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Budget committee and Select Board review police, elections and recreation budgets; police budget rises 8.69%
Summary
At a joint Feb. 3 session, the Budget Committee and Select Board reviewed departmental budgets: the Police Department proposed an 8.69% FY2027 increase driven by personnel and a new cloud CAD system; the Town Clerk requested replacement ballot-counting equipment (~$7,000); Recreation department described pool SCADA upgrades and proposed raising non-resident Cunningham Pond fees to $205.
The Peterborough Select Board and Budget Committee met jointly Feb. 3 to review departmental budgets ahead of the FY2027 cycle, focusing on the Police Department, Town Clerk elections costs, and Recreation Department capital and operating pressures.
Police Chief Scott Guinard and Lt. George Xenakis presented a proposed police budget that would rise 8.69% next year. The increase stems largely from salaries, overtime and a move to a cloud-based computer-aided dispatch and records system; they said the cloud licensing avoids a one-time $200,000 upgrade to the department’s previous 25-year-old software and interfaces directly with the Department of Safety to transmit electronic tickets and forms.
Chief Guinard and Lt. Xenakis described recruitment and retention incentives intended to bolster hiring: education stipends of $500 for an associate’s degree, $1,000 for a bachelor’s degree and $1,500 for a master’s degree paid annually after probation, and an annual physical fitness stipend tied to a qualifying test. They reported the department received 23 applications in a recent hiring round, which the presenters characterized as strong compared with neighboring departments.
Town Clerk Linda Guyette told the joint body that three elections next year are the main driver for her budget. She recommended buying a new ballot-counting machine for roughly $7,000 this fiscal year, noting the state typically reimburses half the cost; she also said higher postage needs reflect more frequent Supervisors of the Checklist mailings tied to a five-year purge of voter rolls.
Recreation Director Craig Fraley reviewed capital projects and operational changes: Adams Park electrical and light-pole evaluation, completed siding repairs at Cunningham Pond bathhouse, and a pool control integration with the water department’s SCADA system to monitor chlorine levels and send smartphone alarms. Fraley said the pool requires an initial fill of about 260,000 gallons and similar seasonal replacement because of evaporation and use; rising water fees are driving higher operating costs. To offset expenses, he proposed raising non-resident Cunningham Pond stickers by $20 to $205 while maintaining free resident access per a prior Town Meeting understanding.
Finance Director Lilli Gilligan and Town Administrator Nicole MacStay explained that state law permits moving funds within the General Fund as long as total appropriations are not exceeded, but Gilligan said retirement payouts cannot be deferred without harming pension calculations. The board and committee approved routine meeting minutes and adjourned at 6:42 p.m.
