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Selectboard reviews 2026 budgets, FEMA payout for paving and proposes staffing changes
Summary
At a March 17 special meeting, Skowneday’s Selectboard reviewed highway and general-administration budgets, discussed using roughly $908,000 in FEMA reimbursements to support paving and bridge reserves, and approved warrants and minutes. Managers proposed eliminating a finance director role and exploring an appointed clerk/treasurer by 2027.
The Town of Skowneday Selectboard convened a special meeting on March 17 to review key elements of the proposed 2026 budget, focusing on highway needs, use of FEMA reimbursement funds and restructuring in general administration.
Town Manager Nicholas Nadeau reported that the Highway Department’s overall operating budget showed a small net decrease despite increases in several line items. He said wages decreased slightly following favorable union negotiations while healthcare costs rose by about 6 percent. Nadeau told the board the highway budget reflects a roughly 1.4 percent net increase and emphasized equipment shortfalls and long-term planning needs.
Nadeau said the town received about $908,000 in FEMA reimbursement from past flood damage. He said roughly $450,000 of that reimbursement is planned to support the town’s paving program, with the remainder placed into bridge reserves. He cautioned that future disaster funding would depend on FEMA decisions; without such aid, the town would rely on reserves or borrowing to respond.
On capital strategy, Nadeau said the town is considering leasing large pieces of equipment — specifically a loader and an excavator — rather than purchasing them outright, in part because the town lacks a formal capital improvement plan and has limited reserves. The board discussed increasing staff technical capacity to handle more maintenance in-house.
On operating items, Nadeau said the highway budget retains the landscaping contract to avoid conflicts of interest and preserves modest community spending such as holiday decorations. Some line items (for example, boot allowances and landscaping adjustments) rose while other efficiencies produced a modest net reduction overall.
In the General Administration budget review, Nadeau outlined a personnel restructuring that would eliminate the finance director position and replace it with a finance coordinator and a combined HR/general assistance role that could be part-time. He also raised the prospect of switching from an elected clerk/treasurer to an appointed clerk/treasurer by 2027 to ensure qualified financial oversight and stronger internal controls.
Nadeau recommended continuing with current IT vendors to avoid transition costs, breaking out software costs by department in future budgets, increasing training funds to prepare for retirements, and budgeting $35,000 for legal services. He noted modest increases in insurance and savings on phone and internet services.
The board conducted routine business during the meeting: Amber Lambke moved to approve minutes from the Feb. 24 meeting; the motion passed with a 4-0-1 tally (Ethan Liberty abstained). Kevin Nelson moved, and Elijah Soll seconded, approval of the Treasurer’s Warrants (Warrant 69: $30,024.16; Warrant 70: $74,110.81) totaling $104,134.97; that motion passed 5-0. The board adjourned by a 5-0 vote after a motion by Lambke and a second by Nelson.
No final appropriations or formal bond/borrowing decisions were made at the workshop; the board’s review concentrated on budgeting choices, fund allocations and possible organizational changes. The Selectboard listed upcoming meetings including the Planning Board on March 17 and its regular meeting on March 24.
