Finance Committee Elects New Chair, Approves Transfers

Finance Committee · Meeting of June 30, 2026

West Boylston Finance Committee elects new leadership, approves seven year-end transfers. Members unanimously chose Cliona Archambeault as chair and Gregory Zakarian as vice chair, with M.E. Pete Murphy continuing as secretary; the same slate was also seated to lead the town's Capital Investment Board.

The largest transfer, $45,000 from group health insurance to fire department salaries, covered overtime from a senior firefighter's resignation and a colleague's 11-month military deployment. Member Christopher J. Berglund questioned whether "the town vulnerable to these types of spikes without notice" extends to police staffing as well.

A separate $35,000 transfer covered unexpected trash tipping fee increases under the town's new pay-as-you-throw enterprise. New Town Administrator Mike Ward, attending his first meeting, outlined preliminary capital cost estimates presented by the Townwide Planning Committee: $71.5 million for a new elementary school, $16.3 million for middle-high school repairs, and roughly $32 million each for new DPW and fire facilities.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,523 words

Source: the Finance Committee meeting of June 30, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.