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Tamworth Select Board sets 2026 cost-of-living increase at 3% for budgeting
Summary
The Select Board voted to set a 3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 to aid department budgeting; policy exemptions for employees who received recent raises remain in effect.
The Tamworth Select Board voted to set a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for 2026 to allow department heads to plan budgets in advance.
Town staff said the official Social Security/Consumer Price Index figure will be released Oct. 15, but projected COLA figures centered near 2.7% to 3.0 percent. The town administrator reminded the board of the town policy that employees who received a raise within the preceding six months (June–December) would not be eligible for a COLA in that same period.
A motion to set the COLA at 3% for 2026 was made and seconded; the transcript records a roll-call vote in which board members answered yes during the roll call. The Select Board moved to adopt 3% for budgeting purposes so department heads can include that number in their proposed 2026 budgets.
Why it matters: establishing a COLA guideline before department budget meetings helps staff plan wages and benefits, and it gives employees and department heads clarity about anticipated increases.
