Buckfield select board, budget committee recommend 2026–27 spending levels; public safety and public works see increases

Town Manager Cameron presented the town’s proposed 2026–27 municipal budget at a joint meeting of the Buckfield Select Board and the budget committee on March 17, and the groups voted by voice to recommend a slate of appropriation amounts that will appear on the annual warrant.

The recommended numbers included $572,807 for general government, $857,698 for public safety operating expenses, $1,172,205 for public works and $378,700 for solid‑waste operations. The board also recommended $35,510 for parks and recreation and $76,210 for community expenses, and authorized accepting projected local revenue ($981,734) and state revenue ($595,550) to offset the tax impact.

Why it matters: Committee members said the increases reflect rising personnel and operating costs and a sharper jump in vendor charges for critical services. Cameron emphasized health‑insurance inflation and equipment needs for emergency services, and warned that solid‑waste disposal costs have spiked sharply and will put pressure on the budget.

Cameron summarized several department drivers. On insurance and personnel he said, “I’ve proposed 10%,” explaining the town’s assumption for health‑insurance inflation after several years of double‑digit increases. He also flagged motor‑vehicle excise as a larger revenue source than previously projected: “So I projected 400,000 for motor vehicle excise this year,” he said, adding that the excise increase helps offset administrative budget pressure.

Public safety: Cameron described wage‑alignment steps for firefighters and changes to stipend structures for the department’s chief, and proposed keeping $10,000 in capital to help fund a necessary cascade‑system replacement for breathing apparatuses (cascade systems were priced in discussion at roughly $35,000–$40,000). Rescue wages rose mainly because Cameron recalculated holiday and on‑call pay into separate lines and adjusted billing‑revenue projections; he projected billing revenue of about $189,500 for rescue operations.

Public works and roads: The manager proposed eliminating one full‑time highway position and increasing part‑time wages to cover work; he also recommended raising the vehicle‑maintenance line and increasing the winter‑sand budget after higher bids, producing a net public‑works recommendation of $1,172,205.

Solid waste: The meeting recorded a substantial cost shock in disposal charges, with disposal per‑ton charges discussed rising from roughly $54/ton to $88/ton and the solid‑waste disposal line moving from about $226,000 to roughly $288,000 in the projection. Committee members discussed mitigation options, including enrolling in the state’s extended producer responsibility program (established in 2021) that may begin paying municipalities for recyclable removal in late 2027 but will require public education and operational changes.

Warrant and next steps: The board approved the committee’s recommendations by voice vote and directed staff to prepare a draft warrant for the next meeting. The committee also voted to authorize the treasurer, upon select‑board approval, to apply any rescue‑department revenue received in excess of the projected $225,000 to a rescue capital‑asset reserve to help fund an ambulance remount. Planning‑board ordinances being considered by the planning board will create additional warrant articles. Nomination papers for local offices were reminded due by the 10th at 4:00 p.m.

The budget committee adjourned its portion of the meeting at about 8:32 p.m.; the joint session closed after additional administrative announcements and public‑input logistics.