Recreation commission to submit conservative budget draft by Sept. 15; director position funding shifts into 2026 budget

The Brentwood Recreation Commission directed staff to prepare an initial, conservative budget draft for the Select Board by Sept. 15, with the chair and vice chair to review the draft before submission. Jason and Andy said they would prepare the draft and circulate it to commissioners for review.

Why it matters: The commission said the draft will hold most line items level-funded while including the director position in the 2026 operating budget, consistent with how the position’s funding was described in recent town actions. "Based off of town meeting, this position was paid through unreserved funds for 2025, but then in 2026, would then be a part of the budget," Jason said.

What was proposed: Commission staff said they plan to present a conservative draft that includes the townwide 3% cost-of-living adjustment and keeps non-staff line items level-funded to avoid overstating needs at the initial review. Commissioners discussed that the Select Board and the budget committee would later review and recommend adjustments during the regular municipal budgeting process.

Process and next steps: Jason said he and Andy will prepare the draft by the end of the week and send it to the commission chair and vice chair for sign-off before submission to the Select Board. The commission noted the draft is not final and that budget decisions will follow the Select Board and budget committee review cycles.

Ending: Commissioners emphasized that the draft is a starting point for discussion with the Select Board and budget committee and that any final decisions about hires and compensation will follow the town’s regular budget process.