Finance Panel Reviews Police, School Budget Gaps
West Boylston's Finance Committee reviewed police and school budget gaps but took no votes on either.
Finance Committee · Meeting of March 5, 2026
West Boylston's Finance Committee reviewed police and school budget gaps but took no votes on either. Sergeant Don Barney, covering for the injured police chief, said a town-requested $80,000 cut could force the department to drop a $74,000 cruiser replacement rather than reduce staffing, calling the overtime budget, set at $295,000, a necessity driven by mandatory training and short-staffed shifts. "I'd rather have the services on the guys working than a shiny new car," he said.
The committee also learned the town's regional dispatch assessment jumped roughly 50 percent, to nearly $300,000, and that the Select Board's trash enterprise overhaul would raise monthly fees from $30 to $39. A new superintendent said the district's budget request, trimmed to a 3.46 percent increase, is still $51,130 short of the town's offer.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 889 words
Source: the Finance Committee meeting of March 5, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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