Town meeting debate over $600,000 figure in town report; Selectmen defend the $400,000 recommendation

A heated exchange centered on a sentence in the annual town report in which the Road Advisory Committee's chair (whose name appears on last year's report) referenced a $600,000 funding figure. Several attendees said the committee's $600,000 mention conflicts with the Selectmen's and Budget Committee's $400,000 recommendation.

One speaker challenged the chair, asking, "why would you put that in the town report?" and warned that unaligned messaging could undermine public support. Selectmen responded that individual citizens have the right to speak on the floor at Town Meeting and that the formal warrant and recommendation remain the outcome of the budget process. "You as a citizen have every right to stand up on the floor and say I think we should increase this to $600,000 and here's why," a board member said, while stressing that the Selectmen and Budget Committee had collectively recommended $400,000.

Board members urged clarity and adherence to agreed warrant language, noting that changes to funding levels must be made via amendment on the Town Meeting floor or by committee motion. The board asked staff to pull recent road spending records for the last four years so members and attendees can assess whether the recommended figure is appropriate. The matter will be brought to Town Meeting and any proposed increase would have to be voted there.