nonprofit and youth programs while reducing the Finance Board's earlier proposed changes by roughly $950,000; after later amendments the manager reported the council's changes left the town about $937,000 below the Finance Board's original proposal.

The vote concludes a process that began with the council's fourth public hearing on the budget and included public comments from health-care, homelessness and school-affiliated speakers. The manager presented a revised budget summary, showing a proposed mill rate near 7.11 (down from a stated comparison figure of 9.81) and example household impacts; he also provided a line-by-line change sheet that the council used during deliberations.

Public speakers urged increased support for frontline services. Allison Crook, president and CEO of Wood River Health, told the council that Wood River served 10,428 patients in calendar 2024, with "over 3,000 of them, or 30% of the total, [living] in the town of Westerly," and recounted a life-saving clinical incident to argue for a higher subsidy: "Health centers save lives, perhaps not in this dramatic fashion every day but with a daily focus on clinical quality, prevention, and management of chronic disease. ... I respectfully request consideration of an increase in our subsidy." Jessica Mowery, executive director of WARM Shelter, said "we serve over 4,000 people every year in our meal sites, in our emergency shelter, and in our outreach programs" and thanked the council for prior support.

Council deliberations produced several discrete actions. Councilor Neubauer moved (seconded by Councilor Healy) to increase four youth-sports subsidy line items by $2,000 each for Westerly Little League, Pee Wee football, Westerly Youth Soccer and Westerly Girls Softball; after an amendment to include youth soccer the motion passed. The council also approved a $2,000 supplemental to WARM Shelter and a $3,000 supplemental to Wood River Health; combined with the sports adjustments these changes totaled $13,000 added to the budget that evening. A separate motion to reduce the Chamber of Commerce subsidy from $50,000 to $25,000 and transfer $25,000 to WARM and the Johnny Cake Center failed; the council later voted to retain the Chamber's $50,000 subsidy.

Members debated several policy items that were not finally changed in ordinance that night. Councilors discussed changing the sewer debt-service split (from 60/40 to 55/45) and asked for the specific line-item impacts; the manager identified account 503335 and noted the arithmetic effect would be a reduction of roughly $14,500 from the general-fund portion if the split were adjusted, but also said an ordinance change would be required to make the split permanent. The council also considered alternatives to the current $50 flat transfer-station fee: the manager described an option to move the fee into the enterprise fund and replace the flat $50 with an assessment of roughly 6 cents per $1,000 of property value, which would appear on the tax bill and spread the revenue by property value rather than by flat charge. No final ordinance implementing the transfer-station change was adopted that night; the manager said the change would be decided during the enterprise-budget process.

Councilors discussed beach replenishment and a restricted fund proposal. A motion to set aside $50,000 in a restricted account for beach nourishment or emergency response was made but failed for lack of a second; councilors agreed to revisit the idea during enterprise- and restricted-fund deliberations and in coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers outreach the town is continuing.

The council also reviewed capital-planning tensions raised in public comment. Paula Brulette, a member of the Finance Board, said it was "disheartening to have worked on this capital plan ... and then to see it changed without any review by the finance board," urging a longer Finance Board review window and more attention to deferred maintenance. Multiple councilors said they want the Finance Board more involved in year-round review of revenue and expenses.

The motion to adopt the FY2026 general-government budget as adjusted passed 5-2. The council identified the budget adjustments made that evening as an increase of $13,000 in discretionary subsidy lines (sports leagues, WARM, Wood River Health) and a net reduction from the Finance Board package of roughly $937,000 after those additions. The manager said the final package will be reflected in the formal budget resolutions and tax-rate calculations to be posted with the town's official records.

The council closed the public hearing, completed its deliberations and adjourned. Staff said the enterprise-fund line items (transfer-station assessment, sewer split) and restricted-fund proposals will be resolved as part of the enterprise-budget meetings and any ordinance changes returned to the council for final action.