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North Berwick Budget Committee approves series of budget articles, trims dispatch and board funding
Summary
The committee voted unanimously on Feb. 11 to approve multiple budget articles, including a general government appropriation and an amended reduction to dispatch services funding; it also lowered planned Planning Board funding and set the meeting schedule for continued budget review.
Chairperson Rebecca Reed presided over the North Berwick Budget Committee meeting on Feb. 11, 2026, and the committee unanimously approved a set of budget articles covering general government, insurance, debt service and protections. Committee member Gregg Drew moved the key motions and Julie Fernee seconded several; all formal votes recorded were 10-0 in favor.
The committee approved Article 27, read by Chairperson Rebecca Reed, as the general government appropriation. Gregg Drew moved and Julie Fernee seconded that Article 27 "ought to pass" with $65,000 drawn from the Undesignated Fund Balance. The article was recorded in the minutes as $1,182,130.00; however, the line-item figures read into the record for administration, town office salaries, revaluation, town manager salary and related subitems sum to $1,242,055.00. The committee passed the article 10-0; minutes show the arithmetic discrepancy in the record and do not state a corrected total.
Public input was brief: when asked, meeting participant Mark Reed stood and said, "No." There were no additional public comments.
During review of protection-related funding under Article 18 (street lights, hydrant rental and dispatch services), staff member Dwayne Morin noted the dispatch services figure had been a projection for fiscal year 2028. The committee amended the draft appropriation to reduce the dispatch services line from $189,000 to $184,000 and adjusted the total for the article from $401,500 to $396,500; Gregg Drew moved the amendment, Roger Guptill seconded, and the amendment passed 10-0.
Chair Reed also read and the committee passed Article 30 (Insurance Expenses, $345,000, including FICA and FMLA) and smaller appropriations for Town Reports, Debt Service for the Municipal Building Fund, General Assistance and Unanticipated Expenses; motions for those articles were moved by Gregg Drew and passed 10-0 as recorded.
On Article 33 (Town Boards), committee discussion included a correction to the Planning Board allocation. Dwayne Morin stated the Planning Board total should be changed from $6,000 to $3,500. Gregg Drew moved to amend Planning Board funding and the total appropriation from $9,000 to $5,000; Mark Rouillard seconded and the amendment passed unanimously.
The committee set upcoming budget review meetings for Feb. 18 (Public Works, Fire & Transfer Station), Feb. 25 (Parks and Recreation & Police) and March 4 (Rescue, Library & Social/Outside Agencies), with March 11 reserved if necessary. Gregg Drew moved to adjourn at 8:13 p.m.; Mark Rouillard seconded and the committee voted 10-0 to adjourn.
The minutes were submitted by stenographer Bonnie Michaud.
