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Select Board member pitches reserve-fund approach to avoid borrowing for capital repairs
Summary
Wayne Luce proposed increasing contributions to reserve accounts starting FY27 to fund capital repairs and avoid bonds, criticized last year's $5,000 cut to the municipal buildings repair reserve, and said reserves would let the town 'upgrade' equipment without sudden tax spikes.
Select Board member Wayne Luce presented a proposal he described as a key municipal-budget plan: increase regular funding of reserve accounts beginning in FY27 so the town can pay for large capital repairs from saved funds rather than issuing bonds.
Luce noted that the Budget Committee last year convinced voters to cut $5,000 from the municipal buildings repair reserve and warned that reducing reserves now "only guarantees that we will have to borrow money if the repair is a big one." He suggested reframing purchase language toward "upgrading" apparatus and equipment and circulated a handwritten proposal he will refine with numbers ahead of budget season.
No formal motion or vote occurred on the proposal during the meeting; Luce said he will prepare detailed figures for future budget deliberations.
