Reviews the town's entire budget and makes recommendations on how your tax dollars are spent (Sherborn's finance committee).
157 items across 20 meetings.
June 17, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine roll call to open the meeting.
📋 Proposed
Routine approval of the June 17 meeting agenda.
📋 Proposed
Discussion of year-end budget transfers across eight line items: Select Board (122), Advisory Committee (131), Legal Counsel (151), Town Buildings (192), Fire & Rescue (220), Transfer Station (430), Board of Health (512), and Debt Service (710).
💰 Dollar amounts not specified; involves transfers between existing budget lines
📋 Proposed
Approval of minutes from March 21, April 15, April 28, and May 22, 2026 meetings.
📋 Proposed
Members share updates since the last meeting.
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjourned.
April 30, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine attendance check at meeting open.
📋 Proposed
Routine approval of the meeting agenda with option to reorder items.
📋 Proposed
Items not reasonably anticipated by the Chair 48 hours in advance may be added.
📋 Proposed
Coming up April 30: Advisory Committee will discuss Town Meeting motions if final preparation is needed before the 7 PM session.
📍 155 Farm Street, Dover, MA
📋 Proposed
Coming up April 30: Committee may revisit any warrant articles requiring further review before Town Meeting continues.
📋 Proposed
Members may share updates or information relevant to ongoing Town business.
📋 Proposed
The 2026 Annual Town Meeting resumes at 7:00 PM at DS Regional High School, 155 Farm Street, Dover, MA.
📍 155 Farm Street, Dover, MA
📋 Proposed
Routine adjournment.
April 28, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine opening procedures.
📋 Proposed
Review and approve prior meeting minutes, if available.
📋 Proposed
Advisory Committee may discuss or finalize motions ahead of the Annual Town Meeting later that evening.
📋 Proposed
Committee may revisit any warrant article positions if needed before the Annual Town Meeting.
📋 Proposed
Members may share updates on town matters.
📋 Proposed
Annual Town Meeting begins at 7:00 PM at Lindquist Commons, Dover Sherborn Regional High School — residents vote on the budget, warrant articles, and bylaws.
📍 155 Farm Street, Dover, MA
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjourns.
April 15, 2026 · minutes
✅ Approved
Agenda adopted as presented without modification.
✅ Approved
Minutes from both March meetings approved with a correction noting Adam Nee was absent March 18.
💬 Discussed
Departments are generally on-budget at 77% of fiscal year; legal and snow-and-ice are over budget and will seek supplements at Town Meeting.
💬 Discussed
Recreation's revolving fund has spent $123,000 of its $150,000 limit and is projected to hit the cap; ambulance revenue is below expectations.
💰 $123,000 spent of $150,000 limit
💬 Discussed
Preschool program fund shows a $260,000 positive balance from tuition revenue exceeding expenses.
💰 $260,000 surplus
💬 Discussed
Several departments are projected over budget: Select Board ($22K), Legal, Town Buildings ($50K electricity/repairs), Fire ($30K), and Board of Health; health insurance is $200K under budget due to fewer enrollees.
💰 Overages: ~$22K Select Board, ~$50K Town Buildings, ~$30K Fire; $200K health insurance savings
✅ Approved
Committee reviewed motions for the April 28 Town Meeting, including Article 11 allocating $125,000 from capital stabilization for infrastructure project studies and designs.
💰 $125,000 from capital stabilization fund
💬 Discussed
Committee discussed requiring departments projected to overspend by more than ~$25,000 to get advance approval from Select Board and Advisory Committee rather than seeking forgiveness via year-end transfers; further discussion with Select Board to follow.
💬 Discussed
A $38,000 cost overrun on the tennis and pickleball courts project resulted from inadequate planning requiring the courts to be repositioned away from the baseball field.
💰 $38,000 overrun
💬 Discussed
Requiring Transfer Station stickers boosted excise tax collections by approximately $100,000 in the first two weeks of April vs. the same period in 2025; potential savings identified from fewer operating days and stricter commercial-dumping enforcement.
💰 ~$100,000 additional excise tax revenue in first two weeks of April
✅ Approved
Meeting adjourned at 8:38 PM.
March 21, 2026 · minutes
✅ Approved
Routine financial articles including $300,000 for snow/ice and $90,000 for legal fees from Free Cash, $100,000 OPEB contribution, revolving fund limits, stabilization transfers, rescinded old borrowings, and cemetery care; recommended favorable except Articles 3 and 13 (no action).
💰 $300,000 snow/ice; $90,000 legal; $100,000 OPEB; $450,000 stabilization; $40,000 cemetery; rescind $843,921 and $25,000 prior borrowings
✅ Approved
$37,193,211 level-service budget, up $1,776,481 (5.02%), requires roughly a 5.17% property tax increase and exhausts nearly all remaining Prop 2½ levy capacity; recommended favorable 7-0-1.
💰 $37,193,211 total budget; ~5.17% property tax increase; no override needed
💬 Discussed
Regional schools budget $30.1M (3.49% up) with Sherborn's assessment $12.2M (3.77% up); Pine Hill Elementary $7.4M (1.43% up), driven by largest kindergarten class in 10 years and 8% healthcare cost increases.
💰 Sherborn regional assessment $12.2M; Pine Hill $7.4M
✅ Approved
Over $2M in capital projects including $506,250 Pine Hill School water tank, $400,000 Town Hall roof, roadway management, recycling equipment, police vehicle, and various building studies; recommended favorable 8-0.
💰 $1,356,250 exempt borrowing; $500,000 Free Cash; $125,000 Capital Stabilization
✅ Approved
$90,240 from Free Cash for Fire Department engine repairs, thermal imaging cameras, SCBA gear, and hose/nozzle replacement; recommended favorable 8-0.
💰 $90,240 total
✅ Approved
$672,551 for Dover-Sherborn high school roof and skylight replacement, potentially debt-exempt via ballot question; recommended favorable 8-0.
💰 $672,551
📍 Dover-Sherborn Regional High School
✅ Approved
Expands committee's role to maintain databases on all Chapter 61 properties (1,998 acres, ~20% of town) and evaluate small town-owned parcels for sale or alternative uses to support the town's right of first refusal; recommended favorable 8-0.
✅ Approved
Expands stormwater rules town-wide (currently only town-center MS4 area), creating major permits for projects over one acre or new dwellings and minor permits around half an acre, addressing runoff issues like Lake Street into Farm Pond and EPA phosphorus rules; recommended favorable 8-0.
📍 town-wide; cited Lake Street/Farm Pond
✅ Approved
Housekeeping zoning changes adding day care/child care as protected uses, correcting terminology, deleting an obsolete low/moderate income apartment category, and clarifying open space subdivision footnotes; recommended favorable 8-0.
✅ Approved
Quorum confirmed with all eight members present; meeting adjourned at 11:04 AM.
March 18, 2026 · minutes
✅ Approved
Quorum confirmed with six members present; two absent.
🔄 Postponed
Prior minutes not yet distributed; deferred to next meeting.
💬 Discussed
Revised budget of $193,317 (3.32% increase over FY2026) presented, with reduced health-agent hours and a proposed ~20% fee-revenue increase to $84,369.
💰 $193,317 requested; fees projected to rise ~$19K to $84,369
💬 Discussed
Housekeeping articles to rescind $25,000 in unissued elder-housing borrowing (2012 Town Meeting) and $843,921 from the completed library project (2015 Town Meeting).
💰 $868,921 in unissued authorizations rescinded
💬 Discussed
Transfer of ~$40,897 from the cemetery special revenue fund (lot-sale proceeds) to the expendable perpetual care trust, required annually by state law; motion language will remove 'enlargement and embellishment' to comply with trust restrictions.
💰 $40,897 transfer; ~$24K interest credited to general fund
✅ Approved
$11,637.20 approved to cover unbudgeted transportation costs for a Norfolk Aggie student receiving special-education services, which the town is legally required to pay.
💰 $11,637.20 from reserve fund acct. 132 to acct. 316
✅ Approved
$33,000 approved to repair corrosion on Engine 3's frame and fire pump (2004 Pierce tanker), aiming to extend its life to 30 years and delay a ~$1.4M replacement.
💰 $33,000 from reserve fund acct. 132 to fire dept. acct. 220; avoids ~$1.4M truck purchase
✅ Approved
$58,364.24 approved for cost overruns on DEP-directed water-supply consolidation; a 7-week shutdown (vs. estimated 3 weeks) required ~$68K in tanker-trailer water delivery, offset by $43K from elder housing and $15K from Leland trustees.
💰 $58,364.24 from reserve fund acct. 132 to town buildings acct. 192; total overrun ~$68K
📍 Woodhaven / Leland Farms
✅ Approved
After a 4-2 vote, committee recommended a $50,000 general-fund appropriation plus a $300,000 revolving-fund spending limit, allowing $350K total spending while pushing Recreation toward greater self-sustainability through field-rental revenue.
💰 $50K general-fund appropriation; $300K revolving-fund limit; total $350K vs. ~$245K FY2025 actual
💬 Discussed
Both school committees submitted revised FY2027 budgets at breakeven with no excess funding requests.
💬 Discussed
April meeting moved from April 1 to April 8, 2026, to allow time for third-quarter projections and year-end transfer requests.
✅ Approved
Meeting adjourned at 9:02 PM.
March 18, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine opening: roll call, agenda approval, and any late-breaking items.
📋 Proposed
Review and vote on prior meeting minutes.
📋 Proposed
Transfer request to fund public water supply improvements at Woodhaven and Leland Farms neighborhoods.
📍 Woodhaven and Leland Farms, Sherborn
📋 Proposed
Reserve fund transfer requested for Norfolk Agricultural school-related expense.
📍 Norfolk Agricultural
📋 Proposed
Reserve fund transfer sought to cover fire department engine repair costs.
📋 Proposed
Recreation department presents its operating and reserve fund budget for committee review.
📋 Proposed
Board of Health presents its operating and reserve fund budget for committee review.
📋 Proposed
Coming up Mar 18 — article to rescind previously authorized but unused borrowing from prior Town Meeting votes.
📋 Proposed
Coming up Mar 18 — article to fund improvements and embellishments to town cemeteries.
📋 Proposed
Members share updates or information from their respective assignments.
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjournment.
March 11, 2026 · minutes
✅ Approved
Eight members present; Paul Pilotte absent; quorum confirmed.
✅ Approved
Extra meeting set for March 18 to finalize budget recommendations before the March 21 public hearing.
💬 Discussed
CBC reported votes on several projects: regional high school roof/skylight $672,551; Pine Hill School water tank $506,000; police vehicles $75,000; DPW truck $140,000; IT $30,000; CAMA system $80,000; fire equipment (various) — all free cash or borrowing.
💰 $672,551 (school roof); $506,000 (water tank); $75,000 (police vehicles); $140,000 (DPW truck); $80,000 (CAMA); $30,000 (IT)
✅ Approved
Voted 8-0 to recommend favorable action to borrow $175,000 via exempt borrowing for electrical upgrades (safety/fire hazard) and replacement of two aging rental compactors; current rental costs $7,100/year with ~7-year payback.
💰 $175,000 exempt borrowing; replaces $7,100/yr rental
✅ Approved
Voted 8-0 to approve $400,000 via exempt borrowing for roof replacement (30+ years old), chimney flashing, window repairs, and side entrance doors.
💰 $400,000 exempt borrowing
📍 Town Hall
✅ Approved
Capital Budget Committee voted 2-1 to support $125,000 in design and engineering for seven future projects, funded from the Capital Stabilization Fund.
💰 $125,000 from Capital Stabilization Fund
✅ Approved
Voted 8-0 to fund roadway management as $275,000 exempt borrowing and $175,000 free cash, swapping sources with the recycling center to optimize deployment timing.
💰 $275,000 exempt borrowing + $175,000 free cash
✅ Approved
Voted 8-0 to recommend $12,000 for a second irrigation system at Laurel Field, funded from the Parks and Recreation Revolving Fund rather than free cash.
💰 $12,000 from Parks & Recreation Revolving Fund
📍 Laurel Field
💬 Discussed
Recreation Commission withdrew its funding proposal for Jameson field renovation.
📍 Jameson Field
🔄 Postponed
Revised Recreation operating budget of $100,000 (down from $135,000) was presented but deferred to March 18; field maintenance increased to $66,000 for full fertilization and overseeding with new irrigation.
💰 $100,000 operating budget request
💬 Discussed
With Recreation budget increase and lower local receipt estimates, the Town's excess levy capacity is approximately $2,000 — an extremely thin margin.
💰 ~$2,000 remaining excess levy capacity
✅ Approved
Minutes from February 4, 11, 25, and March 4 meetings approved unanimously.
💬 Discussed
Member Penn Young resigned, citing Select Board comments at their February 26 meeting about supporting budget makers who 'push back against Advisory' as undermining the Committee's statutory authority; several members discussed drafting a formal Committee response.
💬 Discussed
Young's departure requires dissolving or reconstituting the recently formed Best Practices subcommittee he chaired; his preliminary findings are to be preserved.
March 11, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine roll call to open the meeting.
📍 19 Washington Street, Second Floor, Sherborn, MA
📋 Proposed
Procedural approval of the March 11 agenda.
📋 Proposed
Members may add items not anticipated 48 hours in advance.
📋 Proposed
Review and approve minutes from previous Advisory Committee meetings.
📋 Proposed
Coming up March 11: committee reviews Recreation Commission's FY2027 operating budget, capital budget, and revolving fund request.
📋 Proposed
Coming up March 11: broad FY2027 town operating budget discussion, which drives the tax levy.
📋 Proposed
Coming up March 11: committee discusses proposed FY2027 capital projects across town departments.
📋 Proposed
Coming up March 11: committee weighs how to allocate town free cash (certified unspent prior-year funds) for FY2027.
📋 Proposed
Members share updates from boards and committees they liaison with.
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjourned.
March 4, 2026 · minutes
✅ Approved
Quorum confirmed with 8 of 9 members present; George Pucci absent.
✅ Approved
Agenda adopted unanimously as presented.
💬 Discussed
No minutes available for review; will be distributed before the next meeting.
💬 Discussed
The 16-article warrant, signed February 6, is being assigned to committee members for write-ups; Article 9 (budget) requires extensive liaison-based coverage.
💬 Discussed
Proposed tax rate of $15.75 per $1,000 assessed value; excess levy capacity has fallen sharply to $96,000 from $746,000 in FY2026, signaling the town is near its Prop 2½ ceiling.
💰 $15.75/$1,000 assessed value; excess levy capacity $96,000
💬 Discussed
Overall town department budgets up 5.75%; legal counsel raised from $80,000 to $168,000 (3-year average basis); a full-time assessing director is budgeted though a part-time arrangement is still sought.
💰 Legal counsel $168,000 (up from $80,000); overall town depts +5.75%
💬 Discussed
School budgets show slightly over 5% increase overall; the $68,000 special education stabilization fund will be fully drawn down to offset rising out-of-district special ed costs.
💰 ~5% school budget increase; $68,000 special ed stabilization fund depleted
💬 Discussed
Budget includes $200,000 in OPEB (retiree benefit) stabilization, plus a $350,000 supplemental FY2026 appropriation — $300,000 for snow removal overruns and $50,000 for legal overages.
💰 $200,000 OPEB; $300,000 snow removal; $50,000 legal supplemental
💬 Discussed
Free cash certified at $3,100,000; after all proposed uses (including $350,000 supplemental and $100,000 OPEB from free cash), $1,900,000 remains — just over 5% of the operating budget, within recommended reserves.
💰 $3,100,000 certified; $1,900,000 projected remainder
💬 Discussed
Moody's reaffirmed Sherborn's AAA rating but flagged small population (under 5,000) and high per-capita expenses as headwinds; warned that draining reserves or sharply increasing debt could downgrade the rating.
💬 Discussed
Member Nora Lynch questioned why specific projects (e.g., roof replacements) listed in prior advisory reports weren't completed as described; Town Administrator Marsette explained warrant motions were intentionally written broadly for flexibility, and Select Board member Sean Killeen said all funds went to legitimate building maintenance.
💬 Discussed
Pine Hill water supply tank estimated at $606,000 total ($506,000 + $100,000 grant), bids expected before town meeting; town hall roof/exterior design funded at $125,000; roads get $450,000 local + ~$450,000 state (recommended spend is $1M+); Jameson Field 2 renovations budgeted at $100,000.
💰 Pine Hill tank ~$606,000; town hall design $125,000; roads $450,000 local; Jameson Field $100,000
📍 Pine Hill; Jameson Field 2; Laurel Fields
💬 Discussed
Members reported productive liaison meetings with Conservation Commission, Board of Health, Library (yielding ~$6,000 in reductions), Recreation Commission, and a school roof site visit confirming need for that project.
💰 Library budget reduced ~$6,000
✅ Approved
Meeting adjourned at 8:36 PM.
March 4, 2026 · agenda
• Status unclear
Attendance recorded at meeting open.
• Status unclear
Agenda approved, with option to reorder items.
• Status unclear
Items not anticipated 48 hours in advance may be added.
📋 Proposed
Review and approval of minutes from previous meetings.
💬 Discussed
Advisory Committee will discuss articles proposed for the 2026 Annual Town Meeting Warrant, which sets what voters decide in spring.
💬 Discussed
Current status of town-wide operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2027 reviewed.
💬 Discussed
Committee discusses how to allocate Free Cash (certified unspent/surplus town funds) for FY2027.
💬 Discussed
Members share updates on town matters.
• Status unclear
Meeting adjourned.
February 25, 2026 · agenda
• Status unclear
Routine roll call to open the meeting.
• Status unclear
Routine approval of the meeting agenda.
• Status unclear
Routine approval of prior meeting minutes.
📋 Proposed
Town Administrator Jeremy Marsette presents updated FY2027 operating and capital budget drafts, including revenue projections — key step before Town Meeting.
💰 FY2027 operating and capital budgets (amounts not specified)
📋 Proposed
Land Acquisition Committee presents a non-budget warrant article, likely proposing a land purchase for Town Meeting consideration.
📋 Proposed
Planning Board presents a non-budget warrant article for Advisory Committee review ahead of Town Meeting.
📋 Proposed
Cemetery Commission presents a non-budget warrant article for Advisory Committee review.
• Status unclear
Routine adjournment.