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Waterford Board of Finance approves FY2026–27 departmental budgets; RTM cut fails on 3-3 tie
Summary
At a March 16 budget hearing the Waterford Board of Finance unanimously approved multiple FY2026–27 departmental budgets after adopting a standing motion to consider budgets omnibus; an attempted $400 cut to the Representative Town Meeting supplies line failed on a 3-3 vote.
The Waterford Board of Finance approved a slate of FY2026–27 departmental budgets Monday evening after adopting a procedural motion to consider budget requests without separate motions for each line item.
Chairman Glenn Patterson called the hearing to order at 7:01 p.m. and the board endorsed a standing motion by Bill Sheehan, seconded by Michael Rocchetti, to expedite consideration of budget requests; the motion passed 6-0-0. Under that procedure, Robert Tuneski moved — and Ann Peabody seconded — the omnibus motions that carried the individual department budgets.
The board approved the following budgets (motion, second, and vote as recorded): Registrar of Voters, $126,410 (moved by Robert Tuneski; seconded by Ann Peabody; vote 6-0-0); Assessor, $351,260 (Tuneski/Peabody; 6-0-0); Board of Assessment Appeals, $5,693 (Tuneski/Peabody; 6-0-0); Tax Collector, $233,609 (Tuneski/Peabody; 6-0-0); Town Clerk, $271,688 (Tuneski/Peabody; 6-0-0); Representative Town Meeting, $17,802 (Tuneski/Peabody; 6-0-0); and Board of Selectmen, $207,470 (Tuneski/Peabody; 6-0-0).
A proposed amendment to reduce line #53010 (Materials & Supplies) in the Representative Town Meeting budget by $400 was offered by Chairman Glenn Patterson but failed on a 3-3-0 vote (No: Bill Sheehan, Michael Rocchetti, Robert Tuneski); the full RTM budget was then approved 6-0-0.
The meeting record shows a written public comment from Quaker Hill resident Helen Kwasniewski, who questioned why taxpayers are covering 'two assistants,' objected to what she called taxpayer-funded flowers for a graduating student, and wrote, 'Too many departments have too many part-time assistance, this has to STOP.' The letter was submitted for the record and appended to the minutes; the transcript does not record a verbal response from the board.
The Board of Finance adjourned the budget hearing at 8:40 p.m. on a motion by Bill Sheehan, seconded by Michael Rocchetti (vote 6-0-0). The minutes were signed by Bill Sheehan, clerk, and Rebecca L. Hall, recording secretary.
