Waterford Board of Finance approves FY26/27 budgets, trims amphitheater funding in close vote

The Waterford Board of Finance approved multiple FY26/27 budget requests and capital transfers during a March 18 budget hearing, adopting a revised Capital Improvements plan totaling $3,539,490 and approving debt service of $7,922,996.

Chairman Glenn Patterson called the meeting to order at 7:01 p.m. and the board adopted a standing motion, moved by Joseph Filippetti and seconded by Bill Sheehan, to consider departmental budgets en bloc to expedite the hearing. Under that procedure the board approved the Building Maintenance budget of $1,217,876 and the Department of Public Works budget of $5,312,218 by unanimous votes (7-0-0).

During deliberations on capital requests, the board approved a $100,000 reduction to the Department of Public Works’ concrete curb replacement request on a 7-0-0 vote after a motion by Chairman Patterson and a second by Filippetti. A separate motion by Bill Sheehan, seconded by Ann Peabody, to cut $30,000 from the Recreation & Parks request for Waterford Beach concert/amphitheater improvements passed 4-3; the minutes record Jerry Fischer, Robert Tuneski and Michael Rocchetti as voting against that cut. A proposal to cut $200,000 from the Mago Point sidewalks request failed on a 1-6-0 vote. Another motion to remove Access Points & Switches and Elementary Playground Surfaces from the Board of Education’s capital requests failed 2-5-0.

Following those votes the board approved the revised capital package for $3,539,490 on a 7-0-0 vote. The board then changed the agenda order to take up Transfers to Capital and Non-Recurring Expenditures and approved that fund request totaling $816,971 (7-0-0). The meeting concluded with approval of the Debt Service request for $7,922,996 (7-0-0) and adjournment at 9:59 p.m.

The minutes note a revision offered by Bill Sheehan to Item #5 asking removal of the verbiage "line #20537-57854"; that revision is recorded in the meeting minutes. The minutes were signed and submitted by Bill Sheehan, Clerk, and Rebecca L. Hall, Recording Secretary.

What this means: The board’s votes lock in the town’s departmental operating budgets, a capital plan that includes both approved and trimmed projects, and the debt-service schedule that will factor into Waterford’s FY26/27 tax and spending projections. The record shows at least one narrowly divided decision on a recreational capital item, indicating differing priorities among board members during capital deliberations.

Votes at a glance - Building Maintenance: $1,217,876 — approved 7-0-0 (motion by Robert Tuneski; second Jerry Fischer). - Public Works operating: $5,312,218 — approved 7-0-0 (motion by Robert Tuneski; second Jerry Fischer). - DPW concrete curb replacement: reduced by $100,000 — approved 7-0-0 (motion by Glenn Patterson; second Joseph Filippetti). - Recreation & Parks — Waterford Beach amphitheater improvements: cut by $30,000 — approved 4-3 (motion by Bill Sheehan; second Ann Peabody); no votes recorded against the cut: Jerry Fischer, Robert Tuneski, Michael Rocchetti. - Mago Point sidewalks: proposed $200,000 cut — failed 1-6-0 (motion by Glenn Patterson; second Joseph Filippetti). - Board of Education — removal of Access Points & Switches and Elementary Playground Surfaces: failed 2-5-0 (motion by Michael Rocchetti; second Robert Tuneski). - Capital Improvements (revised): $3,539,490 — approved 7-0-0 (motion by Robert Tuneski; second Jerry Fischer). - Transfers to Capital and Non-Recurring Expenditure Fund: $816,971 — approved 7-0-0 (motion by Robert Tuneski; second Jerry Fischer). - Debt Service: $7,922,996 — approved 7-0-0 (motion by Robert Tuneski; second Jerry Fischer).

The board recorded a procedural revision request to remove a line-number notation from Item #5 in the minutes; that edit is noted in the record. No public comments were recorded during the hearing.

Next steps: These approvals represent the Board of Finance’s recommendations and will factor into Waterford’s FY26/27 budget process and subsequent actions by the town’s elected officials as required by town procedure.