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Public hearing: Canaan budget review highlights recovery from prior shortfalls, water-rate and ambulance billing concerns
Summary
At a Jan. 15 public hearing the Canaan Budget Committee reviewed departmental budgets and revenue projections, discussed recovery from a $550,000 uncollectible revenue shortfall and debated service impacts including ambulance billing changes and a proposed additional police officer. The hearing recessed to the Jan. 31 Deliberative Session.
The Canaan Budget Committee opened a public hearing on Jan. 15 to review the town’s proposed 2026 budget and answer public questions about rates and services.
Budget Committee Chair Sal Percia presented the town’s key totals: town revenue of $2,305,426; a total amount to be raised of $5,033,334.67 if all warrant articles pass; a General Fund figure of $6,376,757.35; and total warrant-article requests of $962,003. Committee members then reviewed departmental bottom lines across executive, clerk and finance, public safety, highway, health, library and sewer functions.
Town Administrator Chet Hagenbarth summarized the town’s recent fiscal recovery, saying the town previously reported about $550,000 in uncollectible revenue and underfunded capital accounts but that the shortfall has been addressed and the town is now fully staffed. The discussion emphasized that future tax pressure is expected to reflect inflationary increases unless voters approve significant warrant-article spending.
Public commenters and committee members raised operational concerns: an apparent $214,000 increase comparing 2026 to 2025 budgets; unresolved fourth-quarter water-billing collections and a planned water-rate increase effective in July; and ongoing ambulance-service losses that the town expects to reduce through a new billing/collection vendor and rate increases. Committee members also discussed policing numbers and state unfunded mandates while noting a reported 44% rise in property valuation since 2015 as a factor in tax calculations.
The public hearing closed at 7:03 PM with no further public items; the committee recessed the hearing to the Deliberative Session on Jan. 31, 2026, at Mascoma High School Auditorium, where voters will consider the warrant articles and related budget provisions.
