Millis finance committee backs $47.27 million FY2026 budget after review of enterprise funds and union contracts

The Millis Finance Committee on April 16 recommended the town's fiscal 2026 operating budget of $47,269,970.30 and voted to recommend the related enterprise fund budgets for sewer, water and stormwater.

Committee members said the increase in the proposed budget reflects negotiated wage and stipend changes in recently ratified collective bargaining agreements and higher operating costs passed through from regional partners.

The warrant summary read by the committee lists total FY2026 spending at $47,269,970.30 with revenue sources including $45,219,942.01 from property taxation, $957,673.50 from the ambulance fund, and smaller amounts from cemetery sales and cell-tower revenue. The committee also reviewed proposed indirect-cost transfers from the enterprise funds to the general fund: sewer $266,269.48, water $325,440.47 and stormwater $173,673.93.

Committee members pressed staff for details after seeing large line-item differences between…