Reviews the town's entire budget and makes recommendations on how your tax dollars are spent.
43 items across 6 meetings.
June 3, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine approval of prior meeting minutes.
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: committee recommendation on the roughly $152.5M FY27 budget, which uses about $2.029M in free cash to avoid cuts, leaving an underlying structural deficit; tax levy near $100.45M.
💰 ~$152.5M total budget; tax levy $100,453,488; ~$2.029M free cash used
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: transfer from MECC stabilization fund into the FY27 operating budget (about $117,000 assumed annually over four years).
💰 ~$117,000 assumed annually
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: setting the salary schedule for the full-time elected Town Clerk.
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: setting spending limits on departmental revolving funds (fee-supported accounts) for FY27.
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: second round of capital spending funded from free cash, including a DPW dump truck purchase.
💰 Free cash funded; amount not specified
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: appropriation from the Group Insurance Trust Fund, tied to employee health-insurance costs.
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: authorization to purchase a new ambulance via transfer and appropriation.
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: annual appropriation and reservation of Community Preservation Act funds (open space, housing, historic, recreation).
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: vote on an amended slate of Community Preservation projects recommended by the CPC.
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: transfer from snow & ice stabilization into the FY26 operating budget to cover year-end costs.
📋 Proposed
Coming up June 3: capital appropriation from the stormwater enterprise fund, supported by stormwater fees.
• Status unclear
Coming up June 3: informational reports on stabilization fund balances and local receipts through April 30, 2026.
• Status unclear
Future meetings noted for Sept 23, Oct 21, and Dec 9, 2026.
💬 Discussed
Packet includes April 6–8 budget hearing minutes detailing departmental requests, the ~$2M free-cash gap, possible restoration of two police officers and a third ambulance, library funding near minimum, and the Davis-Thayer building's ~$200,000 annual cost.
💰 ~$2M structural deficit; Davis-Thayer ~$200,000/yr; police restore ~$200,774; ~$500,000 Chromebook/capital shifts
📍 Davis-Thayer School; 275 Beaver Street
April 6, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine meeting opening.
📋 Proposed
Approve prior meeting minutes.
📋 Proposed
Committee reviews proposed FY27 spending for 16 departments including Town Council, Finance, Assessors, Treasurer-Collector, Legal, HR, IT, Town Clerk, Elections, Conservation, ZBA, Planning, and Purchasing.
📋 Proposed
Review of proposed FY27 budgets for Board of Health, Council on Aging, Veterans Services, and Disability Commission.
📋 Proposed
Review of proposed FY27 spending for Library, Recreation, Historical Museum, Arts & Culture, Cultural Council, and related commissions.
📋 Proposed
Review of FY27 debt service — principal and interest payments on town borrowing — which directly affects the tax levy.
📋 Proposed
Review of FY27 costs for town retirement/pension contributions and liability insurance, two major fixed cost drivers.
📋 Proposed
Upcoming Finance Committee meetings scheduled for May 27, June 3, and September 23, 2026.
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjourns.