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Budget delays and public criticism of mayor‑board relations surface at council meeting
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Summary
Residents pressed the council about the town budget being late and criticized public exchanges between the mayor and the Board of Education. Administration said a nearly $200 million budget requires extended review and that the town aims to introduce the budget at the May 6 meeting.
Several residents and council members raised concerns on April 22 over a delayed municipal budget and public tensions between the mayor and the Board of Education.
A public commenter noted the Board of Education had posted a preliminary budget showing a double‑digit increase and said the mayor’s public criticism of the board was counterproductive. “The public kind of feud between the board of ed and the administration is kind of embarrassing,” one speaker said.
The business administrator explained the delay by pointing to the budget’s scale and the need to reconcile two years of turnover and appeals data; staff said the administration has held multiple meetings with council to ensure figures are accurate and transparent and aims to introduce the budget at the May 6 meeting. The presiding officer urged cooperation with the Board of Education and offered to meet with board leaders to improve communication.
What happens next: Administration said it will present the proposed budget at the May 6 meeting and continues to work with council on reserves and appeals assumptions; the council asked for materials that illustrate potential areas for cost reductions and to improve public communication between municipal and school leaders.
