Finance committee issues split recommendation on Northampton City FY2027 general fund; approves enterprise fund budgets

The Northampton City finance committee met to review several FY2027 budget orders and produced a split recommendation on the general fund while approving enterprise fund budgets.

A motion to forward the $152 million general fund (order 26.064) with a positive recommendation failed to carry. The roll call recorded Councilor Clemer voting yes, Councilor Davis yes, Councilor Mayori no and Councilor Robbins abstaining; the chair characterized the result as a split recommendation to be reported to full council.

Councilor Robbins voiced procedural objections before the votes, saying the finance committee had not met as a full committee to deliberate and that committee members had not received supplemental information beyond the full-council presentations. “We haven’t done the work we have been charged with doing as a finance committee,” Robbins said, and she told the committee she would abstain from any recommendation tonight.

Councilor Mayori said she remained undecided on 26.064 pending several follow-up meetings and constituent conversations; Councilor Davis said she would bring her comments to Thursday’s full-council meeting. The chair and other members noted departments had given presentations over two nights and that the mayor and Director Nardi were present to answer questions.

Separately, the committee voted to move the enterprise fund budgets — sewer (26.065), water (26.066), solid waste (26.067), stormwater and flood control (26.068) and revolving funds (26.069) — to full council with a positive recommendation as a grouped motion. That grouped motion passed on roll call with three yes votes and one abstention.

The finance committee adjourned and will present the committee’s split recommendation on the general fund and the positive recommendations on the enterprise funds at the full council meeting on Thursday.