Selectmen begin 2027 budget review as departments flag material and service cost increases

The Candia Board of Selectmen met Aug. 28 to begin review of the town's proposed 2027 budget, focusing on department-level pressures that could push overall spending higher. Chair Brien Brock opened the session and Town Administrator Amy Spencer presented preliminary totals and vendor quotes; Spencer later told the Board that final insurance and legal figures will not be available until October or November and she used prior-year numbers as placeholders.

Selectman Patrick Moran, Selectman Stephanie Helmig and others pressed departments for line-item explanations during the multi-hour review. Department leaders cited specific cost drivers: higher fuel and material prices for highway work, increased testing and compliance costs for fire equipment, and rising vendor fees for services such as medical billing and IT support. The Board discussed whether some items should be funded through warrant articles rather than the operating budget, including an option to restore Soldiers Monument maintenance as a separate article rather than an operating-line adjustment.