Where it stands as of Tue, Oct 13
Town officials are preparing the FY28 operating budget while facing a projected deficit exceeding $2 million, prompting consideration of a Proposition 2 1/2 operational override. Departments were instructed to submit dual budget scenarios—one level-service and one zero-growth—raising concerns among several departments about potential cuts to staff hours. The Library Trustees and Recreation Commission have approved their budget requests, while other boards are still finalizing submissions. The Select Board and Advisory Committee will begin joint budget reviews in early November.
- Undecided Select Board Exploring a potential multi-year operational override to close an anticipated $2 million deficit and directed departments to submit dual-scenario budgets.
- Mixed Advisory Committee Counseled caution regarding multi-year overrides, recommending stricter fiscal discipline such as hiring freezes and evaluating pension borrowing options.
- For Personnel Board Voted 4-0 on Sep 8 to recommend a 5% total salary adjustment for FY28, pairing a 3% COLA with a 2% step increment.
- For Library Board of Trustees Voted 6-0 on Oct 5 to approve its FY28 operating budget while balancing state materials expenditure compliance.
- For Recreation Commission Voted unanimously on Oct 7 to approve its $4,250 operating budget request after clarifying trail mowing contracts.
- Undecided Board of Health Approved its small elected board budget but postponed a vote on its departmental operating budget options until Oct 20.
- Mixed Conservation Commission Voiced frustration over zero-increase guidelines that would force cuts to staff hours and delayed formal action to draft an explanatory memo.
- Mixed Public comment Speakers suggested budget consolidation to improve efficiency but warned against changing traditional line-item presentations during an override year.
Next: Board of Health vote on department budget on October 20, 2026.
Coming up
- Special Board of Health meeting to vote on the department budget
- Joint Select Board and Advisory Committee initial FY28 budget review meeting
Votes
| Date | Board | Motion | Result | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recreation Commission | To approve the FY28 Recreation Commission operating budget request of $4,250 FY28 operating budget | Passedunanimous | 31:31 | |
| Library Board of Trustees | Approve the FY28 library operating budget as presented FY28 operating budget | Passed6-0 | 44:40 | |
| Board of Health | Approve the FY28 510 Elected Board of Health budget of $450. FY28 operating budget | Passedunanimous | 13:03 | |
| Personnel Board | Recommend a 5% total salary adjustment for FY28 consisting of a 3% cost-of-living adjustment and 2% step increment FY28 operating budget | Passed4-0 | 14:18 |
Every time it came up newest first
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Future meeting schedule and budget discussion
Staff noted that the department budget item was not posted in time for this agenda and needed to be rescheduled. Board members coordinated their availability for a short budget meeting and finalized their late autumn meeting dates.
- Budget vote meeting set for Tuesday, October 20 at 10:00 AM.
- November regular meeting set for November 17 at 11:00 AM.
- December regular meeting set for December 15 at 9:30 AM.
Outcome: Future meeting dates agreed upon.
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FY28 operating budget discussion and vote
The commission reviewed line items for the FY28 Recreation Commission operating budget, including trail mowing contracts with DPW and J and J, and voted to approve the total budget request of $4,250.
- The total FY28 budget request is $4,250.
- Trail mowing is budgeted at $2,800 for four mowings from June through October on Parkerville Road and Deerfoot Road.
- Contracts were confirmed with DPW and J and J with no anticipated price increases.
Outcome: Approved unanimously.
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FY28 operating budget review and approval
The board examined the draft FY28 operating budget, focusing closely on state Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) materials expenditure requirements. Meeting the 16 percent target requires balancing rising fixed personnel and network assessment costs against collection budgets.
- Under the proposed numbers, materials spending for FY27 was calculated at 15.47 percent and FY28 at 14.94 percent.
- To reach a full 16 percent materials spending ratio in FY28 would require roughly an additional $8,233 in materials funding.
- The library can qualify for a state dispensation down to 14.4 percent materials spending because it maintains open hours three evenings a week and on Saturdays for 10 months of the year.
- The Friends of the Library contribute approximately $4,200 annually toward museum passes that qualify toward materials expenditures.
- Trustees voiced concern that leaning too heavily on Friends' donations or dipping too close to the 14.4 percent floor sets a dangerous baseline for future budgets.
Outcome: The FY28 budget was approved as presented by a unanimous 6-0 roll call vote.
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FY28 budget requests and staffing
The conservation agent presented preliminary FY28 budget scenarios following town administration guidelines. Request A represents level services with standard salary increases totaling $180,527, while Request B forces a reduction down to FY27 request levels ($173,249). Because non-salary operating line items total only $37,000 to $39,000, meeting Request B would require reducing the full-time conservation agent by 125.2 hours per year, saving roughly $6,000. Commissioners voiced strong frustration over penalizing efficient small departments and agreed to delay formal action until the agent prepares a detailed explanatory memo for town officials.
- Request A total is $180,527, representing a 4.1 percent overall increase largely driven by personnel board salary rates.
- Request B total is $173,249, matching the prior year request baseline.
- Request B would reduce the conservation agent position from 2,080 hours to approximately 1,955 hours annually.
- The agent noted cutting staff hours would increase town reliance on outside peer review consultants paid by applicants.
Outcome: Discussion held; formal vote postponed to the October 8 meeting.
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FY28 operating budget review
Commissioners reviewed the draft FY28 operating budget, which primarily consists of staff salaries, annual playground inspections, a $7,000 pilot payment, and a trails maintenance line item. Commissioners raised concerns regarding $2,800 allocated for trail mowing, questioning whether that responsibility and expense should remain under the Department of Public Works rather than the recreation operating budget. The commission opted not to take a formal vote, requesting further research into existing contracts before finalizing the budget.
- Personnel Board guidance set a 5.2 percent salary increase covering cost-of-living adjustments and step increases.
- Annual playground safety inspections for Town House, Fayville, and Finn playgrounds total $2,100.
- The trails committee line item requests $4,250, including $2,800 for trail mowing.
- Commissioners questioned whether DPW should retain trail mowing rather than shifting vendor costs to Recreation.
Outcome: No vote was taken; staff will verify mowing contract details with DPW ahead of the October budget deadline.
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FY28 Health Department operating budget scenarios
The department presented two FY28 budget options in accordance with Select Board guidance. Request A represents a level-service budget of $329,835 with 5 percent wage increases approved by the Personnel Board, while Request B models a zero-percent increase over FY27 in the event a town override is declined. To achieve a zero-percent increase under Request B, staff proposed reducing weekly hours for three staff members and eliminating in-state travel and training funds.
- Request A totals $329,835, which includes 5 percent wage and COLA adjustments.
- Request B achieves a 0 percent increase over FY27 by cutting weekly staff hours: 1 hour for the administrative assistant, 2 hours for the director, and 30 minutes for the sanitarian.
- Northborough reimburses Southborough for 50 percent of the shared health agent salary, though that revenue goes into the general fund.
- Staff noted that the department operating budget has decreased over the past five years through shared staffing arrangements.
Outcome: Vote deferred; the board will draft an explanatory memo to the Select Board and vote on the final request at its next meeting.
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FY28 elected Board of Health budget
The board reviewed and approved the FY28 budget line for elected board members.
- The budget line covers stipends of $150 per board member for three members.
- Total budget approved is $450, unchanged from previous years.
Outcome: Approved unanimously.
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FY28 budget planning and override scenarios
The library director reported that the town finance director asked department heads to prepare two FY28 budget submissions earlier than usual due to a planned spring tax override ballot question. Budget A assumes the override passes and seeks level services based on FY27, while Budget B assumes the override fails and would completely eliminate line items for programming, professional development, and in-state travel, while cutting subscriptions by more than half. Trustees discussed the risk of repeating severe cuts experienced during the pandemic and decided to meet October 5 to review the complete budget narrative and vote.
- Town instructed departments to submit two FY28 budgets: one if an override passes and one if it fails.
- An override failure would eliminate programming, staff training, and travel, and reduce database subscriptions by more than half.
- The library faces a mandatory CW MARS network assessment increase of $1,845.
- Trustees noted the Southborough library budget makes up 0.93 percent of municipal spending compared to a 1.24 percent statewide average.
- Board members agreed to hold a special meeting on October 5 to vote on the budget drafts ahead of the town's October 13 deadline.
Outcome: Board directed the director to draft Budget A using FY27 baseline figures and scheduled a budget vote for October 5, 2026.
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FY28 salary grid adjustment
The board discussed the budget calendar and compensation adjustments for FY28. Because the 2027 Annual Town Meeting is scheduled earlier in March, department budget submissions are due October 13. The board voted to recommend a 3% cost-of-living adjustment on the salary grid, which pairs with the regular 2% step increment for a total 5% salary increase.
- Department heads must submit FY28 budget proposals by October 13
- Annual Town Meeting is moved up to March
- Board endorsed a 3% COLA shift to the salary grid
- Standard 2% step increment brings total adjustment to 5%
- Staff will generate the draft grid for formal approval at the next meeting
Outcome: Approved 4-0
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FY28 budget guidelines and override planning
Meeting jointly with the Advisory Committee, the board discussed instructions for departments preparing FY28 operating budgets in light of an anticipated structural deficit. The town entered the fiscal planning cycle with approximately $700,000 in excess levy capacity, while preliminary projections indicate a potential gap exceeding $2 million to maintain current service levels. Officials agreed to require departments to submit two budgets: Budget A representing level service with salary increases and non-salary expenses held to FY26 actuals, and Budget B showing no dollar increase over FY27 to illustrate cuts needed to avoid an override.
- Current excess levy capacity entering FY28 planning is approximately $700,000.
- Budget A assumes a 5 percent increase for non-union salary steps and COLA, with non-salary expenses capped at FY26 actual levels.
- Budget B requires a level-dollar total equal to FY27, which would require departmental staffing reductions.
- Department budgets are scheduled to be submitted by October 13, 2026, with an initial review on November 4, 2026.
Outcome: Select Board and Advisory Committee agreed on budget guidance instructions for department heads.
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Budget projections and potential override strategy
The committee prepared for an upcoming joint meeting with the Select Board to discuss long-term budget modeling and a potential operating override. Members expressed caution about seeking large multi-year overrides and advocated for stricter fiscal controls, including examining departmental vacancies before approving backfills and considering an immediate hiring freeze. The committee also noted the possibility of state-approved borrowing mechanisms for unfunded pension liabilities as an alternative to relieve levy pressure.
- Finance Director Brian Ballantine is preparing multi-year budget projections covering FY21 through FY24.
- Members discussed pros and cons of a single-year override versus a phased multi-year override.
- Committee discussed recommending a hiring freeze and requiring executive approval before backfilling vacated staff positions.
- Discussed exploring legislative debt exclusion borrowing to cover unfunded pension liabilities.
Outcome: The chair will draft a talking points document reflecting the committee's priorities for the joint meeting.
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FY28 proposed operational override discussion
The committee held an initial discussion regarding an early proposal by the Select Board to seek an operational tax override for FY28. Members discussed the pros and cons of a five-year authorization of up to $10 million versus single-year overrides, and debated whether funds should be tied to efficiency plans or long-term liabilities such as pensions and OPEB.
- The Select Board is exploring an operational override of up to $10 million to cover excess spending over five years starting in FY28.
- Members questioned whether voters would support a multi-year levy limit increase versus yearly votes or targeted debt exclusions.
- A member suggested requiring town departments to produce productivity and efficiency plans to reduce baseline service costs before seeking an override.
- Discussion touched on town pension liabilities, which are projected to increase 10 to 11 percent annually until fully funded around 2036.
- An expert from the Massachusetts Division of Local Services is scheduled to join a joint meeting on overrides with the Select Board on August 11.
Outcome: Discussion held; topic continued to August 5 ahead of the August 11 joint meeting with the Select Board.
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FY28 budget forecasting and potential Proposition 2 1/2 override
The board began preliminary discussions on the fiscal year 2028 operating budget, reviewing long-range estimates indicating a projected $2 million deficit in FY28 that would exhaust remaining tax levy capacity. Following consultations with state Division of Local Services advisors, the chair outlined a strategy to consider a 5-year operational override to create excess levy capacity rather than returning to voters annually.
- Southborough avoided an override in FY27, maintaining roughly $500,000 in unused levy capacity, but current revenue growth cannot support projected 5 percent annual departmental spending growth and 8 percent benefit increases.
- A multi-year operational override approach would ask voters to approve excess levy capacity to fund operations across roughly five years, with property taxes raised only as needed in each annual budget.
- Any potential operating override requires both a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting and a majority vote at a town election.
- Potential override impacts would run alongside separate upcoming debt exclusion votes for the Neary school building project.
Outcome: Discussion held; the board will hold a joint session with the Advisory Committee on August 11 to set the official FY28 budget calendar and guidelines.