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Durham reviews March 31 fiscal snapshot: snow costs, abatements and a $430,000 projected rollover
Summary
Business Manager Gail Jablonski reported 24% of the budget expended through March 31, highlighted roughly $50,000 in contingency expenditures (library solar, elevator, Town Hall boiler), noted heavy snow costs after 25 emergency events and 77.5 inches of snow, and estimated about $430,000 will roll into the fund balance; Councilors debated tax‑rate versus dollar-based budget goals.
At the April 20 meeting, Business Manager Gail Jablonski delivered Durham’s quarterly financial report through March 31, 2026 and answered Councilors’ questions about contingency spending, abatements, revenue timing and five‑year budgeting.
Jablonski said the town had expended roughly 24% of its budget year‑to‑date. She identified approximately $50,000 of contingency fund spending so far, including about $8,200 to repair the library’s solar panels, $7,900 to repair the library elevator, and slightly more than $17,000 to replace a Town Hall boiler component. She also reported the snow budget was exhausted after an unusually active winter with 25 emergency response events and 77.5 inches of snow compared with a norm of about 48 inches and 15 emergency events.
Councillor Carden Welsh asked whether the revenue picture was a concern given collections at about 21% of expected revenue versus 26.5% at the same time last year; Jablonski said delayed Parks and Recreation fees, late UNH billing and partial School Resource Officer reimbursements explained much of the gap and that she did not foresee a budget shortfall at this time. She said she expected the 2025 audit to be completed in June and projected roughly $430,000 to roll into the fund balance, largely driven by personnel vacancies in DPW, fire and police.
Jablonski described abatements totaling roughly $1.1 million for student housing (about $971,500 paid out), approximately $360,000 set aside for an Eversource abatement (pending settlement) and $175,000 for regular residential abatements; she said Town Assessor Darcy Freer believes the town can remain within the set limits.
Councilors debated how to frame next year’s budget goal. Councilor Jim Lawson favored tying a goal to the tax rate (so staff would watch expenditures, tax base growth and non‑property tax revenue), while Councilor Michael Lehrman preferred a dollar‑based target to avoid creating incentives to spend newly realized valuation. Councilor Emily Friedrichs suggested a two‑part goal to avoid expanding services tied only to a one‑time spike in valuation. Administrator Todd Selig supported Lawson’s approach as a way to focus department heads and committees on revenue opportunities. The Council did not adopt a final goal at the meeting but directed staff to synthesize feedback into a revised draft.
Separately, Administrator Selig reported NOAA had notified the town it would not receive the remaining $1.3 million of a grant (the town retains $1.9 million already received). He also discussed potential instream‑flow studies for the Oyster River that could affect the town water system and noted ongoing dam‑removal planning and mitigation work.
