Hubbardston approves tightened FY27 budget after extended public questions over copies, senior center and debt

The Town of Hubbardston voted to approve the finance committee'recommended operating budget for fiscal year 2027 after a presentation and extended public discussion.

Interim Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald told town meeting the budget was "very, very difficult to put together" and described a shift to a zero-based line-item format intended to clarify departmental costs and legal obligations. He said department heads requested more than the town could fund and noted the administration cut more than $200,000 from department requests while reorganizing utility and technology costs into a new facilities budget.

Seth Knight, chairman of the finance committee, said the committee took the administrator'prepared workbook, cleaned it into a more navigable budget workbook and used prior-year histories and scrutiny of individual line items to make its recommendation. He said the committee sought to reserve free cash for the fall to protect against FY26 shortfalls.

Several residents pressed officials for more transparency and detail. "It's very difficult as a resident not to receive the line item budget," said attendee Deborah Chamberlain, noting many voters lacked printed copies at the meeting. Susan Breggy urged the town to reconsider cuts to the senior center and said the building needs a new roof. Fitzgerald acknowledged capital needs and said some items would be considered under the town's capital planning later in the summer.

On specific numbers, meeting participants were told the amount to be raised from the tax levy is $4,877,612 and that $46,471 would come from free cash. The finance committee recommended the final budget recommendation presented at the meeting (the budget workbook posted online contained detailed line-item descriptions that the committee said it will continue to make available).

Officials also addressed other concerns raised during the discussion. Fitzgerald said that utility and technology costs had been centralized into a facilities budget and that certain staffing shifts (including an eliminated planning position) were implemented to balance the plan. He acknowledged insurance costs rose after a year with several claims and vehicle accidents and that the town's uncollected taxes averaged roughly 10% over five years, which the new treasurer is working to remedy.

After the presentation and public comment, the moderator called the question and the article passed by town meeting vote.

Next steps: officials said a detailed budget workbook will remain posted on the town website and that department heads will be available to answer follow-up questions; the town also said it will consider additional public briefings before future town meetings to improve access to printed material for residents who do not use the internet.