Wolfeboro Budget Committee recommends $35.9 million 2026 operating budget; backs ambulance transition and cruiser purchases

The Wolfeboro Budget Committee recommended the towns proposed 2026 operating budget — $35,913,502 — on Jan. 13, and advised voters on a slate of warrant articles the committee judged ready for a deliberative-session review. The committees recommendation vote on the operating budget was 9-1; the default budget figure, if voters reject the article, is $34,073,480. The budgets estimated tax-rate impact is about $3.14 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

The committee and town leaders described the principal budget drivers as negotiated employee contracts, a large SchoolCare health-insurance assessment, additional election costs and a handful of capital items moved to warrant articles. Chair (name not provided) told attendees the town ranked ninth-lowest in property tax per $1,000 among New Hampshire municipalities — a framing used to explain how enterprise revenues reduce the tax burden.

Jim Peneo, the town manager, said the town faced a one-time SchoolCare assessment that materially affected insurance costs. "Based on the 2024 audit report ... the unassigned fund balance is $4,113,717," Peneo told the committee as he and others explained the need to tap reserves for a roughly $377,000 assessment tied to the towns claims experience with the pool provider.

Elections were a recurring budget focus. The town clerks operating request rose in part because 2026 includes five elections versus the two used in the 2023 baseline, raising election-related line items for ballot clerks, supervisors of the checklist and related costs. Committee members pressed staff for clearer presentation slides showing budgeted, expended and proposed figures; staff said clearer materials would be provided for the deliberative session.

Public-safety and emergency services dominated several warrant-article discussions. The committee recommended a board-sponsored warrant to "establish a fire-based ambulance service" that seeks $1,884,966 to hire four firefighter-EMS personnel and purchase a fully equipped ambulance; the committee vote to recommend that article was 9-1. Peneo told the room that, if voters do not approve transition funding, town leadership has contingency plans to accelerate an operational transition to town-run ambulance services.

The committee also recommended an article covering negotiated "impact" costs tied to the ambulance transition ($96,104; committee recommendation 9-1) and an article authorizing contracted ambulance services through Dec. 31, 2026 (combined contract appropriation $568,080; committee recommendation recorded as 9 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain). Separately, the committee voted to establish an ambulance-service revolving fund that will deposit 35% of future transport revenues to cover ambulance capital and supplies; the committee recommended that item (vote recorded 9-1).

Police needs drew attention from residents and members alike. The police chief, speaking to the committee, said the department currently has eight working cruisers and that several vehicles exceed 100,000 miles; he urged support for vehicle replacement. The committee recommended a $140,000 warrant article to buy two police cruisers and equipment; that recommendation passed unanimously (10-0). Committee members explicitly debated whether cruiser purchases should be inside the operating budget or a separate warrant article; the committee supported making them a warrant article so the public can vote directly.

Capital and infrastructure warrant articles the committee recommended include:

- Town road upgrades: $900,000 (committee recommendation passed; roll-call 8 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain); - Public Works vehicle replacement (class 6/8 dump truck): $285,000, offset by a 70% grant, with an estimated local share of $97,102.50 (committee recommended, 10-0); - Sidewalk repairs: $75,000 (committee recommended, 10-0); - Wastewater treatment plant repairs and small sewer pump station repairs: $175,000 and $100,000 respectively (committee recommended, 10-0 each); - Clark House museum and Pleasant Valley Schoolhouse repairs: $30,000 (committee recommended, 10-0); - Pop Whalen/arena and water-treatment plant maintenance items were handled as enterprise-funded requests with no tax-rate impact in the committees recommendation.

The meeting included a citizens petition asking voters to fund an independent organizational and operations review ($75,000) to assess town operations, human-resources practices and communication. Anne Blodgett, representing petition supporters, said the review aims to identify efficiencies and improve transparency: "We can do better," she told the committee. The budget committee debated timing and likely return on investment; the motion to recommend the petition did not achieve a positive recommendation by the committee (no majority recommendation recorded by roll call), leaving the petition without a committee endorsement.

The committee repeatedly asked for clearer comparative slides (budgeted, expended, proposed) for the deliberative session and urged staff to circulate additional detail on contested line items (elections, insurance assessment, cruise/vehicle schedules). Several residents said they support ambulance transition funding and police-cruiser replacement but asked for clear explanations of long-term operating costs and revenue offsets.

What happens next: the committee continued the public hearing to Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. to complete votes on outstanding warrant articles. The towns deliberative session is scheduled for Feb. 3, and the official ballot vote is March 10.

Votes at a glance (committee recommendation and roll-call where taken):

- Article 5, 2026 Operating Budget: recommend 9-1 (Chair read figure: $35,913,502; default $34,073,480). - Fire-based ambulance service (establish in-town ambulance, hire 4 EMS): recommend 9-1; amount $1,884,966; estimated 2026 tax impact 22 per $1,000. - Ambulance impact negotiations (collective bargaining follow-up): recommend 9-1; amount $96,104; estimated 2026 tax impact 2 per $1,000. - Contracted ambulance services through 12/31/2026: recommend (9 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain); funds combined with operating line, total $568,080 for 2026. - Police cruisers (2 vehicles): recommend 10-0; amount $140,000 (offset $16,000 from detail fund). - Town road upgrades: recommend (8 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain); amount $900,000. - Public Works vehicle replacement (dump truck): recommend 10-0; amount $285,000 (70% grant reduces tax share). - Sidewalk repairs: recommend 10-0; amount $75,000. - Wastewater treatment plant repairs: recommend 10-0; amount $175,000.

Committee roll-call lists and detailed vote tallies are part of the hearing record. The committee asked staff to circulate more detailed line-item backups ahead of the Feb. 3 deliberative session so voters can review the justifications for key increases.

Sources and attributions: quotes and figures above are drawn from the public hearing transcript and attributed to the meeting chair, Jim Peneo (town manager), Anne Blodgett (petition sponsor) and the police chief where indicated. All direct quotes in this narrative come from those speakers as recorded in the hearing transcript.

The public hearing was continued to Jan. 22 for remaining warrant-article votes and preparatory work for the Feb. 3 deliberative session.