Hubbardston extends animal-control agreement, TA flags budget pressures and dispatch shortfall

The Select Board voted to support a three-year extension of an intermunicipal animal-control agreement with the City of Gardner, following a recommendation from Interim Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald and endorsement from the town’s public-safety chief. Staff said the regional arrangement offers substantially better value than the town could provide alone and that Gardener’s animal-control officers have been responsive.

During his town-administrator report, Fitzgerald said the town has a balance of $155,835 as it approaches fiscal-year-end and will likely need internal transfers between June 30 and July 15 to reconcile departmental budgets under the Massachusetts municipal budget rules. He said the town shorted debt service in the FY26 budget by approximately $66,000 and will need to address that legal obligation.

Fitzgerald also reported that the town has about $1.1 million in unpaid taxes—more than 10% of the town’s tax commitment—calling the level high compared with typical state benchmarks and saying the town should explore collection strategies and land-use options to expand the tax base over time.

On regional services, Fitzgerald and Chief Cooer said the town budgeted $125,000 for regional dispatch but received an assessment of roughly $157,000, an increase of more than 40 percent from the prior appropriation; they warned the line is underfunded and the town will need to consider adjustments. Fitzgerald recommended further planning work, including a land-use summit and additional financial analysis to manage rising costs and service needs.

The board approved the animal-control agreement extension and directed staff to continue preparing the FY27 budget details and to present updated cost estimates for the municipal complex question as they become available.