Selectboard adopts series of budget recommendations, keeps 3.1% COLA over committee's 2.8%

The Board of Selectmen met jointly with the Budget Committee to review the panel's final recommendations and to take votes on department budgets, capital reserves and warrant articles. The Budget Committee recommended a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) tied to the Social Security index and proposed funding some capital purchases from the undesignated fund balance to avoid raising taxes. After discussion, the Selectboard voted to keep a 3.1% COLA.

Budget committee chair summarized the process as iterative, with multiple proposals and compromises before the recommended figures were settled. "The 2.8% was in line with the Social Security cost of living," the chair said in presenting the committee's recommendation, and highlighted that the committee removed the iPad purchase from the selectmen's budget and proposed funding it from the tech reserve so it need not be raised through taxation.

Opponents of the committee recommendation pressed that the broader CPI measure would better serve working households, while others noted the town's demographic profile leans toward retirees. "A majority of our year-round residents are in the retirement age bracket," a member said, urging deference to the CPI-W rationale behind the 2.8% recommendation.

In the end the board adopted a 3.1% COLA following a motion by Jim and a second by Jake; the chair announced the motion passed on a voice vote. The board then proceeded through a series of motions to recommend amounts for department budgets and capital accounts. Those recommendations will be placed on the warrant or carried forward as appropriate for town meeting consideration.

Votes at a glance (motion outcome = approved unless noted):

- Adopt 3.1% COLA (motion: Jim; second: Jake) — approved. - Recommend Selectmen total budget of $100,860 (motion: Jim; second: Sam) — approved. - Recommend Administration budget of $328,762 — approved. - Recommend Assessing $83,938 — approved. - Recommend Finance $138,697 — approved. - Recommend Planning budget (recommendation and discussion on staffing included; planning line noted in motions ~ $284,161) — approved. - Recommend Town Office Building $116,575 — approved. - Recommend Public Safety Building $40,450 — approved. - Recommend Clerk $110,515 — approved. - Recommend Property Casualty Insurance $78,226 — approved. - Recommend Fire Rescue $474,457 — approved. - Recommend Police (budget figure stated in the packet) — approved. - Recommend EMS $154,584 — approved. - Recommend Highway $794,906 — approved. - Recommend Parks & Recreation $261,316 — approved. - Recommend Cemetery $33,760 — approved. - Recommend Public Service Director warrant article $150,487 (standalone warrant article) — approved for placement on the warrant. - Recommend capital purchases: reduce taxation-funded capital to $30,000 and fund remainder from undesignated funds (specific items such as a sewer UTV were specified) — approved. - Recommend Capital Reserves $455,000 (reallocation and use of reserves for some projects) — approved.

Why this matters: The COLA decision affects payroll and long-term wage obligations for town employees; several votes direct the town to use reserve balances to pay for capital work instead of raising taxes, and the board asked the manager and staff to produce more detailed revenue and reserve impact figures before the next hearing. Members repeatedly noted the RV1 revaluation and prior years' credits had materially affected the town's tax base and fund balances.

What comes next: Town staff (the manager and finance director) will prepare a revenue and reserve update for the next hearing to show how the committee's recommendations and the board's amendments will affect the mill rate and available undesignated funds. The warrant with the recommended amounts and the standalone public-service-director article will go to the town meeting process for final voter action.