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Hubbardston board holds several free‑cash articles for fall, sets small reserve to balance budget
Summary
The select board and finance committee agreed June 1 to pass over multiple free‑cash warrant articles until a fall town meeting, use limited reserve funds to cover a $46,471 budget shortfall and continue a review of revenue and job classifications before finalizing personnel pay lines.
The Town of Hubbardston select board and finance committee on June 1 agreed to defer several free‑cash spending requests and to use limited reserves to balance part of the proposed fiscal 2027 operating budget.
Interim Town Administrator Sean told the meeting the town is close to its levy capacity and that members should feel empowered to make changes before town meeting. He described the budget process as “zero‑based” this year and thanked department heads for producing detailed line items to help the boards find common ground. “This budget is going to have to be managed. It’s as tight as it’s been in a long time,” Sean said.
The finance committee recommended revoting some items after late updates from the town accountant and urged the boards to hold off using free cash for nonessential capital and stabilization accounts until the fall so the town can re‑certify free cash and better assess revenue estimates. Members agreed to pass over Articles 4 and 5 (stabilization accounts) and Article 15 (a $20,000 free‑cash request for a grant consultant) and to hold Article 17, the capital article, for action at a later town meeting.
Officials confirmed Article 10 (payment of a prior‑year bill) will be acted on using free cash. Article 11, intended to balance the operating budget, was described as needing $46,471 of free cash, most of which had been set aside in the reserve fund; board members said the formal motion and vote will occur at town meeting. The finance committee also noted a salary reserve and funding for a proposed facilities position are set aside pending a formal HR classification and job grading process.
Speakers highlighted revenue‑collection work underway: town staff estimate roughly $1.1 million in uncollected taxes (around 10 percent of the roll), and the treasurer‑collector has recovered over $30,000 in recent months. Officials cautioned that revenue estimates are early and that state budget timing complicates final projections.
The boards discussed keeping more funds available to protect the operating budget from unforeseen expenses — for example, end‑of‑employment payouts and utility price swings — and suggested a summer planning summit with the capital improvement and planning boards to develop a longer‑term capital plan and explore options such as bonding.
The meeting did not record final votes on the deferred warrant articles; the board outlined motions to be made at town meeting and assigned members to move those motions. The boards will present the revised warrant and motions at the upcoming town meeting and reconvene as needed to finalize details.
