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Kennebunk boards approve most 2026–27 department budgets; Budget Board increases community garden funding
Summary
At a Feb. 26 joint meeting, the Kennebunk Select Board and Budget Board approved most line items in the town's proposed 2026–27 budget after Finance Director Kayla Tierney reviewed the presentation; the Budget Board increased Community Garden funding from $3,000 to $5,000 amid split votes.
Finance Director Kayla Tierney reviewed the town's proposed 2026–27 budget at a joint Select Board and Budget Board meeting on Feb. 26, 2026. The boards moved through departmental line items and recorded motions and votes for each allocation.
Most departmental requests were approved by both bodies with identical procedural motions. Departments approved included Highway ($3,318,330), Recycling ($518,602), Solid Waste ($702,243), Hydrants & Street Lights ($637,051), Parks ($79,500), General Assistance (including agencies) ($111,500), Recreation ($1,161,613), Facilities ($178,750), various boards and commissions (Planning Board $4,250; Conservation Commission $10,700; Site Plan Review Board $2,200; Zoning Board of Appeals $200), Board of Assessment Review ($5,000), Historic Preservation Commission ($200), West Kennebunk Village Committee ($2,300), Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Committee ($6,000), Dog Park Committee ($250), Climate Action Committee ($2,000), Employee Benefits ($5,069,748), Capital Plan ($576,500), Miscellaneous ($80,289) and Debt Service (General Fund $2,785,110).
One notable divergence involved the Community Garden request. The garden had sought $3,000; the Budget Board voted to increase that line to $5,000 (Budget Board vote recorded 3 in favor, 2 opposed, 1 absent). The minutes record that Budget Board members Matthew Fasano and Chair Fred Weber voted against the increase; the Select Board recorded its own motions and a Select Board vote that showed one opposed vote by Kortney Nedeau while recording its tally as 4 in favor, 1 opposed, 2 absent. The transcript indicates the Budget Board increased the Community Garden allocation while the Select Board recorded its motions and opposition on the item.
Select Board Chair Miriam Whitehouse and Budget Board Chair Fred Weber presided; motions on many items followed the pattern of Budget Board motion by Thomas Wellman and second by Laura Sevigny, and Select Board motion by Lisa Pratt and second by Karen Plattes (or William Ward, Jr., where noted). Where recorded, the minutes list vote tallies for each board as in favor/opposed/absent/abstained.
There were no additional substantive items recorded under "Any Other Business." The boards voted to adjourn at 8:34 p.m. Minutes for the meeting were prepared by Finance Director Kayla Tierney and include a placeholder for approval dates.
Votes at a glance (selected line items and recorded tallies) Highway: $3,318,330 — Budget Board 5/0/1/0; Select Board 5/0/2/0 Recycling: $518,602 — Budget Board 5/0/1/0; Select Board 5/0/2/0 Solid Waste: $702,243 — Budget Board 5/0/1/0; Select Board 5/0/2/0 Community Garden: Requested $3,000; Budget Board increased to $5,000 — Budget Board 3/2/1/0 (Opposed: M. Fasano, F. Weber); Select Board recorded 4/1/2/0 (Opposed: K. Nedeau) Employee Benefits: $5,069,748 — Budget Board 5/0/1/0; Select Board 5/0/2/0 Capital Plan: $576,500 — Budget Board 5/0/1/0; Select Board 5/0/2/0 Debt Service (General Fund): $2,785,110 — Budget Board 5/0/1/0; Select Board 5/0/2/0
The meeting record shows line-item motions and recorded tallies for each departmental allocation; the minutes do not include verbatim debate or direct quotations. The boards will formally approve the minutes on a later date indicated in the record.
