The Alton Board of Selectmen spent much of its Dec. 9 meeting reviewing and adjusting the town’s proposed 2026 warrant articles and budgets. The board advanced the operating budget and a slate of capital reserve appropriations to the warrant after several amendments aimed at reducing near‑term tax impact.

Key board decisions and changes the selectmen made at the meeting included:

• Article 1 (Benefit Pay Capital Reserve Trust Fund): Board amended the request from $50,000 to $30,000 and approved the amendment by voice vote.

• Article 2 (Town Operating Budget): The board approved the operating budget as presented (estimated tax impact noted in the packet) and will forward it to the deliberative session.

• Article 4 (Capital Reserve Appropriations): After a line‑by‑line review the board agreed to remove four items—police building expansion ($20,000), building department vehicle ($3,500), assessing vehicle ($3,500), and the highway sand shed ($10,000)—to reduce the overall tax impact. The revised total and estimated tax impact were approved.

• Article 5 (Fire): The board shifted the previously proposed $500,000 Fire Equipment CRF to a $300,000 Fire Station CRF to prioritize station improvements and passed that change 4–1. The chief explained the town still needs apparatus funding in future years (ladder truck and SCBA replacement are multi‑year capital needs).

• Article 10 & 19 (Town Hall): The board approved a $30,000 appropriation to the Town Hall Building Improvement CRF and separately approved a warrant article to use $55,000 from a donor fund (Clough Morrill) plus $45,000 from the Town Hall CRF (combined $100,000) for a new metal roof; selectmen emphasized the combined appropriation does not increase the tax rate.

• Article 12 (Highway Reconstruction): The board advanced a $1,450,000 appropriation (partially offset by Highway Block Grant revenue) to maintain and improve town roadways.

• Various CRFs (IT, police equipment & vehicles, bridge, retaining wall, cemetery, grounds/equipment, and others) were discussed and most were advanced with smaller adjustments (IT reduced to $20,000, grounds vehicle request cut to $25,000, retaining wall funding retained at $75,000, etc.).

• Article 18 (Nonprofits): The board approved combined nonprofit appropriations totaling $60,625 but reduced the Community Action Program appropriation to $3,300 to account for $5,500 in unpaid facility rental fees owed to the town.

• Ambulance billing policy: The Fire Chief presented an updated draft aligned to Senate Bill 245 (effective 2026‑01‑01) that caps commercial payments at 325% of Medicare and removes balance billing. The board did not adopt the policy at the meeting and asked for more time to examine revenue implications; the chief said the law will take effect regardless of local policy changes.

The selectmen also set public hearing and deliberative session dates (budget public hearing Jan. 7, with two snow dates) and approved administrative items including minutes and the consent agenda. The full slate of amended warrant articles will go to the deliberative session, where voters may further amend amounts or separate combined items.

Votes at a glance (selected, board outcomes reflected as recorded):
• Benefit Pay CRF (amended to $30,000) — passed (unanimous voice vote).
• Town operating budget (Article 2) — passed (voice vote; recommendation 5–0).
• Groundwater monitoring contract — approved ($14,213 from landfill CRF).
• Fire Station CRF (new) — $300,000 — approved 4–1.
• Town Hall metal roof (Article 19) — approved (unanimous); funding sourced $55,000 donor + $45,000 CRF (no additional tax impact).
• Nonprofits total appropriation — $60,625 (passed 4–1).

Selectmen said they will provide voters with project descriptions at the deliberative session and suggested additional outreach explaining larger capital asks to avoid misinformation. Several board members thanked the CIP committee and department staff for work on budget materials.