Selectment hears town budget preview; planning staff increase among notable requests

Staff delivered a department-by-department budget overview ahead of town meeting. Highlights included cost-of-living adjustments to compensation lines, increases in fringe benefits (including higher health-reimbursement account use), a proposed new community director of community development (and conversion of one part-time deputy planning role to full-time) to support comprehensive plan implementation, and a series of capital and reserve items presented as warrant questions for voters.

The presenter walked the board through line-item changes (administration, assessing, planning, public safety, highways, airport, parks, cemetery and capital purchases), noted specific increases such as a planning department adjustment to add capacity, and explained that some capital items were being recommended for funding from fund balance or as separate warrant votes. The presenter said the combined total (town, school and county) amounts to about a 3.5% increase year-over-year.

Procedural note: staff encouraged board members to review the highlighted warrant pages and reminded the public that town meeting (referendum-style) is scheduled for June 9 with absentee ballots available. The presenter also noted an audit excerpt was available but the final audit was still in progress.

Next steps: board members will continue budget review and address any outstanding questions before the June 9 town meeting. No appropriation votes were taken at this meeting.