Lunenburg Finance Committee Reviews FY27 Budgets With $3.1 Million Deficit Looming

Finance Committee · Meeting of March 12, 2026

Lunenburg's Finance Committee reviewed department budgets totaling tens of millions of dollars Thursday and confirmed a $3.35 million free cash certification as it works through a $3.1 million structural deficit heading into annual town meeting. Town Manager Szymanski reported the free cash figure — $3,354,370 — certified this week, crediting Town Accountant Karen Brochu with completing the state submission. DPW Director Bill Benard's $3.178 million highway budget sought a new $340,000 stormwater line for federally mandated catch basin cleaning and road sweeping, noting the department has hit only 22 percent compliance in its best recent year; the town manager said she will not restore the pavement management line to its requested $650,000.

The sewer enterprise fund proposed a 16 percent user-rate increase — from $1,585 to $1,838 annually — for most of the town's roughly 1,000-plus sewer customers, driven by disposal cost increases from Leominster and Fitchburg. A warrant article requesting $14,252 to investigate five dormant municipal trust funds drew skepticism from committee members, who recommended deferring it to a special town meeting. A tri-board straw poll earlier in the week showed unanimous agreement to place a Proposition 2½ override on the November ballot, with debate continuing over whether to put one figure or two before voters.

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Source: the Finance Committee meeting of March 12, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.