Peterborough Select Board and Budget Committee review departmental budgets; minutes approved

Peterborough’s Select Board and Budget Committee met Tuesday evening at the Town House to review departmental budgets and operational issues ahead of the upcoming fiscal year. Chair Tyler Ward and Budget Committee Chair Rick Lesser presided over presentations from department heads including the library, planning and building, finance, administration and assessing.

Library Director Corinne Chronopoulos summarized a flat operating budget while highlighting strong program growth: Program Librarian Rebecca Enman reported roughly 3,500 attendees across 228 programs last year. Chronopoulos said the library launched a grant- and donation-funded "Library of Things" and increased projected operating revenue from about $60,000 to $72,000, while room rental income was budgeted lower at $15,000 after the departure of a regular renter.

Planning and Building lead Danica Miller told the committee the department maintains a small core staff and has been supporting Economic Development Authority events such as the Peterborough Pet Gala to draw customers to downtown businesses. Miller said owners of the former IDG building are reviewing a student-created mixed-use rendering and that the Walden Eco Village project is completing site work toward 17 units. Miller and staff cautioned that building permits have declined, and the department conservatively projects $40,000 in permit revenue for the coming year, down from $93,000 in FY25.

Finance Director Lilli Gilligan reviewed the broader fiscal picture, noting the finance office processed about $39.5 million in FY25 across general, school, county and enterprise funds. Gilligan reported the town employs 222 people across full-time, part-time and seasonal roles and cited a roughly 12% annual turnover rate for full-time staff. She flagged three anticipated retirements with vacation and sick buyout liabilities and agreed to provide audit data to inform the creation of an expendable trust fund to buffer unanticipated HR or insurance costs.

Gilligan also reported debt service fell $56,000 this year and is expected to decline another roughly $350,000 as two bonds retire in 2029–2030. She said about $600,000 in grant funding remains for Cold Stone Springs and that the town has begun billing Jaffrey for its share of that facility’s costs. An RFP review led Gilligan to recommend continuing with SchoolCare for employee health insurance; the proposed health insurance line is $1,558,232, with additional lines for dental and buyouts.

Town Administrator Nicole MacStay described small increases in staff development funding and clarified the difference between Direct Relief (primarily rent assistance) and Public Assistance (support to social service agencies). The Assessing function has moved from contracted services to in-house management under Gretchen Rae, reducing contracted services spending to $73,000 and ensuring daily coverage at the Town House.

Procedural business concluded the meeting: the committee amended and unanimously approved the Feb. 3, 2026 minutes (motion by Chair Rick Lesser; second by Paul Noce). Members discussed budgeting electricity at a higher rate to avoid mid-year shortages and agreed to request a recommendation from the Community Power Committee. Bill Kennedy moved to adjourn at 7:01 p.m.; Mary Clark seconded and the motion carried.

Votes at a glance

• Approval of Feb. 3, 2026 minutes — Mover: Rick Lesser; Second: Paul Noce; Outcome: unanimous approval. • Adjourn meeting (7:01 p.m.) — Mover: Bill Kennedy; Second: Mary Clark; Outcome: unanimous approval.

What’s next: Department heads will use the feedback to refine their proposed budgets; the committee requested audit figures to evaluate seeding an expendable trust fund for unexpected personnel and insurance costs.