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Danville Budget Committee recommends $5.14 million operating budget after cuts; default set at $4.99 million
Summary
The Danville Budget Committee voted 3-2 on Jan. 13, 2026 to recommend a $5,139,560 operating budget after a compromise of 15% cuts to discretionary lines and scaled police-salary increases; the committee also approved a default budget of $4,987,140 (3-2).
Chairperson Rob Collins said the proposed FY2026 operating budget — initially $5,640,282 — would likely produce an almost 50% increase in the tax rate if left unchanged. The Budget Committee met Jan. 13, 2026, and after discussion voted 3-2 to recommend a $5,139,560 operating budget and separately approved a default budget of $4,987,140 by the same margin.
Why it matters: the committee’s recommendation will appear on the warrant for the town vote, but the committee and at least two members said they expected voters could reject the higher spending plan. To reduce the projected tax impact, the committee agreed to cut all discretionary line items by 15% and to increase all police salary lines by 15% (below earlier recommended raises of roughly 38% and 34.19% for specific police lines). Employee cost-of-living adjustments were left at 3.2%.
Rob Collins told the committee an attorney at the New Hampshire Municipal Association had advised the committee that funding from warrant article WA 2025-08 could not be included in the town’s default budget. That point factored into the committee’s calculation of the default figure.
Process and votes: Sue Overstreet moved to approve the default budget of $4,987,140; Mary Reedy seconded. The motion passed 3-2 (yes: Rob Collins, Sue Overstreet, Mary Reedy; no: Joe Hester, Dave Drislane). Later Sue Overstreet moved to approve the proposed budget of $5,139,560; Mary Reedy seconded and the motion again passed 3-2 with the same roll call.
Dissenting members Joe Hester and Dave Drislane said they preferred to leave the budget unchanged and let voters decide; supporters said the committee’s changes were intended to reduce the chance the town would return to a default budget with less available funding.
Next steps: the committee set the Budget Public Hearing for Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall. The committee’s recommendation will be included on the warrant, and voters will make the final decision at the town meeting or a subsequent session, as provided under RSA procedures cited in the warrant language.
