Budget Committee Meeting ~ May 4, 2026

2026-05-04 · Budget Committee · 2:58:56 · watch on YouTube →

Budget committee meeting of May 4, 2026, with all eight members present, to review the select board's proposed 2027 budget and settle the committee's own recommendations. Members worked article by article, building a set of reductions in general government, public safety and public works, mainly by recommending smaller wage increases than the select board's, cutting the text message service, trimming business services and reducing the administrative assistant to part time. Formal votes were taken on debt service at $624,111, community services at $1,000, fire department capital reserve at $40,000 against the select board's $140,000, public works capital reserve at $250,000, municipal buildings capital reserve at $0 and the grants matching reserve at $0. Four articles were left unresolved: general government, public safety, public works and the transfer from fund balance. The committee cancelled its May 5 meeting and will finish on Thursday May 7 at the Eureka Community Center.

No written minutes could be matched to this meeting. The transcript records that the speaker changed but never who was speaking, so any name attached to a statement below is inferred from context and is marked (?).

What was discussed

1. 0:23
   Opening and missing documents

   The chair opened at 6:30 with full attendance of eight members, saying the committee would review the select board's proposed 2027 budget and produce recommendations either in support of the board's numbers or its own. Several members had not received the wage survey material emailed that morning, and one member's email had been down since April 30.

2. 0:23
   The wage survey behind the select board's table

   The survey used by the HR consultant covered Bath, Brunswick, Cumberland, Damariscotta, Durham, Freeport, Harpswell, Richmond, Topsham (?) and Yarmouth, and looked at the whole compensation package rather than wages alone. The 50th percentile figures given were $130,000 for town manager and $113,000 for public works director, with the fire chief figure garbled in the recording.

3. 5:41
   Objections to the comparison towns

   Members said at least half the surveyed towns are much larger with much larger tax bases, and that being town manager of Brunswick is a different job. Neil's own table, comparing towns within a thousand of Durham's population, produced noticeably different numbers.

4. 5:41
   Justifying a percentage

   A member warned that any percentage the committee proposes has to be defensible on the town meeting floor, recalling a select board member who could not substantiate an 8 percent figure. Members cited CPI and social security increases of about 3 to 3.5 percent and average wage increases of 3 to 4 percent.

5. 11:06
   Phasing the wage increases over two years

   One member said she supported the select board member who proposed bringing wages up over two years, half now and half next year, so the increase is not felt as hard. She noted the town accountant recommends using only $300,000 of fund balance and that the town manager said this budget builds in an automatic 5 percent increase next year.

6. 11:06
   Donna's general government reductions

   Donna (?) proposed about $71,000 to $76,000 of reductions in general government: wages at 5 percent rather than the proposed increase, removing $3,000 of unemployment, $2,000 from legal, $35,000 from business services leaving $10,000, $4,000 from text messaging and $4,000 from hardware, plus $5,000 of capital improvement handled separately.

7. 11:06
   Why staff have left

   Members said they do not know why the code enforcement officer and public works staff left, and that no exit interviews are done. They agreed HR should be asked whether departing employees are asked why they leave, at least in summary form.

8. 16:14
   The articles the committee must address

   Based on last year's warrant, the committee listed ten spending articles: general government, public safety including animal control, public works including municipal buildings and solid waste, community services, debt service, three capital reserve articles for fire, public works and municipal buildings, a grants matching reserve, and the article authorising use of fund balance to reduce taxes.

9. 21:18
   Whether voters can amend an amount downward

   Members disagreed over whether town meeting can amend a warrant figure down now that articles state a specific sum rather than asking what sum the town will vote to raise. Some said only an increase is possible, others disagreed, and members agreed they need an answer before finalising their recommendations.

10. 26:22
    What happens if an article fails

    Members were unsure whether a defeated article reverts to the previous year's amount or drops to zero, and could not find a first article in last year's warrant that says so. They noted the committee's role is to offer an alternative amount, with whichever side moves first depending on the alternating custom at town meeting.

11. 36:56
    Debt service

    A motion was made to recommend raising and appropriating $624,111 for debt service, the exact amount already fixed. It was seconded by Jeff and passed unanimously, 8-0.

12. 36:56
    Hiring before town meeting

    Members objected that the select board has already put the administration department head under contract and hired an assistant and a public works code enforcement officer before the budget is voted, describing it as tunnel vision. Others said it is legal if the money is in this year's budget, and that the board would have to find the money elsewhere if the committee's lower number passes.

13. 47:19
    Planning and code enforcement lines

    A member proposed cutting dues and subscriptions from $1,700 to $1,000 based on actual spending of $658 in 2024 and $886 to date, a $700 reduction, noting a question about outstanding subscription bills went unanswered. Members noted the code enforcement officer's salary now sits in public works, which is why the planning and code line falls sharply.

14. 52:35
    The text message service

    A member said fewer than 900 of roughly 4,000 residents are signed up, that 19 messages were sent in a year, working out at about $210 per message, and that none were emergencies. The service was on a two-year contract for $8,000, and the town could not say how many people had opted out; the committee's consensus was to zero the $4,000 line.

15. 52:35
    Reducing the administrative assistant to part time

    Following a select board member's suggestion, members proposed cutting the administrative assistant from 32 hours to 28. The accountant put the total saving at about $40,000, which the committee split as $20,000 from general government and $20,000 from the other department.

16. 57:40
    Wage percentages settled by consensus

    The committee settled on 6 percent for department heads and 7.5 percent for full-time staff, roughly half the select board's proposed increases of about 11.8 and 15.3 percent, on the basis that the rest would follow next year. Members noted the public works gap to the survey ranges from about 10 to 23.5 percent and considered weighting the increase towards public works.

17. 1:08:19
    HR and accounting services

    Members questioned why an HR stipend is needed now the pay schedules and handbook are done, and could not get the HR cost because it is paid as a stipend. Against Donna's $35,000 cut, another member proposed a $10,000 reduction, leaving roughly $30,000 for the accountant and $5,000 for HR; $65,000 was budgeted over 18 months and about $30,000 spent in twelve.

18. 1:08:19
    What the town manager position was meant to do

    A member recalled that when the town manager form of government was proposed in October 2020, the manager was to take over accounting, TRIO and human resources. She said that did not happen and that the accountant has since proved useful, so she would rather budget for the accountant and recommend a smaller increase for the manager.

19. 1:18:35
    General government totals

    Neil (?) reported administration at $577,684, a 7.2 percent increase against the select board's $592,624 and 12.9 percent; information technology at $71,015, a decrease of 1.9 percent against $77,515; and planning and code enforcement at $87,810, down 31.9 percent. The running general government total came to $763,309, a 0.2 percent increase.

20. 1:23:57
    Hardware and select board tablets

    The hardware line includes $2,500 for five tablets for select board members, intended to cut printing and help with records requests. Members agreed to leave $5,000 as a placeholder for a failed computer or printer and to suggest the tablets be postponed or sought through a grant.

21. 1:29:00
    Part-time wages line and a recusal

    Jeff recused himself from discussion of the part-time staff wages line because of a connection. Members noted the line is split between departments and also covers the part-time town planner, George.

22. 1:34:19
    Fire department capital reserve, first motion

    Allan (?) moved to recommend $90,000 rather than the select board's $140,000, saying it postpones purchases and reduces spending. Members argued both ways, noting the fire reserve holds over $500,000, that no purchase is scheduled until a pumper in 2029, and that a UTV and another item were bought that were not on the list.

23. 1:39:19
    Equipment costs and kicking the can

    Members said a new pumper now runs to about a million dollars, up from around $350,000 a few years ago, and that the department is refurbishing to extend equipment life. Several accepted that reducing capital reserve and paving is kicking the can down the road but is where reductions can be found this year.

24. 1:44:39
    Fire chief and part-time fire wages

    Members used the chief's current $83,873 plus a stipend of about $5,200 as the base and applied 6 percent, giving $88,905. Part-time wages were recalculated at $279,650 after removing the new full-time EMS position, with a member arguing for a buffer because on-call pay depends on call volume.

25. 2:06:04
    PFAS-free foam and public safety total

    Members noted the fire department's supplies increase is driven by PFAS-free foam, which costs more, prompted by the unintentional foam release at Brunswick. The public safety total came to $745,485, a 5.9 percent increase, and members agreed not to add targeted sheriff enforcement, which has been voted down before.

26. 2:11:55
    Public works department head holding two jobs

    Members discussed the public works director also serving as code enforcement officer, a 23.3 percent increase in the select board's figure. They settled on 6 percent as department head plus 5 percent for the code enforcement role, about $87,457, while doubting one person can carry both roles for long.

27. 2:17:13
    Truck driver retention and other public works lines

    Members returned to why public works staff leave, questioning whether it is pay when employees accept the posted rate and leave soon after, and raised shift differentials as an idea. Part-time wages were cut $20,000 for the administrative assistant change, and painting and striping was held at a maintenance level of about $14,000.

28. 2:28:39
    Bulky waste day and community services

    Members accepted the select board's recommendation of no bulky waste day for this period, with one suggesting every other year and noting a day could still be held later in 2027. Jill (?) moved and Allan (?) seconded recommending $1,000 for community services, which passed unanimously.

29. 2:33:39
    Mill rate and use of fund balance

    Neil (?) said that with the accountant's recommended $300,000 of fund balance rather than $500,000 the increase is around 14.4 percent, and 19.7 percent with no fund balance used, while a member's own package came to about 9.5 percent. Members noted taxable valuation of about $389,647,000, 33 new home permits last year, and that every $100,000 changes the rate by about 1 percent.

30. 2:38:42
    Paving

    A member said she removed paving entirely because the town manager said he would not recommend paving at current prices, while the group's working figure keeps $152,000 in. Members noted the select board asked for warrant language putting unspent paving money into a capital improvement account for paving.

31. 2:43:54
    Capital reserve votes

    After revisiting the purchase schedules, Allan (?) moved $40,000 for the fire department capital reserve, seconded by Phyllis, which passed 6-2 with Donna abstaining, on the grounds that nothing is scheduled for the fire department in 2027. The committee then voted 8-0 to recommend $250,000 for public works capital reserve, against the $485,000 the department wants to spend in 2027 with $289,000 on hand.

32. 2:48:56
    Municipal buildings and grants matching reserve

    Jill (?) moved $0 for the municipal buildings capital reserve, seconded by Mark, because nothing is planned for two years and the account holds about $147,000 against projected needs of a $20,000 garage furnace and a $25,000 salt shed door in 2029. A further motion to recommend $0 for the grants matching reserve, on the accountant's advice that it is not needed, passed 8-0.

33. 2:48:56
    Meeting rescheduled

    With four articles unresolved, general government, public safety, public works and the fund balance transfer, a member moved to cancel the May 5 meeting so she could finish researching the material received that morning. The committee will meet on Thursday May 7 at the Eureka Community Center.

34. 2:54:14
    Records request and adjournment

    The committee discussed an email from Chairman Roy (?) asking for Neil's wage comparison spreadsheet and all related material circulated among members, with a reminder of Freedom of Access requirements. Members agreed to forward it and to attach the emails and spreadsheets to the minutes, and adjourned at 9:29.

What was decided

• 36:56
  Recommend the town raise and appropriate $624,111 for debt servicepassed
• 57:40
  Agreed by consensus, without a vote, to build the committee's recommendations on 6 percent for department heads and 7.5 percent for full-time staff, about half the select board's proposed increases, with the rest to follow next yearpassed
• 1:34:19
  Motion to recommend $90,000 for the fire department capital reserve instead of the select board's $140,000; members in the room disagreed over whether the count was three to five or five to threeoutcome unclear
• 2:28:39
  Recommend the town raise and appropriate $1,000 for community servicespassed
• 2:43:54
  Recommend the town raise and appropriate $40,000 for the fire department capital reserve, against the select board's $140,000passed
• 2:43:54
  Recommend the town raise and appropriate $250,000 for the public works capital reservepassed
• 2:48:56
  Recommend the town raise and appropriate $0 for the municipal buildings capital reserveoutcome unclear
• 2:48:56
  Recommend the town raise and appropriate $0 for the grants matching reserve fundpassed
• 2:54:14
  Cancel the meeting scheduled for May 5 and meet instead on Thursday May 7 at the Eureka Community Centerpassed
• 2:54:14
  Forward the requested wage spreadsheet and related emails in answer to the records request and attach them to the minutespassed
• 2:54:14
  Adjournpassed

An outcome reads "unclear" where the recording does not state it plainly. The recogniser drops short words, and "the motion does not carry" is one missing word from its opposite.

Worth knowing

• 2:43:54
  The committee will recommend $40,000 for the fire department capital reserve where the select board asked for $140,000, passing 6-2. Members said the reserve already holds over $500,000, nothing is scheduled for 2027, and the next planned purchase is a pumper in 2029; a new pumper now costs about a million dollars against roughly $350,000 a few years ago.
• 52:35
  On the town's text message service, members said fewer than 900 of about 4,000 residents are signed up, 19 messages were sent in a year, none of them emergencies, working out at roughly $210 per message on an $8,000 two-year contract. The committee's consensus was to zero the $4,000 line.
• 0:23
  The select board's wage table rests on a survey of Bath, Brunswick, Cumberland, Damariscotta, Durham, Freeport, Harpswell, Richmond, Topsham (?) and Yarmouth, with 50th percentile figures of $130,000 for town manager and $113,000 for public works director. Members objected that at least half those towns are far larger, and Neil's comparison of similarly sized towns produced different numbers.
• 2:48:56
  Four articles are still unsettled: general government, public safety, public works and the transfer from fund balance. The May 5 meeting was cancelled and the committee will finish on Thursday May 7 at the Eureka Community Center. Members also want an answer on whether voters can amend a warrant amount downward on the floor.

Motion language found in the transcript

Located by pattern matching, with no model involved: "I move that", "I'll second", "all those in favour". This is an independent check on the summary above: 7 passages of motion language, against 11 decisions summarised.

Elsewhere

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