Uxbridge approves year-end transfers to cover legal overrun and firefighter wages

The Town of Uxbridge’s Select Board and Finance Committee voted July 14 to authorize year‑end budget transfers to cover a legal services shortfall and firefighter injured‑on‑duty costs.

Finance director Kirk told the joint meeting the town must use a FinCom reserve transfer of $35,000 to cover legal expenses that could not be offset because cannabis impact‑fee revenue did not materialize this fiscal year. “We were at, 266,000 this year for all townwide legal fees,” Kirk said, describing unexpected settlements and legal work that pushed the legal line over its appropriation. The board approved the reserve transfer by roll call.

Kirk also described two transfers to cover injured‑on‑duty (IOD) wages in the fire department: approximately $95,007.98 from an ‘other salary’ line to the IOD account and about $17,000 from an overtime account into IOD. Officials said several extended IOD absences and related wage costs required the move so pay continued for personnel while overtime and part‑time staff backfilled shifts. The Finance Committee and Select Board approved those transfers by roll call.

Select Board members asked staff to tighten quarterly tracking of legal spending and explore mechanisms to charge developers for legal review work that currently falls to the general fund. The board directed staff to present historical legal expense data and to pursue recoveries where allowable. The joint meeting recessed after the votes.

The transfers are administrative year‑end adjustments; no new long‑term policy was adopted at the meeting.