Clinton boards agree to hold fire overtime at $500,000, reject department's $1 million ask

CLINTON — April 23, 2026 — Clinton Finance Committee and Select Board jointly reviewed the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget on April 23, reaching informal consensus to hold fire department overtime at $500,000 rather than grant the department's $1 million request, a figure that has grown from roughly $250,000 when current members joined the board. Members raised pointed questions about a $28,000 line item to extend an ARPA-funded economic development consultant beyond the federal program's December 31 expiration, with one member noting Town Administrator Phil Duffy offered no stronger rationale than "I just thought I'd put it in." A proposal to shift retiree health insurance contributions from a 60-40 to a 70-30 town-to-retiree split drew concern over a consultant's estimate that the change could cost more than $1 million over five years, and members agreed to seek detailed figures from Select Board member Michael Dziokonski before the Finance Committee's May 4 meeting. The boards also expressed informal support for establishing a special education stabilization fund, noting the town faces the complete loss of a state education funding source worth roughly $1 million this year and $2 million the year prior.