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Brookline Selectboard weighs higher snow-removal appropriation, other budget changes ahead of Town Meeting
Summary
Officials reported heavy winter snow costs and proposed raising the snow-removal budget to $220,000 for 2026; the board also discussed a revised total town budget (~$9.06M) with line-item increases and possible personnel-cost reductions.
At the March 2 Selectboard meeting, Scott Leard said the winter has been unusually expensive and that the town has spent about $170,000 of the 2025 snow-removal appropriation to date (about $93,000 for salt, $17,000 for sand and $55,000 for contractors). Leard recommended increasing the 2026 snow-removal budget from the five-year average to $220,000 to prepare for shortages and to allow the town to stockpile salt.
Board members reviewed other proposed budget changes before Town Meeting, including a $37,000 increase for financial software and a $25,000 line added for monthly town hall column rentals ($2,000 per month). The revised proposed total discussed at the meeting was about $9,061,286, a roughly 6.7% increase over last year. Brendan Denehy suggested trimming the budget by removing insurance and benefit costs for one open DPW position and one open police position; staff were asked to calculate year-to-date savings from those vacancies.
The board discussed gas and diesel cost estimates and potential costs tied to relocating town staff if Town Hall work proceeds. Selectboard members prepared presentation materials for Town Meeting scheduled March 14.
