Shrewsbury Town Meeting to consider $169.8 million budget, 37 warrant articles

SHREWSBURY -- May 4, 2026, Shrewsbury officials previewed all 37 articles on the May 18 Annual Town Meeting warrant in a recorded walkthrough posted May 4. The centerpiece is Article 5, a proposed $169,810,336 operating budget for fiscal year 2027, a 4.9 percent increase over FY26, that would establish a new standalone Emergency Medical Services department and add three full-time public safety positions. Kevin Mizekar and Keith Baldinger, presenting for the Town Manager's office, outlined sewer rate increases of 5 percent and water rate increases of 3.5 percent under Articles 10 and 11, a $600,000 deposit into the General Stabilization Fund (bringing its balance to $9,253,483, or 5.45 percent of operating budgets), and a new $475,000 Fire Apparatus Replacement stabilization fund. Director of Planning and Economic Development Christopher Murdock walked through four Community Preservation Act articles totaling roughly $1 million against anticipated revenues of $1.2 million, including $650,000 for field lighting at Maple Avenue and $300,000 for accessibility work at the District 5 Schoolhouse. Town Meeting members will use electronic voting devices for the first time at the session, with a test run at a pre-Town Meeting orientation on May 13 at Oak Middle School.