Sabattus workshop narrows FY27 budget, sets PTO reserve and unpaid‑tax interest rate

The Sabattus Select Board and Budget Committee completed a workshop to reconcile differences in the town’s proposed FY27 spending plan, trimming and aligning several line items and approving procedural totals for next steps. The groups resolved a set of small but material differences — including wages, utility estimates, capital projects and reserves — and agreed to hold the town’s unpaid‑tax interest rate at 7 percent.

The meeting chair opened by noting only a few items remained to finalize. Members compared utility estimates and debated whether the select board should reduce its street‑lights electricity figure to match the budget committee; a motion to lower the select board’s electricity line to the budget committee’s figure failed because, with only three select board members present, unanimous consent was required. The groups then left the figure at roughly the same level after confirming historical spending trends.

Why it matters: The workshop reconciled small variances across many lines that, together, determine the town’s appropriation request for the June town meeting. Even modest differences in wages, stipends or capital requests can shift the bottom‑line appropriation and what appears on the warrant for voters.

Key outcomes included agreement to realign nonprofit and historical‑society funding, adjustments to wages and stipends reconciled between the two bodies, and decisions on capital requests. The budget committee’s and select board’s top‑line totals landed within about $1,600 of each other after accounting for different assumed wage‑increase rates (the committees used 2 percent versus 3 percent in some lines).

On capital requests, the groups left the select board’s $15,000 parking‑lot resurfacing figure intact, noted the select board’s $25,000 for transfer‑station roll‑off containers (the budget committee had zero), and discussed trimming or reassigning smaller items to keep totals within a previously agreed ceiling. A $5,000 capital request for additional SCBA bottles for the fire department was discussed and kept as a one‑time capital solution to boost inventory, alongside $21,000 already listed for safety equipment.

The committee also agreed to earmark funds for a revaluation effort rather than using them solely to offset taxes; participants cited previous market analyses and the mechanics of valuation as reasons to set money aside. On payroll matters, members reconciled full‑time and part‑time wage lines and whether stipends and overtime were included, noting the chief’s salary (cited in discussion) and several firefighter salary bands were drivers of the disparity in totals.

Votes at a glance: a motion to decrease the nonprofit line back to $9,800 (matching the budget committee) passed after a second; a motion to set the unpaid‑tax interest rate to 7 percent passed; the committee set a PTO reserve target after discussion (see related articles for exact figures and vote details).

The board closed by confirming no additional meeting was necessary and noting several follow‑up items for staff and counsel, such as finalizing warrant language for the potential sale of the primary school and checking the town’s meeting video streaming. The finalized appropriation totals and warrant wording will be brought to the June town meeting for voter consideration.