Southborough faces steep health‑insurance increase; Select Board keeps police hires but vows review

The Southborough Select Board on Feb. 25 left in place the department staffing and benefit assumptions in its draft fiscal 2026 budget while directing staff to pursue more detail on a surprise health‑insurance renewal and to reconvene next week before finalizing the warrant.

Board members said the draft budget submitted this month would raise the average residential tax bill by roughly 8% and that three main drivers explain most of the increase: employee health‑insurance costs, capital spending that had previously been paid with federal ARPA funds, and increased police and fire operating costs tied to new positions and collective‑bargaining agreements.

“We were a little bit shocked,” Brian (Finance Director) told the board, saying the town’s active medical plan carrier, Harvard Pilgrim, quoted a 24.9% renewal for plan year beginning July 1. Brian said the amount would add roughly $400,000 in cost beyond the 10–12% increase the town had been assuming while producing the draft budget.

Nut graf: The board opted to keep the draft spending plan intact for now — including four new police hires and additional fire department overtime and a deputy position — while asking department heads and finance staff to seek alternatives, confirm…