Annual Town Meeting approved a $98,335,253 general operating budget for FY27 after a lengthy debate over new staffing and rising software costs. The budget, which represents a 5.89% increase over the previous year, required significant cuts across various departments to reach a balanced state. Select Board Clerk Fernando Guitart noted that the town’s last operational override was 37 years ago, highlighting the long-term pressure on the municipal budget.

The most contentious point of the discussion centered on the DPW budget. Resident Colleen MacKinnon moved to amend the budget by reducing it by $115,000 to eliminate the newly proposed Town Engineer position. DPW Director Sheila Sgarzi defended the role, stating that an in-house engineer could handle small-scale designs and RFP writing that are currently outsourced. The salary is easily offset by savings in consultant expenses, Sgarzi told the meeting. The amendment was overwhelmingly defeated 37-335.

Other departmental increases were also scrutinized. Facilities Director Katie St. Clair justified a new administrative position to manage 3,100 annual work orders across 63 buildings, while Chief Technology Officer Mike Woodford addressed the rising costs of software-as-a-service. Superintendent Dr. Danielle Klingaman also reminded voters of the impact of recent constraints, noting the loss of 23 school positions over the last year. The final budget motion passed with broad support.

Motion: [I move to approve Article 5A, Motion 1, the General Operating Budget for $98,335,253.]

Vote: Passed 337-23