Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board of Finance finalizes 2026–27 proposed budget, forwards it to May 18 Town Meeting
Summary
After reviewing taxpayer comments on fire services, parks and recreation, WPCA timing and economic development, the Board of Finance voted unanimously May 4 to send the proposed 2026–2027 budget to the May 18 Town Meeting. Individual vote tallies and dollar amounts of changes were not recorded.
The Board of Finance voted unanimously May 4 to forward the proposed 2026–2027 budget to the May 18 Town Meeting following a special meeting held immediately after a public hearing at Richard H. Smith Town Hall.
The decision followed a review of taxpayer comments on several issues, including requests related to the fire department, Parks and Recreation, the WPCA budget and potential economic development funding tied to Mount Saint John's. The board discussed the comments and finalized the budget before the vote.
Jackie Calamari, a committee member, moved to leave the budget as presented and send it to the May 18 Town Meeting; Michael Weglarz, a committee member, seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously; the transcript records the outcome as "motion passed unanimously" but does not list individual yea or nay votes.
Transcript notes from the hearing indicate taxpayers said the budget was reduced because of unspent funds in prior years; the exact dollar amount of any reduction was not specified in the record. The hearing also recorded a request from the Fire Marshal for a budget increase and taxpayer confusion about the Parks and Recreation before‑ and after‑school program budget. Commenters asked that the Parks and Recreation Director attend the Town Meeting and that the board provide the WPCA budget to the public before May 18 so voters could review it in advance; the transcript does not expand the WPCA acronym or provide additional detail on timing or formats for distribution.
Members additionally discussed public comments about economic development opportunities tied to Mount Saint John's and a proposal to allocate funding for a grant writer to pursue additional state and other grants; funding amounts and specifics were not provided in the transcript. The board recorded a request that the Chair of Economic Development address the topic further at a later meeting or forum.
Kathryn Russell moved to adjourn the special meeting at 10:04 PM; Jackie Calamari seconded. The meeting was adjourned.
The next procedural step is the May 18 Town Meeting, where voters will consider the proposed 2026–2027 budget.
