Duxbury faces a significant financial hurdle heading into Town Meeting as the Finance Committee voted Tuesday to reallocate more than half a million dollars originally intended for savings to cover a massive snow and ice deficit. Finance Director Mary MacKinnon informed the committee that Storm Fernando, a historic weather event at the end of February, left the town with a $703,969 shortfall in its removal budget. To fill the gap, the committee voted to slash the town’s planned annual contribution to its stabilization fund, reducing the transfer from $653,969 down to just $150,000.

MacKinnon explained that while the town originally intended to use free cash to bolster its reserves, we simply cannot afford to do both in light of the storm's impact. The costs include town labor, contracted services, salt, and equipment repairs. While the town has met the thresholds for MIMA and FEMA reimbursement, MacKinnon warned that the 75% reimbursement is a long process. Motion Made by F. Weiler to approve Special Town Meeting warrant Article 1, Supplemental Appropriations, Line 1, Department 423 Snow and Ice, to cover the deficit in the Fiscal Year 2026 snow and ice budget in the amount of $703,969. Motion Passed 8-0-0.

Member Al Hoban emphasized the need for clear communication when presenting these maneuvers to voters on the town meeting floor. Mary does a stellar explanation, but when this gets to the floor, most folks have no clue how this works, Hoban said. We need to be ready to say it in simple English so they don't think it's a lot of BS. Chair Betsy Sullivan defended the use of the funds, noting that this is the very definition of stabilization—an extraordinary unforeseen event. This is the moment to use it. Motion Made by F. Weiler to approve Article 4, Stabilization, to reduce the annual contribution from the original amount of $653,969 to $150,000 to cover the snow and ice deficit. Motion Passed 8-0-0.

The committee also solidified funding for three newly settled collective bargaining agreements with the Fire, Library, and Police unions. The contracts include a 2% cost-of-living adjustment and address long-standing pay compression issues identified in a recent classification study. Fire Captains will receive a 10% adjustment, while Police officers see a 4.25% increase at the top step. Notably, the town agreed to postpone the implementation of body cameras for the police department. HR Representative Jeanie noted that this decision was based on the administrative expense and lack of funding for the required financial compensation officers usually demand for that change in working conditions.

Finance Committee members expressed some hesitation regarding the dispatchers' contract, which remains finalized. Vice Chair Friend Weiler asked, Should we vote it without them? MacKinnon recommended funding the article at the upper limit to ensure coverage if the deal is struck before Town Meeting. Motion Made by F. Weiler to approve Article 7 in the Special Town Meeting on collective bargaining agreements in the sum of $630,000. Motion Passed 7-0-1 (A. Hoban did not respond). The committee followed this by approving Article 8 of the Annual Town Meeting for $754,550 to cover the second year of the contracts. Motion Made by F. Weiler to approve Annual Town Meeting Article 8 in the amount of $754,550. Motion Passed 8-0-0.

Addressing the town's broader debt shadow, MacKinnon provided an update on the massive water infrastructure costs looming over Duxbury. The town plans to appropriate $2.32 million from water retained earnings primarily for the design and engineering of PFAS, iron, and manganese treatment facilities. This move will leave the water account with a slim balance of $38,456. While water rates have been adjusted to generate more revenue, the committee noted the ongoing pressure of state environmental mandates.

Reflecting on the voluminous nature of the town and school budgets, Weiler expressed a desire for more technical training for the committee. I'd like to take the School Committee up on their offer of an introductory course to school financing, Weiler said, noting the difficulty of matching balances across various financial charts. Sullivan agreed, stating the committee should have a better eye on all funds, including the schools.

In a series of procedural reversals, the committee aligned with other town boards on contentious zoning and safety articles. Town Manager René Read reported that the Planning Board had voted to indefinitely postpone Article 18, the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) bylaw, following resident safety concerns and legal scrutiny. Motion Made by F. Weiler to indefinitely postpone Article 18, Battery Storage. Motion Passed 7-0-0. Similarly, a citizen’s petition regarding speed limits was set aside after a compromise was reached with the Highway Safety Committee. Motion Made by F. Weiler to indefinitely postpone Article 21, Speed Limit. Motion Passed 7-0-0.

The committee refused to budge on its negative recommendation for a nuclear power plant moratorium in Plymouth. Despite the Selectboard’s 5-0 support for the measure, Finance Committee members viewed the article as largely symbolic and unenforceable. The parameters in the article are not achievable, Sullivan said. It's a non-binding political statement. A motion to reconsider the article failed to gain traction. Motion Made by F. Weiler to reconsider Article 22, Proposed Moratorium on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plants in Plymouth. Motion Failed 1-6-0 (J. Kent voted Yes; B. Sullivan, F. Weiler, A. Maher, C. Weilbrenner, K. Glynn, and T. Flynn voted No).

As the meeting concluded, Sullivan reminded the committee that Town Meeting begins at 9:00 AM on Saturday. Stressing the importance of the town’s requests, which total nearly $100 million across all warrants, she urged members to maintain a high level of decorum. Please dress accordingly in professional garb, Sullivan said, dismissing Weiler’s jokes about the effects of inflation on professional standards. The committee will convene briefly at 8:15 AM in the cafeteria prior to the start of the meeting.