Chester joint BOS/BOF unanimously forward $19.31M draft budget to April 28 public hearing; add PermitLink fee and $100,000 cushion

First Selectwoman Lignar and Chairman John Chillock presided over a joint meeting of the Town of Chester Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance on April 7, 2026, at Chester Town Hall where the two bodies unanimously accepted a draft FY 2026–27 municipal budget of $19,311,304 and voted to forward it to a public hearing on April 28, 2026.

The boards completed a final review of revenues and operating/capital expenditures and approved several targeted adjustments. Members added $5,800 to the Building Department budget to purchase PermitLink, an online permitting software the town expects to activate July 1, 2026. Officials said the software will be self-funded through an additional permit fee estimated at approximately $15 to $18 per permit.

The board members also discussed projected increases in the R4 regional school district’s Average Daily Membership (ADM) for FY27/28 and the budgetary impact for Chester. To help smooth the anticipated tax effects, the boards added $100,000 to the FY26/27 draft town budget as a mitigation measure.

Separately, on a motion made and duly seconded, the boards unanimously voted to create a Mill Rate Stabilization Fund. Meeting minutes state that the parameters for that fund will be developed at a later date; no further details or funding mechanics were specified at the meeting.

The Board of Finance reported the General Fund Reserve — the town’s unassigned rainy day fund — at 21.32% of the budget, which the board noted is within its target range of 18% to 22%. The reserve will be reviewed again in October 2026 after the final ADM for FY27/28 is issued.

There were no public speakers during the Audience of Citizens. The joint meeting was adjourned at 8:23 p.m. and minutes were submitted by Clerk Suzanne Helchowski.

The draft budget will be considered at a public hearing on April 28, 2026, at Chester Town Hall.