Veazie council issues FY 2026–27 budget guidance prioritizing staff pay, energy costs and county assessment

The Veazie Town Council on Feb. 9, 2026, issued guidance for the town’s FY 2026–27 budget that emphasizes protecting taxpayers while ensuring fair pay for long-term employees and accounting for higher energy costs and an expected rise in the Penobscot County assessment. Chairman Chris Bagley called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m., and the council discussed budget priorities with Town Manager Mark Leonard.

The council’s guidance asks staff to prepare budgets “consistent with prior years” but with careful consideration of taxpayer impact; to prioritize fair compensation for long-term employees as a retention measure; to build in higher energy-cost estimates when preparing departmental requests; and to factor in an anticipated increase in Penobscot County’s assessment. The guidance was presented as policy direction rather than a formal vote to approve a specific spending plan.

Town Manager Mark Leonard reviewed his manager’s report during the meeting; the transcript records no formal amendments or budget figures presented at this session. The council’s guidance is intended to inform department budget submissions and the draft town budget that staff will prepare for future review. No specific dollar amounts, budget lines, or deadlines for a final budget were stated in the transcript.

The council also handled routine agenda business at the Feb. 9 meeting, including approval of prior meeting minutes, signature of warrants, a motion to enter and exit executive session on property/economic development, and a rescheduling of the March council meeting. Those actions do not alter the guidance the council provided for FY 2026–27 but set the administrative calendar for upcoming work.

The council is scheduled to meet on March 2, 2026 (the previously scheduled March 9 meeting was moved), at which staff are expected to continue budget work and bring forward draft numbers for committee discussion.