Charlton finance committee approves recommended FY27 budget, adds firefighters and conditional library teen-services post
March 26, 2026 | Town of Charlton, Worcester County, Massachusetts
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The Finance Committee of the Town of Charlton approved its recommended FY27 budget after extended review of staffing, revenue forecasts and plan adjustments.
Committee members voted to adopt the recommended budget as amended. Highlights include funding for four full-time firefighters, continuation of a partially funded school resource officer (SRO) shared with the school district, and the committee's agreement to add a teen-services position at the library provided the town receives written assurance that the hire will remain an in-library (in-house) role rather than a staff-sharing arrangement with the schools. The committee recorded the teen-services vote as 4–2 in favor of the conditional funding.
On utilities, staff proposed restoring a two-person leadership structure in the sewer operation (a foreman and an administrative assistant) while keeping technical operations contracted; the Veolia contract is being put out to bid with renewal effective Nov. 1. The committee discussed capital stabilization choices and the town's excess levy capacity, noting that sustained new growth below roughly $1,000,000 per year could erode cushion and prompt difficult budget decisions by about FY30.
The budget narrative reviewed state aid (unrestricted government aid, "UGA") and state assessments; staff emphasized these numbers change with governor, house and senate budget actions. The packet also called out a single out-of-district tuition estimate for a student attending an agricultural school (tuition estimated at $15,000 plus roughly $15,000 for transportation pending bills).
The committee was also briefed on a change in health coverage: the town will leave the existing trust and join a Masterchegic Health Group joint-purchasing arrangement with nearby districts and towns; staff said premiums can be held at 0% for FY27 but the plan will include a deductible (transcribed as "500 individual thousand family").
Chair (speaker 1) moved to approve the budget as presented and amended; after a second, the committee voted to adopt the recommended FY27 budget. Staff will transmit the committee recommendation to the next stage for formal town review.
Committee members voted to adopt the recommended budget as amended. Highlights include funding for four full-time firefighters, continuation of a partially funded school resource officer (SRO) shared with the school district, and the committee's agreement to add a teen-services position at the library provided the town receives written assurance that the hire will remain an in-library (in-house) role rather than a staff-sharing arrangement with the schools. The committee recorded the teen-services vote as 4–2 in favor of the conditional funding.
On utilities, staff proposed restoring a two-person leadership structure in the sewer operation (a foreman and an administrative assistant) while keeping technical operations contracted; the Veolia contract is being put out to bid with renewal effective Nov. 1. The committee discussed capital stabilization choices and the town's excess levy capacity, noting that sustained new growth below roughly $1,000,000 per year could erode cushion and prompt difficult budget decisions by about FY30.
The budget narrative reviewed state aid (unrestricted government aid, "UGA") and state assessments; staff emphasized these numbers change with governor, house and senate budget actions. The packet also called out a single out-of-district tuition estimate for a student attending an agricultural school (tuition estimated at $15,000 plus roughly $15,000 for transportation pending bills).
The committee was also briefed on a change in health coverage: the town will leave the existing trust and join a Masterchegic Health Group joint-purchasing arrangement with nearby districts and towns; staff said premiums can be held at 0% for FY27 but the plan will include a deductible (transcribed as "500 individual thousand family").
Chair (speaker 1) moved to approve the budget as presented and amended; after a second, the committee voted to adopt the recommended FY27 budget. Staff will transmit the committee recommendation to the next stage for formal town review.
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