Officials warn that deeper cuts could cost police, library and school staff

Town Council Chair Dan Polhamus warned that additional reductions beyond the current recommended budget would likely fall to recurring expenses — primarily personnel — and said cutting roads or capital to lower taxes would still place future leaders at "unreasonable risk." "If we slash roads, if we slash capital, pull cash again... then we put whoever is leading the town next year at unreasonable risk," Polhamus said.

Board of Education Chair Debra Chute and Superintendent Dr. Carnemolla stressed the schools had trimmed requests and sought to avoid cuts that would affect students. Chute said the schools "brought it down even more since our first request" and urged caution: "Any more cuts and we risk touching the students." Erin Barthel and others noted the children's library staff already shrank ("we've now lost three of our children's librarians") and expressed concern that pay pressures could drive more departures.

Members framed staffing risks as a core reason to support a lean but stable budget rather than deep cuts that would erode service levels and the town’s attractiveness to families and homeowners.