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Select board budget workshop frames FY27 as a narrow 1% proposal amid calls for deeper cuts
Summary
At a March budget workshop, the town manager presented a FY27 proposal with a net increase under 1%, prompting members to press department heads for further reductions after steep multi-year growth in municipal expenses and staff, and to consider structural changes and one-time savings.
The town manager presented a proposed FY27 municipal budget that aims to hold the net increase to about 1 percent while urging departments to look for additional, targeted cuts.
At the March workshop a longtime committee member warned that the town's costs have outpaced its ability to absorb increases: “five years ago the expenses that we're looking at now are $12 million. Five years ago they were $7 million. 63% increase in expenses,” the member said, urging department heads to identify 5% reductions where feasible.
The manager responded that the FY27 proposal reflects prior decisions and a range of one-time factors and structural changes. "What's presented to you is a budget that's a 1% budget," he said, adding that the committee's target framed the work and that the budgeting process is meant to cover the July 1 to June 30 fiscal year.
Workshop discussion ranged across several departments, with staff and committee members emphasizing trade-offs. Town Clerk Liz outlined workload pressures from elections, rising in-person transactions and expanded absentee-ballot processing; she noted recent staffing changes that split an assistant post between planning and the clerk's office.
Public works leaders said FY27 includes a heavier slate of culvert replacements (about 62 culverts) and increased gravel and paving needs; committee members pressed for clarity on which projects are one-time expenses and which represent ongoing increases. The manager and department heads noted some recent in-house work reduced what had been budgeted as contracted costs.
Several committee members requested clearer, short-form analyses about the trade-offs being proposed ' especially for higher-cost items and a new public-services director/engineer position that staff say could reduce future consultant bills.
Next steps: committee members will continue departmental reviews in coming meetings and will accept written public comments ahead of a March 30th meeting that will include an opportunity for in-person public comment.
