West Brookfield Finance Committee Clears Budget $31,000 Under Levy Ahead of Town Meeting

Finance Committee · Meeting of May 27, 2026

West Brookfield Finance Committee rescinded and re-voted more than a dozen department salary lines, landing a FY2026 operating budget roughly $30,000 under the levy limit without drawing on free cash. Town Administrator MJ told the committee she had "penny pinched and scraped" across 12 revised budgets submitted the same day, covering accounts from conservation to highway, to avoid eliminating services. The Highway Department salary line was set at $344,392, down from $371,000, with the gap closed through insurance savings, a part-time position elimination, and trust fund transfers.

Capital articles included $25,000 for fire turnout gear and a reduced $25,000 town road maintenance appropriation, both funded by leftover evidence-room article money; a $150,000 Route 9 grant and a $50,000 senator earmark for fire truck radios were reported as secured. Town Moderator Bill Mansfield attended to coordinate Tuesday's twin town meetings and said he will not entertain floor discussion on school closure or police matters, as neither carries a warrant article.

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Source: the Finance Committee meeting of May 27, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.