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Town board approves 2026 preliminary budget, schedules Nov. 5 public hearing
Summary
The town board voted to approve the 2026 preliminary budget and set a public hearing for Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The budget as presented is $52,733 over the tax cap; the board discussed options including using surplus funds, and approved minor staffing and benefits adjustments noted in the draft.
Speaker 1, a town board member, moved to approve a resolution adopting the town's 2026 preliminary budget and to hold a public hearing on the budget on Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall. Speaker 2 seconded the motion, and the board carried it by voice vote.
The preliminary budget as presented is $52,733 over the town's tax cap, Speaker 1 said. "This preliminary budget is currently $52,733 over the tax cap," Speaker 1 said. Board members discussed two options to address the overage: identify cuts equal to that amount or use surplus funds to balance the budget. Speaker 1 noted that prior years' surpluses were larger (about $500,000 two years ago and $400,000 last year) and said the board could use surplus money if needed.
The board reviewed several line-item clarifications and small corrections in the draft. Speaker 1 reported that payroll figures were rechecked and small typographic or calculation errors were fixed, including corrections to the salaries for Liz Johnson, the recreation director and another employee. The board also confirmed a previously agreed addition of GPS units on 12 highway department trucks; Speaker 1 said that change was included in the tentative budget.
Health insurance changes were discussed. The town has offered the MVP Gold 2 plan and, after consulting a representative, will offer a lower-cost alternative (referred to in the discussion as the Horizon plan) as an option. Speaker 1 said the lower-cost plan reduces the town's premium contribution but may raise employees' out-of-pocket costs; one employee had chosen the lower-cost option and a second employee might do so. Speaker 1 estimated individual savings at about $2,000 for an example case.
The board discussed the town's fiscal condition in context of a state comptroller metric. Speaker 1 said the state comptroller's fiscal stress score ranges from 0 to 100, with 45 indicating susceptibility to fiscal stress, and that the town's score is 3.3.
Budget staff noted the tax rate in the draft would fall from 1.71 (current) to 1.65 under the proposed budget. Speaker 1 said using CHIPS (Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program) funds as suggested by a board member would be largely a wash — the town would receive the revenue and then spend it — and could be reflected later via a motion to move funds if additional CHIPS dollars arrive.
Votes at the meeting included the motion to approve the preliminary budget and a separate motion to adjourn; both carried by voice vote. The board did not adopt final budget figures at the meeting; the action set a public hearing on Nov. 5 to gather public comment before final adoption.
The board's next formal step is the public hearing on Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall, where members of the public may comment before the board considers final budget adoption.
