Reviews the town's entire budget and makes recommendations on how your tax dollars are spent.
42 items across 8 meetings.
May 6, 2026 · minutes
✅ Approved
Approved minutes from March 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 meetings, 7-0.
💬 Discussed
$3.8 million remains in the Supplemental Student Support Reserve Fund, with roughly $370,000 in unspent prior appropriations, including $300,000 at Belmonte STEAM Academy.
💰 $3.8 million remaining
✅ Approved
Recommended $100,000 (6-1) for English-learner tutoring after school and during the day, paying tutors at $40/hour across all schools, not new positions.
💰 $100,000 from reserve fund
✅ Approved
Recommended $250,000 (5-2) for tutoring and study centers tied to athletics, band and drama for 500-600 students; may be broadened to all co-curriculars on Town Meeting floor.
💰 $250,000 from reserve fund
🔄 Postponed
Recommended indefinite postponement (7-0) because $300,000 in prior-year enrichment funding remains at Belmonte STEAM Academy.
💰 $150,000 request withdrawn
✅ Approved
Recommended $150,000 (6-1) for academic enrichment including summer programs, boot camps, mentoring and targeted interventions outside school hours.
💰 $150,000 from reserve fund
✅ Approved
Recommended $50,000 (6-1) for enrichment programming at the Veterans Early Learning Center.
💰 $50,000 from reserve fund
✅ Approved
Recommended $100,000 (6-1) for an independent IXL assessment platform at middle and high school; may be amended to add a third-grade norm-referenced reading test.
💰 $100,000 from reserve fund
✅ Approved
Recommended $300,000 (5-2) for three outside-agency behavioral specialists at Belmonte STEAM and Veterans centers to handle disciplinary and social-emotional crises; concerns raised about long-term sustainability.
💰 $300,000 from reserve fund
✅ Approved
Recommended $100,000 (5-2) for an academic development center helping struggling high school students not involved in athletics or co-curriculars.
💰 $100,000 from reserve fund
✅ Approved
Recommended $42,000 (5-2) for stipends to teach extra class sections like an in-demand AP business/finance course; chairman called it a pilot needing future operational budgeting.
💰 $42,000 from reserve fund
💬 Discussed
Chairman warned against reopening the teachers' contract after budget approval; School Committee member Doherty pledged the contract won't open until it expires.
✅ Approved
Recommended $1,995,800 (7-0), including $1.8 million from free cash to cover the snow-and-ice deficit plus $195,800 in interdepartmental transfers.
💰 $1,995,800 ($1.8M snow/ice deficit from free cash)
✅ Approved
Recommended (7-0) buying four police cruisers, an F-150, a roller, spreaders, a Bobcat, trailer, infield rake, and a Water Department compressor truck, funded by free cash.
💰 From certified free cash
✅ Approved
Recommended $500,000 (7-0) from free cash for paving and street/sidewalk work not eligible for Chapter 90 funds; costs higher than prior years.
💰 $500,000 from certified free cash
✅ Approved
Recommended $2,121,000 (7-0) for water main replacement, borrowed at 0% from the MWRA pipeline program plus $250,000 for design work.
💰 $2,121,000, 0% MWRA borrowing
✅ Approved
Recommended $4,820,000 (7-0) for lead pipe inventory and replacement; $200,000 from free cash and $4,620,000 borrowed at 0% from MWRA. A transfer-triggered replacement bylaw was suggested.
💰 $4,820,000 ($200K free cash, $4.62M 0% MWRA loan)
✅ Approved
Recommended $5,765,000 (7-0) for multi-year sewer rehabilitation to remove excess inflow and infiltration, funded by borrowing.
💰 $5,765,000 borrowed
✅ Approved
Recommended $500,000 (7-0) from free cash for design and permitting to repair the Griswold Lower Pond and Griswold Pond dams to meet state safety mandates.
💰 $500,000 from certified free cash
✅ Approved
Meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m.
April 29, 2026 · minutes
💬 Discussed
Informational meeting only; no votes taken. Superintendent Hashem and Finance Director Andrews would present the FY27 school budget, followed by public comment.
📍 Town Hall Auditorium
💬 Discussed
Proposed FY27 school budget is $37,606,374 — a $2,837,839 increase over FY26 — driven by $2,520,741 in fixed cost increases plus $317,098 in restorations and new-need adjustments.
💰 $37,606,374 total; +$2,837,839 vs. FY26; $2,520,741 fixed cost increases; $317,098 restorations
💬 Discussed
School Department agreed for the first time to develop one-, three-, and five-year budget plans in coordination with the Town and Finance Committee to show sustainability trends.
💬 Discussed
Enrollment is slightly down in 2026 and hard to predict; Belmonte STEAM Academy grades 2–5 have class sizes in the high 20s after losing four teaching positions last year.
📍 Belmonte STEAM Academy
💬 Discussed
School Committee Chairman Whittredge and members Doherty, Gould, and McCarthy urged the Finance Committee to approve the full $37.6M budget request and committed to sustainable multi-year planning.
💬 Discussed
A resident, a high school history teacher, and the Middle/High School principal all spoke in favor of fully funding the school budget, citing high-needs student population (68%) and prior cuts at Belmonte.
✅ Approved
Meeting adjourned at 7:39 p.m.
April 22, 2026 · minutes
💬 Discussed
School budget review postponed at the School Department's request; chairman awaiting Town Counsel opinions before posting the meeting, expected by Friday.
✅ Approved
Not needed to close FY2026; committee voted 8-0 to recommend indefinite postponement.
✅ Approved
Not needed to close FY2026; committee voted 8-0 to recommend indefinite postponement.
✅ Approved
$14,264 appropriated to cover unpaid prior-year bills, funded from municipal carryover ($10,864), sewer carryover ($315), and school operating budget ($3,085); voted 8-0.
💰 $14,264 total; drawn from existing carryover funds, no new tax levy
✅ Approved
$37,849 from state-distributed rideshare origination fees (Uber/Lyft) appropriated for transportation infrastructure per Ch. 187 Acts of 2016; voted 8-0.
💰 $37,849 from Transportation Infrastructure Fund
✅ Approved
Spending limits authorized for five revolving funds: Senior Center Programs $50K, Senior Lunch $25K, Water Cross-Connection $40K, Compost/Recycling $50K, Youth & Recreation $195K; voted 8-0.
💰 $360,000 total across five revolving funds
✅ Approved
$300,000 from FY2025 certified free cash (unspent surplus) approved for ongoing capital program to repair and replace water hydrants and valves; voted 8-0.
💰 $300,000 from certified free cash
✅ Approved
Proposed $150,000 from FY2025 certified free cash to replace damaged guardrails; note: the committee's recorded vote language appears to contain a copy-paste error referencing hydrants instead of guardrails.
💰 $150,000 from certified free cash (per article; vote language in minutes appears erroneous)
✅ Approved
New bylaw regulating e-bikes and motorized scooters on town streets, with fines escalating from written warning to $50, $150, and $300 for repeat offenses; committee voted 8-0 to recommend.
💰 Administrative fines: $50 (2nd offense), $150 (3rd), $300 (4th+)
✅ Approved
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.