Danville Budget Committee recommends $5.17 million FY2026 budget amid warnings of steep tax-impact scenarios

Danville Budget Committee Chairperson Rob Collins presented the proposed FY2026 budget and tax scenarios at a Jan. 14 meeting, and the committee voted 3–2 to recommend a $5,169,692 budget to the Board of Selectmen.

Collins told the committee the municipal budget increased 3.68% year over year (about $188,952) but that the town’s required tax effort could rise far more — by roughly 31.93% (about $923,952) — if the unassigned fund balance is not used to offset taxes when the rate is set in September. Collins said the Board of Selectmen had approved $750,000 in FY25 to offset taxes and retained $447,418 in that fund.

The committee reviewed two scenarios: a “lowest tax-effort” projection (a default budget of $4,989,293 with $300,000 applied to offset taxes and no warrant articles passing), which staff estimated would raise the municipal rate from $4.83 to roughly $5.31 per $1,000 of assessed value (about $48 more per $100,000 of home value); and a “highest tax-effort” projection (the proposed budget of $5,139,560 with no offset and all warrant articles passing), which staff estimated could push the rate toward $6.37 per $1,000 (about $154 more per $100,000).

The public hearing drew multiple residents who asked questions and offered comment, including Kim Farrah, John Hughes, Andy Ward, Carsten Springer, Dave Knight, Ann Massoth, Shawn O’Neil, Sheila Johannesen, Beth Caillouette, Stacie O’Connor, Chuck Underhill and Ann Maire Inman.

A point of contention arose over whether funds for a police officer approved previously as a separate warrant article could be included in the municipality’s default budget. Shawn O’Neil questioned the exclusion; Collins displayed an email from the New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) advising that such warrant-article funds could not be folded into the default budget. Several committee members and members of the public disagreed with that interpretation during the hearing.

The committee approved several routine line-item adjustments by general consent, including increases for recreation portapotties (+$3,000), welfare (+$11,629), the library (+$11,362) and patriotic purposes (+$680), and a $20,250 decrease to solid-waste collection tied to a separate $30,000 warrant article for a second bulk pickup.

On motions affecting police pay lines, Joe Hester moved (seconded by Dave Drislane) to restore $86,122 to full-time police salaries (line 4210-110) and $23,710 to the chief’s line (4210-130); that motion failed 2–3 (Hester and Drislane for; Collins, Mary Reedy and Sue Overstreet against). Chair Collins then moved (seconded by Hester) to increase the chief of police salary (line 4210-130) by $23,710 to a total of $126,610; that motion passed 4–1 (Collins, Reedy, Hester and Drislane for; Overstreet against).

Sue Overstreet moved (seconded by Mary Reedy) that the committee recommend the proposed $5,169,692 budget. The committee voted 3–2 in favor (Collins, Overstreet and Reedy recommended; Hester and Drislane did not recommend). Later in the meeting Collins moved (seconded by Overstreet) to add $130,000 to revenue line 3911; that motion passed 3–2.

The committee closed the public hearing at 9:21 p.m. and adjourned the meeting at 10:25 p.m. The committee’s recommendation and the recorded votes will be part of the materials the Board of Selectmen considers when setting the tax rate in September. A recording of the meeting is posted by the town.