Deerfield select board approves multiple 2026 department budgets amid debate over pay increases and rising trash costs

The Deerfield select board on Wednesday approved a package of department budgets for 2026 that together raise several line items from default levels, citing equipment and disposal cost pressures.

The board approved the town hall budget at $36,842 after staff confirmed a $2,200 adjusting entry for an RB Lewis fire-alarm and sprinkler contract. The information-technology budget passed as amended at $103,616 after the board moved $5,488 of printing and Munismart charges into town administration to avoid duplicative entries.

Steve Jameli, the town’s IT presenter, warned of a looming software-support deadline: “As of October 14, Windows 10 is no longer gonna be supported by Microsoft,” and said the police department faces Criminal Justice Information System requirements that will require updated machines and licensing. Jameli briefed the board on a roughly $9,000 estimate to replace a PD server and an equipment line of $31,332 in the proposed IT budget. The board adopted the amended IT bottom line by voice vote.

The library’s proposed bottom line of $203,900 was approved after Library representative Anne described staffing-driven increases, saying “our the biggest library cost is our employee lines,” and asking the board to move lines currently covered elsewhere into the library’s account to improve accounting clarity.

Town Clerk Kelly Roberts’ detailed presentation prompted several line-by-line changes; after discussion the board adopted a $155,049 bottom line for the clerk/tax collector office. Roberts asked the board to consider a mechanism for accepting and expending donations for town-hall rehabilitation projects; the chair directed staff to research appropriate procedures.

Meeting and election payrolls were also updated. Moderator Eric Gross proposed increasing hourly pay for ballot clerks and counters to $10 and assistant moderators to $12 and moving to a flat fee for the moderator to reflect prep time; the meetings budget was approved at $14,012. Gross also outlined planned purchases and the phased replacement of voting machines.

Rising solid-waste disposal and recycling costs were a central topic in the transfer-station discussion. Staff said vendor escalators and haul rates are driving up costs and presented a combined transfer-station operating budget of $492,608, which the board approved. The finance administrator noted that some disposal- and fee-generated revenue offsets are recorded on the revenue side and not as direct reductions to expense lines.

The board took a more cautious approach on wages. A motion to add a 3% placeholder for merit increases across all departmental salary lines — intended to make funds available for merit-based raises — was made and seconded but ultimately tabled for one week so staff could model the fiscal impact and gather worst-case estimates.

The board closed the agenda items by approving minutes from Sept. 22 and the September 30 payroll and accounts-payable manifests, and by delegating deposit authority to the finance administrator.

Votes at a glance: - Town hall budget: approved, $36,842 (voice vote) - IT budget: approved as amended, $103,616 (voice vote) - Library budget: approved, $203,900 (voice vote) - Town clerk/tax collector: approved, $155,049 (voice vote) - Meetings/elections: approved, $14,012 (voice vote) - Town administration: approved, $346,521 (voice vote) - Transfer station (three components): approved, $492,608 (voice vote)

The board opted to delay a blanket decision on pay increases so members and staff could produce a fiscal analysis of a townwide merit/COLA approach before finalizing numbers.

What’s next: The board will reconvene next week to continue the remaining budget items and to revisit the merit/3% placeholder after staff provides a budgetary impact estimate.