Spencer board hears residents’ concerns as staff recommends modest 2¢ tax‑rate increase

The Town of Spencer Board of Aldermen heard three public commenters and extensive staff briefings June 5 as the board considered a recommended FY2025–26 budget that staff said totals about $5,000,000 and represents a 13% overall decrease from the current year and a 7% drop in the general fund.

The public hearing drew residents who said higher appraisals and municipal rates are squeezing longtime homeowners. "Families that have held on here for generations are being priced out of a town that they fought to keep alive," Leslie Talbot told the board, citing a 67% jump in her home's appraised value since 2017. Greg Bennett, a retiree, said his property tax bill "went up 62% from 2022 to 2023" and urged the board to limit future increases. Carla Gray urged the board to remember that the apparent budget decrease largely reflects the end of ARPA funds and pressed staff on why code enforcement work is being moved to the police department and what makes up more than $200,000 in contracted services.

Staff emphasized limits on local authority and tradeoffs the board faces. "If you're not growing, you're dying," the mayor said in describing the town's strategy to attract industrial and commercial projects that could broaden the tax base. Staff noted several one‑time federal and grant streams that supported past spending and said the end of ARPA funds means many items previously covered will now need ongoing local revenue or cuts.

On personnel, staff presented a recommended flat $1,200 pay increase for all full‑time staff (about $49,000 in salary cost before benefits) as a partial approach to a previously discussed market pay study; a full market implementation would cost substantially more and was not recommended without new revenue. Staff also described an active‑living/parks coordinator position budgeted at about $63,547 including benefits; several board members said the position would help activate recently added facilities, while others warned pausing the hire might preserve funds for staff pay.

Staff identified specific reductions to reach the recommended budget: pausing the mural program, cutting some event support (including a portion of WinterFest funding), reducing contingency to $5,000, deferring vehicle replacements and freezing certain positions. The recommendation also adjusts classification for a code officer to a sworn law‑enforcement position to increase available hours; staff said the function remains and that school resource officers will continue to be funded (about $252,000 programmed in the recommended budget, with most SROs grant‑funded).

Board members and staff agreed the June 10 regular meeting will be the next decision point. The mayor recommended members be prepared to vote on the staff‑recommended ordinance at that meeting; if the ordinance fails, staff will return with options or the board will schedule a follow‑up. The manager and board described the options for closing a roughly six‑figure shortfall without ARPA funds as including a modest tax‑rate increase (the recommended package includes a proposed 2¢ increase), additional cuts or alternatives such as bonds—all of which would carry separate tradeoffs for services and employees.

The board committed to weighing resident concerns about affordability against the risks to services and staff retention, and scheduled the budget ordinance for consideration at the June 10 meeting.