Selectboard reviews 2026 budget, raises law-enforcement line and places larger sheriff-hours question on ballot

The Leicester Selectboard met to review the draft 2026 municipal budget, and after extended discussion the board agreed to increase the proposed law-enforcement line item in the draft to $10,000 and to put a separate $20,000 ballot question before voters to fund additional sheriff patrol hours.

Julie, who prepared the draft budget, walked the board through the line items and explained three sheriff-contract options under consideration: a level-funded option (approximately $13,008), a mid-level option (about $16,090, which would yield roughly 22 hours per month) and a $19,200 option (about 25 hours per month). "So we were gonna put a line on there for 20," Julie said when outlining the ballot approach seeking voter approval for more hours. The board agreed to leave the draft law-enforcement allocation at $10,000 for the warning while submitting the $20,000 question to voters.

Board members discussed how increased enforcement has driven recent overruns in patrol costs and whether ticket revenue would offset some of the expense. Julie recommended making the budget figures "a little more realistic" and flagged other adjustments including recycling, fuel and payroll estimates. The board noted that if voters approve the $20,000 article it would create a restricted fund to be used to guarantee the additional sheriff hours; if not approved, the town would continue under the baseline contract.

The board did not take a binding final vote on the full budget at this meeting; members instructed staff to incorporate the law-enforcement changes, finalize outstanding insurance and assessment figures, and return a revised warning for review. The meeting recessed into an executive session on personnel and legal matters at the close of the public agenda.