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Finance Committee advances warrant: free cash transfers, capital projects and bylaw changes move forward
Summary
The Acushnet Finance Committee on May 20 approved or advanced multiple warrant articles—including small prior-year invoice payments, PEG/cable appropriations, MS4 consultant funding, an FY27 capital package, EMS and repair reserve funds, community preservation allocations, and two bylaw date changes—sending them to town meeting.
The Acushnet Finance Committee on May 20 voted to advance a package of warrant articles and funding items ahead of town meeting, approving transfers from free cash and bylaws changes and recommending several capital and reserve expenditures.
The committee unanimously approved Article 2, a $6.79 transfer from free cash to pay a prior fiscal-year bill to Rocky's Ace Hardware. It approved Article 3, an appropriation of $240,000 from the PEG access and cable fund for PEG-related expenses. Article 12, a $30,131.26 transfer from free cash to fund engineering consultant services required for MS4 stormwater permit compliance, was approved without opposition.
Article 14, the FY27 capital budget totaling $285,250 from free cash, passed. The package included replacement turnout gear for the fire department (not to exceed $65,000), a replacement 911 recording system ($13,250), police firearms/holsters/ammunition/training ($35,000), seven automated external defibrillators and equipment ($12,000), purchase and equipment of one unmarked police cruiser (not to exceed $65,000), and repair of two school boilers (not to exceed $95,000).
The committee approved Article 16 to transfer up to $200,000 from EMS reserved receipts (or accept grant/matching funds) for a principal payment on recently acquired Engine 2, and Article 17 to establish a repair-and-maintenance special reserve fund funded by a $25,000 transfer from EMS receipts; expenditures from that reserve require a vote of the Board of Selectmen.
Article 25, the FY27 Community Preservation Fund allocations, passed as read: $13,000 for committee administrator expenses; $26,000 to historic reserves; $26,000 to community housing reserves; $26,000 to open-space reserves; and $85,000 from the undesignated balance, for a total of $176,000.
Two bylaw amendments also advanced. Article 31 changes the annual town election to the first Tuesday in April following the Massachusetts Patriots' Day holiday; Article 32 amends the annual town meeting date to the second Monday in May or a date as determined by the Board of Selectmen. The committee recorded one opposition in the Article 32 roll call.
Several members emphasized that financial and nonfinancial articles would be voted on separately and that draft financial figures will be circulated to the committee in advance of the next meeting. Staff reported a remaining free-cash estimate of $340,388.05 and noted trash bid results that reduced forecasted department costs.
Next steps: the approved and recommended articles will appear on the warrant for town meeting and be subject to the town meeting vote; draft financials will be circulated to the committee prior to the next session.
