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 insurer calculations and present updated figures before the board signs the warrant. That decision preserves town services while acknowledging the health‑insurance estimate could push the tax increase higher unless the town finds ways to reduce the requested amounts.

Police and fire staffing debate Chief Kevin Newell (Police) urged the board to keep the four police hires in the FY26 plan, saying the department is stretched thin and that staffing gaps pose safety and service risks. “We had a tractor‑trailer smashed into a River Street bridge … and a 911 call come in from 162 Porterville,” Chief Newell said, describing a recent day when officers were handling multiple simultaneous incidents. He said recruiting will be easier to accomplish once a ratified memorandum of agreement (MOA) is public.

Board members expressed sympathy for the needs but concern about the scale and timing. Select Board member Sam (member) said asking the public to approve several big spending items in a short window — the operating budget, then a special town meeting for the Neary school project — could be difficult. Sam proposed slimming the hires by one for FY26 (keeping three hires and shifting timing) to lower the visible tax increase, and asked the chief and finance director to produce recruitment timelines and contingency plans.

Fire staffing and overtime Fire Chief (Chief Puntini) described the department’s plan to restore a five‑person daily shift by adding a deputy position and additional overtime. The board agreed to the chief’s request to shift the deputy start date and balance the deputy salary against overtime so the department’s bottom‑line request did not grow further.

Health‑insurance renewal and next steps Finance Director Brian said staff are exploring several options to reduce the projected medical cost, including: negotiating with carriers, soliciting new quotes (including group alternatives), examining plan design changes (higher copays/deductibles) and coordinating with neighboring municipalities on pooled or self‑funded arrangements. He also said the town will consult with its insurance broker and meet with the town’s insurance advisory committee.

Board direction and timeline The board voted to keep the four police hires in the draft budget for now and to revisit specific staffing levels and health‑insurance scenarios at its next meeting, directing staff to provide: - A recruitment and onboarding timeline tied to each proposed hire; - A written explanation of the Harvard Pilgrim renewal and the carrier loss‑ratios the company used; - Alternatives (quotes or plan‑design scenarios) showing possible dollar savings.

Select Board member Andrew (member) said he was comfortable keeping the four hires for now but urged a review at the next meeting so the board could decide whether to stagger or slow the hiring. Advisory committee liaison Andrew Pfaff (present) said advisory would consider reserve‑fund or fall town‑meeting options if needed but preferred the board to clarify its plan before the warrant printing deadline.

Why it matters: the town’s budget choices this spring will set FY26 tax rates and also influence voter sentiment ahead of a special May town meeting that may ask voters to approve a multi‑million‑dollar school project. The board directed staff to return with updated insurance numbers and recruitment details before the board finalizes the budget for the warrant.

Provenance: discussion occurred during the Select Board’s budget review item, beginning with Finance Director Brian’s presentation and continuing through discussion with Police Chief Newell and Fire Chief Puntini. The board set a plan to revisit the items at the next meeting and asked for specific follow‑up from finance and departments.