Farmington council approves $143.2 million recommended budget, forwards package to town meeting and referendum
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Summary
The Town Council approved a recommended FY2026–27 budget of $143,244,394 and forwarded it to the annual town meeting on April 20 and a referendum on April 30; the Board of Education presented a $86,858,554 school budget and the proposed tax rate is 27.55 mills.
The Town of Farmington Council unanimously approved a recommended fiscal year 2026–27 budget totaling $143,244,394 and forwarded the package to the annual town meeting on April 20 and a referendum on April 30.
Town Manager Kathy Polonsky opened the public hearing and review, describing the formal process and timeline and outlining workshop changes. “Tonight, I present for you the review of the town council's proposed budget for fiscal year 26 27,” Polonsky said as she summarized additions and reductions made by the council.
Polonsky said the council restored funding for an additional patrol officer ($86,000), added $71,533 for a highway maintainer, $48,467 for benefits tied to two new employees, $320,000 to purchase a dump truck, $75,000 for a website redesign and $50,000 for a townwide survey. She also said the council removed a $7,000,000 bond question for renovations to the Town Hall Annex during workshop deliberations.
The proposed general fund appropriation for town operations is $37,738,588 (a 3.56% increase). Polonsky said the town would establish a special revenue fund to support a regional public safety dispatch center, with $1,196,526 in operating support supplemented by state grant funding and contractual payments from Avon and Burlington; that restructuring, she said, produced a $564,118 reduction in the town’s operating budget.
On revenues and taxes, Polonsky reported a 1.75% increase in the grand list to $4,614,312,982 and proposed a tax rate of 27.55 mills (an increase of 0.93 mills). Under that rate, Polonsky estimated the average residential tax bill would rise by $281.20.
The Board of Education superintendent presented the district’s recommended operating budget of $86,858,554, a 4.35% increase. The superintendent described staffing shifts that reduce roughly seven elementary positions based on enrollment projections while adding a special services supervisor, a certified care-team member, and part-time speech/pathology and psychology support.
Public comment included questions about elementary staffing and class-size projections and criticism that the council should not use fund balance to smooth taxes. Tim Kelly told the council it had “missed an opportunity to give Farmington taxpayers a breather this year” and urged keeping the $800,000 fund balance available for future needs.
The council approved the recommended budget and related motions unanimously and will present the recommendation at the annual town meeting on April 20 at the Farmington High School Auditorium; the town referendum on the full package is set for April 30 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Clarifying details: the proposed total budget figure ($143,244,394), the Board of Education operating total ($86,858,554), the proposed tax rate (27.55 mills), the estimated average homeowner increase ($281.20), scheduled annual town meeting (April 20) and referendum (April 30) were all stated during the hearing by the town manager or superintendent.
