# finance-committee — 15 documents, concatenated for reading and search # # This is a CONVENIENCE BUNDLE, not a source. Every document below is # published separately and byte-identically; cite the individual file, # whose path is given in each header, rather than this bundle. # Index of all boards: https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/minutes/INDEX.txt # The town's own scanned original is linked per document. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-08-agenda-7592.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-08 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-08-agenda-7592.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01082026-7592 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, January 8, 2026 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business a. FY27 Budget Calendar b. Town Meeting discussions c. Summary of Capital Planning Committee d. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override e. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 7. Old Business 8. Minutes (10/23/25, 11/13/2025) 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – January 12 & 27 b. Finance Committee – January 29 (Monty Tech) 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-08-minutes-7592.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-08 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-08-minutes-7592.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01082026-7592 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall January 8, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard states the final 2 Tri-Board meetings are scheduled for January 12, 2026 and January 26, 2026. 4. Public Comment Stephanie (LAST NAME) participated in the meeting as a newly appointed representative who began her role on October 1, 2025. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Jennifer Warren-Dyment shared several updates regarding staƯing. Katherine McKenna was hired as the Finance Director. She felt this wasn’t a good fit and gave her 60-day notice. Her last day of service was December 31, 2025. Retired Finance Director, Karen Brochu, has come forward to work part time as the Interim Finance Director/Town Accountant. Her first priority is to close out FY 2025 Nancy O’Rourke has retired as the Manager of Payroll and Benefits. Currently, there is a temp in place from Robert Half. There have been numerous interviews, and an oƯer was extended to a candidate today. Town Manager has signed an agreement with Complete StaƯing to recruit and fill the Finance Director position. There have been numerous interviews for this position. Ana Lockwood shared her concern about the title of Finance Director and Town Accountant. There is concern about who this person should report to. Jennifer Warren-Dyment confirms that larger towns with larger budgets are able to split the position. The town accountant would be the primary duty for this position. ===PAGE 2=== Town Manager has sent notification to the 11 customers in town who received a water bill from the town. Their regular quarterly bills were not sent to them in a timely manner, and they will be issued a catch-up bill to cover January 2025 through November 2025. 6. Current Business a. FY27 Budget Calendar Chris Menard is requesting that Monty Tech provide their presentation earlier than usual. Chris Menard believes there may need to be cutbacks similar to what the public schools have had to do. The Committee wants to have a conversation prior to them presenting their budget. The Committee agrees that Monty Techs assessment should be aligned with the Lunenberg Public Schools. Jennifer Warren-Dyment has heard that the schools want to present a true ask of the Town Manager for their budget that is unrelated to available revenue. The Town Manager and the Finance Committee request they present their budget earlier than usual. b. Town Meeting discussions Ana Lockwood was uncomfortable with the last town meeting and felt not enough information was provided. She suggests having items added to the operational budget but Town Manager states there is no capacity to add to the operational budget. c. Summary of Capital Planning Committee Ana Lockwood shared her concern about ongoing conversations that are pertinent to the Finance Committee but haven’t been brought in front of the Committee. Jennifer Warren-Dyment states that the Capital Planning Committee is currently focusing on getting through FY27 requests and then will be focusing on the out years. Furthermore, the Capital Planning Committee has initiated a request to implement a standardized template or format for use by all department heads. d. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override Chris Menard indicates that there may be a Proposition 2 ½ override proposed by the schools, the consideration of a fourth shift for the Fire Department, and additional measures to address the needs of the town. Ana Lockwood states there needs to be a solution found as opposed to an override. Some areas to focus on included recycling, TCP building, and ===PAGE 3=== ambulance receipts. She will create a spreadsheet and disperse to the Committee. The Town Manager confirmed that there would need to be service cuts and realignments to have a balanced budget without an override. Jennifer Warren-Dyment has spoken to department heads to update their budget as well as include a budget with a 5% reduction. Chris Menard suggests holding additional Tri-Board meetings to iron things out. e. Tri-Board Discussions (Previous and Upcoming) Chris Menard requested information from the Committee and Town Manager about whether the Stormwater Task Force would present a proposal for an enterprise fund. Town Manager states she would be surprised if they were ready for the town meeting in May. 7. Old Business No additional discussion on this topic took place. 8. Minutes (10/23/25, 11/13/2025) There was a motion to approve minutes of October 23, 2025, and November 13, 2025 as amended by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tom Gray. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. 9. Committee Reports Several members have not been assigned to Committees. This topic will be added to the upcoming agenda. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings Committee Assignments Monty Tech Presentation 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – January 12 & 26 b. Finance Committee – February 5- Monty Tech Presentation. This meeting was originally scheduled for January 29. 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. ===PAGE 4=== 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jay Simeone, seconded by Ana Lockwood. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Tom Gray aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 9:08 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-12-agenda-7597.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-12 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-12-agenda-7597.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01122026-7597 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Tri-Board Meeting Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Monday, January 12, 2026 7:00 PM Lunenburg Middle / High School Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Tri-Board Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. New Business a. Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories: General Government, Unclassified, Debt Service, Intergovernmental b. Preliminary Revenue Projections c. Preliminary FY27 Budget Plan Discussions 4. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – January 26, 2026 b. Finance Committee – February 5, 2026 5. Adjourn Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings c) The agenda has a lot of material so Public Comment periods have not been included. Please feel free to reach out with comments to members of Finance Committee or make Public Comments at future Finance Committee Meetings. Email addresses for Finance Committee members may be found at the following link: https://lunenburgma.gov/252/Finance-Committee ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-12-minutes-7597.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-12 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-12-minutes-7597.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01122026-7597 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 1 of 11 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes School Committee Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Lunenburg Middle/High School, LMS Collaborative Room #D12 Monday, January 12, 2026 Note: References to the Tri-Board in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board Select Board Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod School Committee Members Present: Chair Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice-Chair Laura Brzozoski, and Secretary Mandy Gilman (Absent: Emily Young and George Yapp) Finance Committee Members Present: Chair Chris Menard, Member Tanya Dall, Member Jay Simeone and Member Mike Rupp (Absent: Jean Russell, Tom Gray, and Ana Lockwood) Tri-Board Moderator: Finance Chair Chris Menard moderated the meeting. Also Present: Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order by Finance Committee Chair Chirs Menard who served as Moderator. He asked everyone to stand and address the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance. NEW BUSINESS Preliminary Budget Presentation Under the Following Categories: General Government, Unclassified, Debt Service, Intergovernmental Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment led the preliminary budget presentation, stating at the outset that her goal was "to go relatively quickly through the remaining budgets," covering general government functions, debt service, intergovernmental, and unclassified items. She noted that all salary figures were currently presented at FY26 rates, as several union contracts remained under active negotiation and no cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) had yet been finalized. Select Board and Town Manager Budgets: Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented the Select Board budget at approximately $180,000, noting that $160,000 of that figure was driven by staff costs which include the Assistant Town Manager/HR Director, the Executive Assistant, and pool of minute clerks, with the remainder of the budget covering expenses. The Town Manager's budget was presented at approximately ===PAGE 2=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 2 of 11 $305,000, described as nearly a fifty-fifty split between salaries and expenses, with legal costs as the primary driver on the expense side. She noted that she was pleased with the town's legal representation. She stated the most significant change proposed within these budgets was the creation of a new, standalone Assistant Town Manager position. She explained that the title of Assistant Town Manager and Director of Human Resources would be split. She stated that the Assistant Town Manager position would also include the procurement functions. Town Manager Warren-Dyment acknowledged the difficult budgetary environment but stated, "this is a need that I think is of the Town of Lunenburg." She indicated that to avoid absorbing the full cost in a single fiscal year, the position would not be funded until January 1, making it a half-year expense of approximately $60,000, with the full salary estimated at $120,000. She described it as a full-time position once fully funded. Finance Committee Member Jay Simeone inquired about the drivers behind the $20,000 increase to the Select Board budget. Town Manager Warren-Dyment explained that the primary driver was an increase in the contracted services line, from $6,000 to $13,500, to provide room for unforeseen contracted needs. She noted the town had routinely exceeded the prior contracted services budget and needed additional flexibility. She committed to following up with specific detail on the Select Board contracted services line, as well as on the Town Accountant's contracted services line. Finance Department: Town Manager Warren-Dyment described the Finance Department budget as having experienced significant upheaval. The department, which had been budgeted at $323,000 for FY26, had required a $160,000 supplemental appropriation at a Special Town Meeting due to costs associated with departmental transition, increased hiring ranges, and the use of outside consultants. She stated that she did not anticipate these one-time costs carrying into FY27 and would not budget around them. She noted that reductions in the clerical line, driven by a recent staff retirement at top rate, were partially offsetting increases in the Finance Director position. The Payroll and Benefits position was described as a real number, pending appointment by the Select Board. The Assistant Town Accountant position had also been filled. She flagged that the audit cost had been historically under-budgeted at $40,000, with the actual FY27 audit cost expected to be $65,000, calling it "a pretty large jump." School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene asked whether the audit cost increase was due to prior under-budgeting or an actual increase in the cost. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed that $65,000 represented the actual cost of the audit going forward. She also informed the boards that, for those who might prefer a different auditor, there are now essentially only two municipal auditors operating in the state of Massachusetts and they are CBIZ and Roselli & Clark, and that Roselli & Clark is not accepting new clients at the time. Treasurer/Collector: Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented the Treasurer/Collector budget with few structural ===PAGE 3=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 3 of 11 changes, noting that the tax title line was being moved. The primary salary driver was a request to increase two staff positions from 36 hours to 40 hours per week, a level that had previously been supported by ARPA funds. She stated that this change was being requested to allow the Treasurer/Collector to dedicate more time to tax title work and other departmental responsibilities, resulting in a $15,000 increase in the Treasurer's budget and a $10,000 increase in the Collector's budget. Information Technology: Town Manager Warren-Dyment reported that the IT budget in FY26 had been approximately $500,000, and that the preliminary FY27 budget represented an increase of approximately $90,000, driven primarily by the Munis financial management software platform. She introduced Kara McCarthy, the Communications and IT Manager to field questions if needed. She explained that the town had upgraded Munis in December of the prior year at a total cost of $108,000, offset by ARPA funds, with $61,000 coming from operations. In FY27, there would be no ARPA offset, and the contract stipulated a 5% increase in year two, with year three priced "at market." Finance Committee Member Simeone and School Committee Chair Sculimbrene asked clarifying questions about whether Munis was priced by seats or modules, and whether unused modules or seats could be reduced to yield savings. Town Manager Warren-Dyment committed to following up with detail on this question. She described the role of Munis broadly: "It's doing all of our bills for sewer billing… it's the data source for everything else, all of our people are in there, all of the payroll is in there, all of that accounting is in there," including school department functions. She relayed advice from the town's financial advisor, who had told her that "Munis is like your gas stove in your house, you can use it to warm up a bowl of soup, but if you're not careful, you can burn your house down," characterizing it as a robust program typically used by much larger municipalities. Town Manager Warren-Dyment also flagged ClearGov, a budgeting, forecasting, and transparency software that had not been actively used since Town Manager Lemieux departed. She stated she had planned to cut it in FY26 but heard strong objections. Given continued non-use, she indicated she would likely terminate the contract in the current fiscal year, pending a conversation with the incoming Finance Director. She noted hearing no real opposition from those present to cutting ClearGov. Regarding the Suzor IT contract, she noted the vendor was currently on-site five days per week, a arrangement that she described as non-typical for a municipality of Lunenburg's size. She had already reduced on-site presence to four days per week as of January and stated she intended to formalize a four-day schedule in FY27, with an aspiration to reduce to three days. She noted that one day per week, Fridays, would be dedicated exclusively to public safety and DPW. She stated that ticket volume had declined as system maintenance had improved, allowing the on-site technician to focus on proactive work such as inventorying, device replacement scheduling, and network projects. Finance Committee Member Dall asked about the cost differential between an internal IT hire versus the outsourced vendor contract. Town Manager Warren-Dyment responded that hiring a ===PAGE 4=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 4 of 11 single internal person would not necessarily be cheaper and would limit the town to that individual's specific skill set, whereas the vendor contract provides access to an entire team with diverse technical expertise. Town Clerk: Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted that FY27 is an election year, which drives the Town Clerk's budget upward. The budget of $143,000 was described as largely salary-driven. She noted the Town Clerk is an elected position overseeing an Assistant Town Clerk, with a dotted-line relationship to the Town Manager's office. She noted the $15,000 budget increase was primarily driven by election costs. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene raised concerns about the workflows and operational efficiency of the Town Clerk's office, noting a lack of standardized digital submission processes for agendas, materials, and room scheduling. Town Manager Warren-Dyment acknowledged the concern, stating that the elected Town Clerk has authority to dictate how agendas and materials are accepted, and that while she has influence, she does not have direct authority over the office. She took the opportunity to share her broader view that she does not believe in the year 2026, that an elected town clerk serves anymore, noting that the statutory duties of the office had grown substantially more complex since the 1960s and 1990s. She was careful to note her admiration and confidence in the current Town Clerk, Kathy Herrick, saying, "It has been a blessing to work with Kathy. I have no concerns about Kathy's skills." She observed that a number of communities have been transitioning away from the elected town clerk model and described charter mechanisms used by some towns to manage such a transition without displacing an incumbent. Miscellaneous General Government Lines: Town Manager Warren-Dyment walked through a variety of miscellaneous general government lines: The Finance Committee budget was reduced by $475, reflecting a realignment of training and event funds to actual usage. The Finance Committee Reserve was maintained at $185,000, noting it had been nearly fully utilized in the prior fiscal year. The Salary Reserve was presented at $210,000, which she characterized as a placeholder at this stage. She disclosed that the town is currently in active negotiations with three bargaining units: the DPW, Fire, and Clerical unions. She explained that COLAs and pending contract agreements are typically held in the salary reserve rather than embedded in departmental budgets. The Town Report line was increased from $7,000 to $16,000, with Town Manager Warren-Dyment clarifying that this figure covered not only the annual town report but also the printing costs for the annual town meeting booklet and special town meeting materials, which had historically been underfunded and covered through ad hoc transfers. Central Purchasing saw a minor increase of approximately $1,500. She noted that consolidating all departmental postage into a single central line — implemented for the first time in FY26 — was currently running at approximately 40% utilization. She expressed a desire to reduce that line once the first full year of actuals was available. ===PAGE 5=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 5 of 11 Land Use Department: Town Manager Warren-Dyment introduced Building Commissioner Brian Gingras to present on the Land Use Department, which consolidates Building, Planning, Conservation, ZBA, Historic, and APDC functions into a single budget. She noted this consolidation had provided significant flexibility during FY26, and expressed interest in applying a similar approach to the Treasurer/Collector. Building Commissioner Gingras reported that permit fee activity for FY26 was tracking at approximately the historical average: roughly $325,000 in building permit fees, $420,000 in electrical, $140,000 in plumbing, and $120,000 in gas. He noted that a 35-lot subdivision before the Planning Board that evening had been effectively reduced to 24 lots following that night's Planning Board session. He also flagged a potential 104,000-square-foot commercial building on Summer Street that could generate permit revenue if permitted during FY26 and reaching occupancy in FY27. Regarding the budget, Commissioner Gingras noted that the Director of Planning and Economic Development, a retitled version of the former Land Use Director, would see a salary increase from $106,000 to $112,000. He noted that salary reductions in the clerical line reflected the retirement of a long-serving employee and the elimination of the ZBA clerical line item. He explained that technology, particularly the OpenGov platform, had made it possible to consolidate duties and eliminate that position without operational impact. He described the meetings and schools training budget line as serving over 20 staff and volunteers across multiple boards, noting new Conservation Commission members and new administrative staff members were actively pursuing required training. Town Manager Warren-Dyment added that this department is uniquely sensitive to external economic conditions: "Economy is doing well, he's busy, he's ramping up… if nobody's building, then we want to look at perhaps some sensible contractions." Preliminary Revenue Projections Town Manager Warren-Dyment transitioned to presenting preliminary revenue projections, describing the overall picture as "not good if you looked ahead." She stated that total preliminary revenues for FY27 were projected at $51,331,000, with 71% driven by property taxes, followed by state aid and local receipts. Property Tax / Levy Calculation Town Manager Warren-Dyment walked the members through the mechanics of the levy limit. Starting from the FY26 levy limit, the town adds 2.5% under Proposition 2.5, adds estimated new growth, and then adds excluded (exempt) debt. She stated: "We add the excluded debt on the top end to the available revenues and then take it out in the expenditures." She clarified that excluded debt service appears both as revenue and as an expenditure because the exclusion authorization adds the revenue to fund that specific debt service cost. A discussion arose regarding the distinction between excluded debt and non-excluded (inside-the-levy) debt. Town Manager Warren-Dyment clarified that the non-excluded debt that had ===PAGE 6=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 6 of 11 been falling off the levy in recent years represented smaller projects, such as the DPW building design, a ladder truck, the Saliba property acquisition, and artificial turf and that as this debt retires, those dollars effectively get absorbed into operating expenditures rather than being set aside for new non-excluded borrowing. The discussion also addressed the timing strategy for municipal borrowing projects and the importance of staggering large excluded debt projects so that retiring debt is replaced by new debt at a pace that levels out taxpayer bills. Town Manager Warren-Dyment referenced the strategic effort made in the prior year to time certain municipal building projects ahead of an anticipated Turkey Hill School submission to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). School Committee Chair Sculimbrene confirmed that the School Committee anticipated submitting a proposal for MSBA funding in the fall, noting that the accelerated repair program would likely not be appropriate for Turkey Hill given the scope of need, and that Dr. Fortuna had advised the committee to develop a strong proposal for the following year. He acknowledged the MSBA process involves a five-plus-year timeline from submission to construction. Finance Committee Member Dall asked whether the town had a combined limit on exempt and non-exempt debt. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed that there is a policy. New Growth Town Manager Warren-Dyment reported that new growth for FY27 had been estimated by the Board of Assessors at $400,000, following a process that included consultation with Building Commissioner Gingras. She noted that FY25 actual new growth had come in at $518,000, above the $400,000 estimate used that year. She explained that new growth captures not only new construction but also additions, enclosures of previously unheated spaces, and renovations that add assessable values, but that does not include value increases attributable to normal market fluctuation. Select Board Vice-Chair Moore expressed concern that the $400,000 estimate might be too high, citing a perceived slowdown in new construction. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene noted the estimate was supported by historical trends. Town Manager Warren-Dyment responded that the Assessors had voted on the figure in the prior week as part of the overlay calculation, and that Commissioner Gingras had concurred. She reminded the boards that the entire revenue pie does not need to hit exactly on each line; rather, the aggregate needs to be equal to or greater than total appropriations. State Aid Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented current FY26 state aid actuals of $11,244,422, which included Chapter 70 education aid, unrestricted government aid, school choice, library aid, and veterans' benefits. She stated her intention to hold this figure level until the Governor's budget recommendation was released, anticipated around the time of the Massachusetts Municipal Association conference. She expressed tempered concern about state revenues. Select Board Member Glenn McLeod observed that the 22% state aid share in Lunenburg's revenue pie was well below the national average of approximately 31% for municipal aid from states, noting this gap was directly related to the fiscal pressures on cities and towns ===PAGE 7=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 7 of 11 highlighted in the Municipal Association’s “Perfect Storm" report. Town Manager Warren-Dyment agreed that this was particularly challenging for a community like Lunenburg with a limited commercial and industrial tax base, noting, "that big green piece of the pie — that's largely being supported by residential homeowners." School Committee Vice-Chair Brzozski suggested inviting local state legislators to an upcoming Tri-Board meeting to better understand the magnitude of the funding gap. An unidentified participant recalled that one state representative had previously told the town to "just raise taxes," eliciting broad frustration from those present. A discussion arose about the commercial tax rate and whether a split rate would be beneficial. Town Manager Warren-Dyment stated that she would not recommend a split rate for Lunenburg at this time, noting that the town should maintain a welcoming posture toward commercial and industrial development: "We want arms wide open — come." She noted that a neighboring community, Lancaster, had recently voted to split its rate, and that communities with strong positioning on major highway corridors (citing Route 495 and Route 2) had structural advantages Lunenburg did not currently share. Local Receipts Town Manager Warren-Dyment stated that local receipts, which comprise motor vehicle excise, meals tax, fees, fines, licensing and permits, and investment income, were being held level pending closure of FY25 books. She noted that investment income had significantly outperformed projections in recent years, with an FY25 projection of $100,000 against actuals of approximately $414,000. She cautioned against relying on continued market performance at that level and stated: "I don't want to rely on the market to continue in that way." She also noted that ambulance receipts were included in local receipts and were flowing into the operating budget as estimated revenue, not through a free cash appropriation process. Preliminary FY27 Budget Plan Discussions Town Manager Warren-Dyment presented the preliminary budget gap analysis. Starting from total available revenues of $51,331,376.99, she subtracted approximately $1,400,000 in non-appropriated expenses (including state assessments taken off the top, school choice and library state aid pass-throughs, overlay, and the newly repositioned tax title line), as well as a pay-as-you-go capital contribution (referenced at $244,000 in the prior year). This left approximately $49,682,496 in available operating funds. Subtracting the total FY26 appropriations from the omnibus budget left $1,306,059 in new revenue available for FY27 for all purposes: the town, the school department, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School (Monty Tech)- every employee, every contract, and every new initiative. She described the traditional apportionment approach, under which the school department would receive approximately $696,521 of that amount above FY26 levels, the town would receive approximately $573,000, and Monty Tech would receive approximately $36,000. She then presented an illustration of the actual budget pressure: the school department's projected health insurance increase for FY27 was approximately $740,000, and the town's projected health ===PAGE 8=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 8 of 11 insurance increase was approximately $480,000. Together, those two non-discretionary increases alone exceeded the entire $1,306,059 in new revenue by approximately $34,000, leaving only $86,000 for all other purposes after health insurance, before even Monty Tech's assessment (which she noted is anticipated to exceed $36,000), COLAs, any new positions, or any programmatic additions. Select Board Vice-Chair Moore noted that a request from the Fire Department for a fourth shift, estimated at approximately $500,000, was also not yet reflected in the available figures, confirming that number was included in the Fire Chief's budget request as submitted. The Town Manager summarized the fiscal situation plainly: "If we do not have either significant cuts or an override or a combination thereof… we don't have enough funds to meet our obligations." Finance Committee Member Dall noted that the city she was working with in her professional capacity was in a similar position and was asking all departments to prepare 5% budget cuts. Town Manager Warren-Dyment confirmed she had already issued a similar request to Lunenburg departments, and stated that she had asked department heads to undertake that exercise so we can start seeing where things are. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene cautioned that the school department had already been significantly cut and could not sustain further reductions without affecting classroom performance, noting that kindergarten classrooms were operating with 25 students and no aides. Finance Committee Member Mike Rupp expressed concern about the long-term trajectory, citing declining state revenues, population loss in Massachusetts, business outmigration, and an estimated $57 billion in unfunded pension liabilities statewide: "I just don't think this state, on this situation, is going to get any better in the coming years." Town Manager Warren-Dyment agreed on the need to protect OPEB funding no matter what, while noting that the public sector compensation model meant that asking employees to absorb further benefit reductions or forgo COLAs would be inappropriate in the current environment. Discussion turned to specific operational cost-reduction opportunities. Town Manager Warren-Dyment noted the recycling market had shifted dramatically and what was once a revenue source was now a cost. She suggested the boards consider whether the community values the current curbside program, and whether expanding the pay-as-you-throw bag fee program could offset the full cost. She cautioned that removing the community from the trash enterprise program would likely be very difficult to reverse. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene expressed concern about effectively swapping a hidden tax cost for an explicit per-bag fee burden on residents. Town Manager Warren-Dyment also discussed the TC Passios (TCP), stating she had asked the Facilities Director to prepare a cost analysis of the building's carrying costs. She explained that the large, oversized boilers originally designed to heat two buildings were continuing to generate high heating costs, and that while a partial decommissioning had been completed, the savings were not materializing. She stated that a winding-down to begin July 1 was unlikely, but that planning for a wind-down sometime in FY27 needed to begin. She identified the permanent ===PAGE 9=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 9 of 11 occupants as PAC, Recreation programming, the food pantry, cold storage for the town clerk's election machines, and a license agreement with the Shapiro Behavioral Educational Center for four rooms. School Committee Vice-Chair Brzozski stated plainly, "I can't do a third year of telling people you may be losing your job," noting the emotional and professional toll that budget uncertainty had taken on school staff. She stated the school committee could not cut another position. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene stated his position clearly: "I am happy to work with all the departments to come up with a number. But the schools, as a school committee, I think I can confidently say we cannot cut another position." Town Manager Warren-Dyment offered her current thinking on override strategy: "My current thought is that it would be best to have it be one, that everybody is together, because that fight of who wins and who loses on town meeting floor- we could have either everybody walks away loser, everybody's individual override fails, or you have winners and losers." She suggested a unified override request covering both municipal and school needs. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene argued against the practice of treating the budget as separate pies for the town and the school: "The problem isn't that we have a shrinking pie. It's that all of the groups think that we have separate pie and we don't." He called for a collaborative approach, noting that territorial budget fights resulted in self-inflicted wounds and that "the people who suffer are the old people in town, the kids in town, and our employees." He also raised the emerging risk of federal aid reductions: "We receive federal aid and the federal aid is going to lapse… it is unlikely that we will get the same amount of aid from the federal government." Select Board Member McLeod argued that the root cause of the problem was the state's failure to adequately support cities and towns and encouraged the boards not to allow the issue to become divisive in the community. He also raised the pending results of the state legislative audit passed by 72% of Massachusetts voters, suggesting it was difficult to support another override without that fiscal transparency. Town Manager Warren-Dyment pushed back firmly, noting that the audit in question was an audit of the behavior of the state legislature, not of state funds, and that "the state is not responsible for the health insurance increase. The state is not responsible for other increases that we're seeing. This is the economy. We cannot lay it all on the feet of any one group. This is the perfect storm." Finance Committee Member Dall stated that her support for another Proposition 2.5 override would require greater transparency in how town funds are managed, moved, and used. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene acknowledged this, stating: "Before we ask them to pay more, we really need to do some reflection about what we're spending and what our priorities are." Town Manager Warren-Dyment endorsed the idea of a public forum: "I'm hearing a lot of conversation in the community that folks want to have that forum… the sooner that you guys are able to do that, I think the more questions that are lingering can at least get answered." Finance Committee Member Dall suggested such a forum might also reduce the length and conflict at Town Meeting. Town Manager Warren-Dyment also suggested the possibility of a tiered override structure, while cautioning that voters historically tend to select the lowest tier offered. ===PAGE 10=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 10 of 11 Discussion touched on the mechanics of a large-scale override and whether an override could be approved at a figure larger than immediately needed, with the town taxing below the full ceiling in the near term while maintaining excess levy capacity for future years. Town Manager Warren-Dyment described having tried this approach in a prior community, noting that residents ultimately preferred to vote on the exact dollar figure each time rather than grant what felt to some like open-ended capacity. Town Manager Warren-Dyment indicated she was in the process of compiling the full gap figure of the difference between all departmental requests and available revenue. She stated that the number would be in the millions: "I'm plugging in what everybody's requests have been. We're in the millions." She committed to bringing that complete gap figure to the next meeting. She closed the budget discussion with an expression of gratitude for the early start on the process: "I'm so grateful that everybody has embarked on this effort because I think the one thing that we have compared to some of the other communities is it's January 12th and here we are. It's not March." IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS The Tri-Board discussed scheduling its next joint meeting. The Finance Committee noted it was entering an intensive budget review cycle, with a tentative Finance Committee public hearing and vote anticipated around March 12th and 19th respectively, and a warrant closing around March 16th. After discussion of room availability and scheduling conflicts, the Tri-Board agreed to hold its next joint meeting on Monday, February 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM, to be held at the school (Middle/High School) due to a Planning Board meeting occupying Town Hall that evening. The Town Manager commented that School Committee Member Yapp (who had informed the School Committee of his intention to resign) needed to formally submit his resignation to the Town Clerk. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Member Lehtinen to adjourn the Select Board meeting at 9:53 p.m. Seconded by Clerk Emkey. Call for the vote: Four-aye. The motion passed unanimously (4-0-0). Motion by Member Simeone to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting at 9:30 p.m. Seconded by Member Rupp. Call for the vote: Four-aye. The motion passed unanimously (4- 0-0). School Committee Secretary Gilman departed the meeting at approximately 9:16 p.m. at which time the Committee lost its quorum. ===PAGE 11=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 12, 2026 Page 11 of 11 Respectfully Submitted, Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday June 13, 2026. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-27-agenda-7619.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-27 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-27-agenda-7619.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_01272026-7619 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Tri-Board Meeting Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Tuesday, January 27, 3036 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room, Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, on FacebookLive on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305/) and will be uploaded to the LunenburgAccess YouTube after the meeting. Additionally, please be advised that the Town of Lunenburg utilizes the Zoom platform as host for its hybrid and remote meetings; that the Zoom platform utilizes AI technology, known as "AI Companion," to create audio transcriptions of meetings to aid in the subsequent preparation of meeting minutes; and that AI Companion is activated immediately upon launching the Zoom application. You are hereby notified that this AI technology may capture audio prior to the start of the meeting and/or following the conclusion of the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is also provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link to join the public meeting webinar: https://zoom.us/j/9091740347 or from a telephone, dial the toll free number (888) 475-4499 and enter Webinar ID: 909-174- 0347 # If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e-mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. The agenda lists all the topics which may be discussed at the meeting and are those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by Open Meeting Law. 1. Tri-Board Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance 2. Public Comment – The Tri-board seeks public comment on the presentations made to the Tri-Bard and the FY27 budget. 3. New Business a. Preliminary FY27 Budget Plan Discussions 4. Public Comment 5. Important dates and upcoming meetings. 6. Adjourn Note: a) References to the Tri-Board and Tri-Chair in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board b) Material discussed in the Tri-Board Meetings may be further deliberated in future, individual Committee meetings ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-01-27-minutes-7619.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-01-27 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-01-27-minutes-7619.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01272026-7619 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 1 of 7 Town of Lunenburg Select Board Meeting Minutes School Committee Meeting Minutes Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Town Hall, 17 Main Street Tuesday January 27, 2026 Note: References to the Tri-Board in the context of this meeting refer to Finance Committee, School Committee and Select Board Select Board Members Present: Chair Caesar Nuzzolo, Vice-Chair Amanda Moore, Clerk Renee Emkey, Member Brian Lehtinen, Member Glenn McLeod School Committee Members Present: Chair Anthony Sculimbrene, Vice-Chair Laura Brzozoski, Secretary Mandy Gilman, Member Emily Young Finance Committee Members Present: Chair Chris Menard, Vice-Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Member Tanya Dall, Member Jay Simeone, Member Ana Lockwood (Absent- Member Mike Rupp) Tri-Board Moderator: Tim Murphy, Town Moderator Also Present: Town Manager Jennifer Warren-Dyment and School Business Manager Christopher McNamara CALL TO ORDER AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE The meeting was called to order by Tim Murphy, who served as Moderator. He asked everyone to stand and address the flag for the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Murphy provided an overview of the open meeting law requirements, noting that the meeting was being recorded and broadcast live over the Lunenburg Public Access channel, Facebook Live, and would be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. After the Pledge, Mr. Murphy invited each Chair to officially open their respective meetings. Each board chair officially opened their meetings, with Finance Committee Chair Chris Menard calling his meeting to order at 7:11 PM, followed by the School Committee Chair Anthony Sculimbrene, and Select Board Chair Caesar Nuzzolo. PUBLIC COMMENT Lieutenant Christos Lekaditis, President of Lunenburg Firefighters Local 5369, spoke about the critical need for an override to fund the addition of a fourth shift for the Fire Department. Lieutenant Lekaditis explained that the current staffing model is unsustainable, with firefighters working 60-80+ hour weeks and 38+ hour shifts, creating significant burnout and low morale. He ===PAGE 2=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 2 of 7 emphasized that 95% of fire departments in Massachusetts already work 42-hour weeks, and Lunenburg needs to fund this long-overdue staffing improvement to ensure adequate emergency response. Amy Sabbio, a teacher at Turkey Hill, described how her position had been changed from full-time fourth grade special education teacher to split between special education and an MTSS interventionist. She stated that "neither position is truly half time nor is either position seeming very effective." She explained that with one fewer paraprofessional per grade level and her divided duties, seven of her IEP students with significant pull-out service needs were being seen by a paraprofessional rather than a certified special education teacher. She further noted that MTSS services this year had reached only 29 students between October and December, compared to 108 students served throughout the prior school year. School Committee Member Mandy Gilman asked what the differences were between Special Education and MTSS. Ms. Sabbio explained that special education serves students with documented disabilities requiring specially designed instruction, while MTSS is a general education initiative targeting students in grades 3–5 who are struggling academically but may not have a documented disability. Finance Committee Ana Lockwood commented that no funding had been taken away from the School Department and that the Town has consistently funded the school side more than the other general operations. Lynn Marabello, also a teacher described the impact of reduced MTSS staffing on classroom teachers, who are now expected to create intervention materials and run groups without adequate resources, training, or time. She noted the loss of the I-Ready program and stated that she currently manages the schedules of six individuals in addition to her own, compared to three in a typical year. She has 53 students across two classes. Jennifer Miller, a 17-year employee of the district, spoke to the impact of staffing and program cuts at the high school. She described the loss of the Bridge Program, the TLC and Transition programs, and cuts across special education, music, physical education, world language, math, and science. She also addressed administrative reductions, noting the district had gone from two full-time assistant principals and a full-time athletic director to 1.5 assistant principals and a part-time athletic director. She warned that educator burnout and attrition were accelerating, and that early retirements and departures to better-paying districts were increasingly likely outcomes. Mary Foyle, a 24-year employee of Lunenburg schools, provided historical context, noting that during the 2008-2009 recession, the District consolidated from four buildings to three and negotiated zero raises for three years. She described Lunenburg as one of the smallest standalone public high schools in Massachusetts, and expressed concern that students are not receiving a comprehensive high school experience. She noted that COVID relief funds had delayed the current crisis. Speaking as both a longtime employee and a town resident, she stated that it is "my job as a townsperson to make up the budget shortfall — it is not my job as an employee to do so." She raised concern about employees effectively absorbing budget deficits through health insurance cost increases that erode negotiated raises, and noted that employees who do not live in town receive no corresponding benefit from the services they help fund. ===PAGE 3=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 3 of 7 PRELIMINARY FY27 BUDGET PLAN DISCUSSIONS The Town Manager presented updated revenue projections and budget drivers for FY27. The Governor's cherry sheet numbers had been released, showing a small increase in state aid. Total revenues were projected at $51,004,918.00. After subtracting non-appropriated expenses and state assessments, and holding the same levy amount appropriated to the capital plan as in the prior year, available funds for appropriation were estimated at $49,805,800. Compared to FY26 appropriations (excluding the additional $500,000 for schools), this yielded approximately $1,429,364 in new FY27 revenue — an increase of roughly $100,000 from figures presented two weeks prior. The Town Manager presented a proportional revenue distribution scenario: schools (53.3%) would receive approximately $762,280; the town (43.9%) approximately $627,634; and Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School (2.76%) approximately $39,450. She cautioned, however, that Monty Tech's actual assessment is set by that district — last year it represented an 8.8% increase, or approximately $117,438, which would substantially exceed its proportional share. The Town Manager identified four major budget drivers exceeding the new revenue:  Health insurance: Previously projected at 20%, now revised to an average of 8.3% (trust average) with a high of 14.4%, due to the removal of GLP-one drugs from coverage  Retirement: A non-negotiable 10% increase of $240,000  School transportation: $230,000 increase  Fourth shift fire department: $350,000 After subtracting these four items from the $1,429,364 in new revenue, the Town Manager projected a deficit of approximately negative $615,000. She emphasized this figure addressed only these four items. It did not account for utility increases, vendor contract increases, TCP carrying costs, the pavement management plan, Monty Tech's actual assessment, collective bargaining agreements, or other contractual increases. She stated that the full FY27 deficit, based on all budget requests received to date, is slightly north of $3,000,000. Discussion among board members focused on gaining clarity about these figures and the process moving forward. Finance Committee member Chris raised concerns about the presentation of staffing numbers for the school district, showing data that overall staff counts had increased over the past 10 years despite claims of cuts. School Committee members countered that recent cuts had been significant and were having direct impacts on student achievement. Several board members discussed possible approaches to an override, with various opinions on whether to present a single unified number, multiple options, or a tiered approach. Town Manager explained that an override permanently raises the levy limit, while an excluded debt is tied to specific borrowing and disappears when paid off. ===PAGE 4=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 4 of 7 Finance Committee Member Lockwood asked the Town Manager for clarification as to the $615,000 figure. The Town Manager explained that the $615,000 was a result of subtracting the increases attributed to health insurance, retirement, school transportation, and the fourth shift fire from the additional revenue. She clarified that the $3,000,000 figure reflected the total of all town budgets that had been presented to the Tri-Board, including growth, plus the school’s January 16th level-service budget. Finance Committee Member Lockwood expressed concern about presenting figures that did not represent level services and stated she did not want to engage in "scare tactics". The Town Manager rejected any suggestion of scare tactics, and re-iterated that these figures were based upon the departmental requests and did not represent a level service budget. Select Board Member Emkey noted that the value of the Tri-Board process was transparency at an earlier stage than usual, and that the $3,000,000 did not represent a final override number. She stated that she did not see how the gap could be closed without an override, but not that the figure was necessarily $3,000,000. She commented that determining that number is the next task for the Tri-Board and that the number is needed for the ballot by April 10th. Select Board Member Moore agreed that identifying the scope of the problem was a necessary first step and appreciated the transparency, while also acknowledging that the numbers remain in flux and that further refinement is needed before a final figure can be determined. Finance Committee Member Dall noted that the Finance Committee's role would be to ask detailed questions of each department to validate the numbers, and that this should not be taken personally, commenting, “we all want what's best for the town and the schools." School Committee Chair Sculimbrene cautioned against attempting to resolve complex budgetary math in a public meeting setting, calling it an "unmitigated disaster" in his experience. He urged the boards to wait for complete, validated data before drawing conclusions, stating: "It is absolutely transparently obvious that we need an override. Let's wait till we've got all the data and do it the right way." The Town Manager announced that the town's new Finance Director had started that day. The Moderator asked the Town Manager to outline the different override structures available. She explained various types from single purpose, omnibus, a la carte, tiered, and multi-year. She directed members to the Division of Local Services (DLS) property tax impact calculator, which allows residents to model the tax impact of any override amount for Lunenburg specifically. She also offered to distribute a DLS booklet on override structures. School Committee Member Gilman raised the option of presenting two separate numbers on the ballot with one for level services and one for targeted restoration as well as the possibility of a multi-year override to avoid returning to voters annually. She noted the School Committee had discussed both approaches and suggested the full Tri-Board should deliberate on the appropriate structure. ===PAGE 5=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 5 of 7 Finance Committee Member Lockwood emphasized that before going to voters, the boards must demonstrate they have done the "hard work" of identifying internal efficiencies and cost reductions. She cited two specific areas: the town's recycling program, which she noted had grown from approximately $150,000 at the start of COVID to over $500,000, and school choice enrollment revenue, which has declined from approximately $500,000 to $112,000 on the cherry sheet. She stated she would not support any override if those efforts had not been made. The Town Manager confirmed that conversations regarding alternative recycling models had begun, and also raised the possibility of eliminating the mosquito control program assessment (approximately $100,000) and the need to have serious future discussions about the TCP building, which is not yielding the anticipated energy cost savings following its partial decommissioning. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene addressed the school choice revenue issue, noting that school choice demand is uneven across grade levels and that demand cannot simply be switched on. He also noted that maintaining a school system families want to choose requires investment, a point echoed by School Committee Member Brzozski , who stated: "In order to do that, you have to have a competitive school system, and that involves not making more cuts." Finance Committee Chair Menard raised a point of concern about claims that the school district had been cutting staff, displaying a chart of school staffing from FY16 through FY25 showing a general upward trend in headcount. He stated that it "really irritates me when we say things like we're cutting staff when the data shows that staffing has gone up almost every year in the last 10 years." He also disclosed that he had requested this data prior to last year's override vote and that it had been withheld by the former superintendent until after town meeting. School Committee Member Brzozski acknowledged the trend but noted that FY25 saw a downward turn, and that FY26 included significant layoffs, which was not reflected in the chart. She also noted that the student population's needs have increased substantially, with more students on IEPs, more English language learners, and more students entering below benchmark, meaning that even flat staffing represents a reduction in effective capacity. The School Committee had voted mid-year to add paraprofessionals to respond to individual students with acute needs, partly to avoid far more expensive out-of-district placements. School Committee Chair Sculimbrene acknowledged the concern about precision in language but pushed back on the characterization, noting that the more relevant data point is the composition of staff, not total headcount. He observed that the chart for instructional staff showed a decline in recent years, and that combining roles, such as the athletic director consolidation from two FTEs to one, does not appear in headcount data but has real operational consequences. The exchange concluded with general agreement that updated data including FY26 actuals should be shared with all board members, and that precision in language about staffing trends is important for maintaining public trust. Several members spoke to the broader question of whether an override is necessary. Finance Committee Member Lockwood stated she would support an override only if there was a demonstrated commitment to internal cost savings first, and cautioned that for many residents, ===PAGE 6=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 6 of 7 particularly seniors on fixed incomes, a $3,000,000 override would translate to approximately $600 per year in additional taxes, a significant burden. School Committee Member Brzozski advocated for a unified approach, stating: "I think we should have one number and we should all support it. That's going to give us the best chance of success." The Moderator spoke to the importance of rebuilding public trust following the prior override, after which funds were subsequently returned, and stated that the Tri-Board's unified presentation would be critical. He also called for a town-wide public forum where all constituencies, including seniors and non-parents, could hear directly from all departments, including fire, police, and DPW, not only the schools. The Town Manager noted that a forum specifically addressing FY25 questions remains to be scheduled, and that multiple public road shows would follow once firm numbers are available closer to the April 10th ballot deadline. PUBLIC COMMENT The Moderator invited additional public comment. No members of the public in attendance or participating remotely requested to speak. IMPORTANT DATES & UPCOMING MEETINGS The Tri-Board discussed scheduling its next joint meeting. The Finance Committee noted it was entering an intensive budget review cycle, with a tentative Finance Committee public hearing and vote anticipated around March 12th and 19th respectively, and a warrant closing around March 16th. After discussion of room availability and scheduling conflicts, the Tri-Board agreed to hold its next joint meeting on Monday, February 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM, to be held at the school (Middle/High School) due to a Planning Board meeting occupying Town Hall that evening. ADJOURNMENT Motion by Member Lehtinen to adjourn the Select Board meeting at 9:29 p.m. Seconded by Vice-Chair Moore Call for the vote: Five-aye. The motion passed unanimously (5-0-0). Motion by Vice-Chair Brzozski to adjourn the School Committee meeting at 9:30 p.m. Seconded by Member Young. Call for the vote: Four-aye. The motion passed unanimously (4- 0-0). Motion by Member Lockwood to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting at 9:30 p.m. Seconded by Member Gray. Call for the vote: Six-aye. The motion passed unanimously (6-0- 0). Respectfully Submitted, ===PAGE 7=== Tri Board Meeting Minutes January 27, 2026 Page 7 of 7 Jennifer Warren-Dyment, Town Manager These Minutes were reviewed and approved by the Select Board on: Tuesday June 13, 2026. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-05-agenda-7631.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-05 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-05-agenda-7631.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02052026-7631 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, February 5, 2026 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business a. Montachusett Regional V ocational Technical School Budget b. Stormwater Task Force (Potential Joint Meeting) – Stormwater Utility c. Initial Town Manager’s Capital Plan d. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override e. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 7. Old Business 8. Minutes (1/8/2026) 9. Committee Assignments and Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – February 9 b. Finance Committee – February 12 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-05-minutes-7631.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-05 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-05-minutes-7631.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02052026-7631 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 5, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Committee Member Tanya Dall 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 6:59 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements Chris Menard requested Monty Tech come before the Committee and provide their presentation earlier than usual. The Stormwater Task Force will be presenting a warrant article to establish a stormwater utility. They will also provide a presentation in front of the Finance Committee. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Karen Barrett was introduced as the town’s new Finance Director/Town Accountant. She will be providing a quarterly report to the Finance Committee beginning with FY 26 Q3. Additionally, the school Business Manager, Christopher McNamara, will be presenting quarterly reports to the Committee. Town Manager confirms that interviews are ongoing to fill the Payroll and Benefits Coordinator position. The schools have oƯicially taken control of and will process their payroll starting in January. Jennifer Warren Dyment spoke to the Division of Local Services regarding Schedule A reports. They were due to be submitted by February 13, but the town did receive an extension until February 28. The Town Manager discussed free cash and the ongoing process to get it certified. Karen Brochu has reconciled the due to and due from accounts. There were several ===PAGE 2=== errors that were encountered in this process. Next steps include reconciling free cash and receivables. Karen Brochu did note that this process has not been completed since the close out of FY24. The last step is to verify incumbrances and show activity on the funds for the current fiscal year. The FY 27 budget cycle including health insurance, retirement assessment and school transportation have exceeded the revenue growth. Town Manager and the finance department are continuing to work on establishing a baseline and confirmed a level service budget. Department heads have contacted the Town Manager to request guidance regarding the Committee’s expectations for their departmental presentations. Chris Menard previously requested a summary of key services, functions, and duties of the department, and organizational charts for each department. Chris Menard additionally suggested a report on grants and line-item transfers. The Committee also suggests obtaining the status of previous capital projects. Chris Menard shared his frustration with the organizational deficiencies in the town. Jennifer Warren-Dyment believes that once the Zoom issue is fixed then this problem will be resolved. 6. Current Business a. Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Budgets Superintendent Tom Brown and Business Manager Tammy Crockett provided their budget. Additionally, the Lunenburg representative Stephanie Quinn was also present. In FY26 there was a total of 1403 students that attended Monty Tech and 97 of those are Lunenburg residents. A total of 18 communities contribute towards their budget. The required minimum Lunenburg is expected to contribute is $1,378,183. The FY 27 foundation budget for Lunenburg is $2,251,179. There are many factors that contribute to the projected numbers including, DESE funds, special education district rates, total number of English learners, and low income. Tammy Crockett states that DESE determines how much local communities contribute using their calculations and formula. The calculation includes half the income for town residents and half of the value of the property value in the town. ===PAGE 3=== Ana Lockwood questioned why the transportation assessment raised so much. Tammy Crockett confirms it is higher because of the above net speeding component. This is due to the athletic complex renovation. Ana Lockwood inquired about the lottery. Tom Brown states students need to fill out an application that is added to the lottery. The school also factors in the attendance of students. Chris Menard questions how many Lunenburg students were turned away. Tammy Crockett is unsure of the exact number. Chris Menard inquires about the district agreement whether it’s indefinite or if it can be renegotiated. Tom Brown believes the agreement is ongoing. He is also aware of some amendments, but they are very rare. Chris Menard questions what if anything can be done to reduce the contribution that Lunenburg needs to pay. Tom Brown states there is potential to change but that requires a change to the formula. Tom Brown believes there needs to be more pressure on the representative for there to be a change. b. Stormwater Task Force (Potential Joint Meeting) The presentation was provided by Tim Willsmer, Jenny Pewtherer, John Beale and DPW Director Bill Bernard. Stormwater utilities would operate as a dedicated enterprise fund and is supported by property assessments based on contribution of storm water to each of those properties that go into the municipal system. A stormwater utility can be used as a stable source of revenue that can be used to create the enterprise fund. Stormwater is run oƯ that comes from all properties after rain or melting snow. This run oƯ picks up litter, bacteria, chemicals, sand and other debris. It then flows over land into the drainage system and into the bodies of water. The 3 major recreational lakes in town are Hickory Hills Lake, Shirley Lake and Lake Whalom. Majority of funds will be used to remain in compliance with the MS4 permit. There are 6 minimum control measures that need to be implemented. 1. Public education and outreach 2. Public involvement and participation 3. Elicit discharge and elimination 4. Stormwater run-oƯ controls 5. Post construction stormwater management ===PAGE 4=== 6. Pollution prevention and good housekeeping for municipal operations Additional requirements include catch basin cleaning, roadway sweeping, future requirements, stream restoration, new stormwater bmps, develop pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer program. Currently, these requirements are being funded through the DPW operation budget. The total cost for this line item is $110,000. This only covers public outreach, elicit discharge detection training, BMP inspections, engineering for some small projects. There are multiple punishments and violations if all MS4 permit requirements aren’t met. In order to be in compliance there needs to be an additional $496,793. A project manager position would need to be implemented. Their duties would include billing, documentation, inspecting work of contractors and personnel, help develop contract specs for stormwater related projects. Bill Berand suggests that a total of $336,650 would be needed to start the utility. There is an engineering fee for the MS4 permit totaling $25,000. There are 1,000 know catch basins and the estimated cleaning cost is $81,250. There are 72 miles of mandatory roads that need to be swept twice a year. The estimated cost for roadway sweeping is $230,400. Ana Lockwood inquires about the machine that is needed to clean catch basins. Bill Bernard states it is a clamshell type machine. Aside from the initial cost there would also need to be an employee hired to operate. The proposed residential single-family home will pay less than $100 per year. All other properties will be on a tiered structure based on how much impervious area there is on the property. Ana Lockwood believes it may be counter productive to hire support staƯ and an engineer. The town has had an ongoing relationship with an engineering firm for the past 8 years. Tom Gray questions if the DPW was able to aƯord the $400,000 to get in compliance if they have the staƯing capacity. Bill Bernard states the work would need to be put out to contract. ===PAGE 5=== Jaurice Smith confirmed there are a lot of communities that set up a utility that do hire someone dedicated to stormwater work. More specifically, a storm water manager or stormwater engineer. In the near future, there will be a new permit that is much more extensive. Chris Menard suggests having discussions with similar towns and look into regionalizing. More specifically sharing equipment between municipalities. Jaurice Smith has worked with other towns that have regional agreements to share equipment. Chris Menard wants the task force to look into outsourcing. Jay Simeone inquires what percentage the town is currently in compliance with. Bill Bernard suggests they may be 50% in compliance at the moment. There was a motion to adjourn the Stormwater Task Force meeting by Jenny Pewtherer, seconded by John Beale. c. Initial Town Manager’s Capital Plan There were 22 projects considered by the Capital Planning Committee for FY27 totaling $3,267,208. The highest ranking projects are as follows: Flat Hill Road bridge completing including engineering and construction costs - $350,000. Replacement of police patrol cruiser - $68,627 Replacement of Engine 2 brush truck - $335,000 Primary school entry and driveway expansion design - $25,000 Building roof repair at the Public Safety building - $494,500 Replacement of front end loader with snow plow - $259,000 The total cost for the above projects is $1,532,127. There was a discussion about the snow and ice deficit spending. As of January 30, there have been 18 snow/ice events. The budget was originally set at $355,571.39 but to date the budget has exceeded $523,418.07. There will be a presentation on February 23 at 5PM at the Eagle House Adult Activity Center to discuss the potential fire department shift change. Jennifer Warren-Dyment spoke to the Facilities Director, Chris Ruth about the TC Passios building. He estimated the yearly operating costs to keep this building open is $120,000. There will need to be further discussion and an ultimate decision be made. ===PAGE 6=== Regarding grant applications, Bill Bernard submitted a community culvert grant application in the amount of $150,000 to support the design phase of Goodrich Street culvert over Easter Brook. Jennifer Warren-Dyment submitted a community compact IT grant application with the assistant of Casey Chisholm. The grant would cover the full upgraded network at the adult activity center, new firewall switches, and new wifi access points. d. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override The warrant for Spring Town meeting is currently open now through March 16, 2026. e. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) There was no discussion regarding this topic. 7. Old Business There was no discussion about any old business. 8. Minutes (1/8/2026) The minutes from January 8, 2026, were not reviewed. 9. Committee Assignments and Report This topic was not discussed. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no actions or topics to add to future agendas. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Tri-Board Meetings – February 9 b. Finance Committee – February 12 12. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Jay Simeone. The meeting closed at 10:57 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-12-agenda-7645.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-12 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-12-agenda-7645.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02122026-7645 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, February 12, 2026 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business a. Preliminary Budget b. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 7. Old Business 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – February 19, 26 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-12-minutes-7645.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-12 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-12-minutes-7645.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02122026-7645 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 12, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Vice Chair Jean Russell, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Clerk Tom Gray 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment Ana Lockwood shared the data she collected regarding the overall school budget. The documents were also uploaded to the Sharepoint file. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports There were no reports from the Town Manager or the Finance Director. 6. Current Business a. Preliminary Budget Jennifer Warren-Dyment stated there are 3 active bargaining’s ongoing including Fire, DPW and the clerical union. The town received the actual health insurance number totaling 8.85%. A cause for the unexpected reduction was the elimination of GLP-1 drug. There will be a more detailed presentation soon. There have been additional changes in the schedule for budget presentations. Ana Lockwood requested the preliminary budget presentations be provided to the Committee in advance. Jennifer Warren- Dyment has requested the department heads provide a level sever budget and provide an explanation for any line item above the level service request. Chris Menard requested an above level service and a restorative service budget. b. Discussions on potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override The Committee questioned if separate overrides would be needed depending on the departments. ===PAGE 2=== Chris Menard indicates that even if a level service budget override is implemented this year, an additional level service override may be required the following year. Chris Menard has indicated that he may not be able to include the full finance committee report with the mailed warrants. In such circumstances, a QR code will be provided to direct residents to a concise summary of the report. c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) There were no comments, questions or concerns raised. 7. Old Business There was no old business to discuss. 8. Minutes There was a motion to approve the minutes of January 8, 2026, by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Chris Menard. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. 9. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no additional actions or topics suggested to add to future meetings. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – February 19, 26 b. Tri-Board - TBA 12. Public Comment Ana Lockwood shared that she watched the Capital Planning Committee meeting and stated there was discussion about replacing the turf field. This was not a ranked project and not part of the school request. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Ana Lockwood, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Jean Russell aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 7:43 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-19-agenda-7657.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-19 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-19-agenda-7657.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02192026-7657 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, February 19, 2026 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business (order may change) a. Preliminary Budget b. Fire Department Budget c. Police Department Budget d. Facilities Department Budget 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – February 26, March 5,12,19,26 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-19-minutes-7657.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-19 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-19-minutes-7657.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02192026-7657 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 19, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Vice Chair Jean Russell, Committee Member Mike Rupp 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:02 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There were no announcements. 4. Public Comment There were no comments from the public. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Town Manager states the FY25 close out deadline was previously extended through February 28, 2026. The oƯice expects to meet the deadline. Free cash has not been certified but preliminary results suggest it will be in excess of $3,000,000. Town Manager suggests making a deposit into the stabilization fund and the health insurance fund if possible. 6. Current Business (order may change) a. Preliminary Budget Town Manager states the budget being presented is not balanced and is reliant on an override. FY27 Revenues Property Tax: $36,332,933.80 State Aid: $11,404,917.00 Local Receipts: $3,360,524 Enterprise Funds: $338,397.19 Totaling: $51,436,771.99 FY27 Property Tax FY 2026 Levy Limit: $32,910,811 ===PAGE 2=== 2 1/2% Increase: $822,770.28 Estimated New Growth: $400,000 Excluded Debt: $2,199,352.52 Maximum Allowable Levy: $36,332,933.80 FY27 Total Revenue Available for Appropriation Starting Revenue: $51,436,771.99 Less Non-Appropriated Expense: $1,441,496 OƯset Receipts: $112,147 Assessors Overlay: $260,000 Cherry Sheet Assessments: $1,069,349 Less Levy Appropriated to the Capital Plan: $244,576 FY27 Expenditure Summary: $49,750,699.99 Maturing Debt: $2,537,578.36 (-.39% Decrease) General Government Unclassified: $4,312,004.12 (4.97% Increase) General Government: $3,205,051.24 (8.20% Increase) Public safety: $5,118,965.26 (12.56% Increase) Public Works: $208,177.51 (13.33% Increase) Facilities and Buildings: $1,203,408.16 (12.74% Increase) Human Services: $480,162.04 ( .040% Increase) Schools: $30,115,565.00 (11.04% Increase) Culture and Recreation: $662,162.24 (3.62% Increase) Intergovernmental: $2,635,339.93 (9.94% Increase) Tax Title: $30,500 (No Change) The total budget for FY27 as presented is $53,107,913.87. The available revenues for FY27 amount to $49,750,699.99, resulting in a FY27 deficit of $3,357,213.88. New revenue for FY27 totals $1,374,263.89. The Monty Tech Assessment stands at $117,858.00, leaving $1,256,405.89 to be allocated between the School and Town budgets. The School receives 53.33% and the Town receives 43.91%. The Schools would receive $689,059.28, bringing their total budget to $2,875,712.00 with a deficit of $2,186,652.72. The Town would receive $567,346.61, bringing their total budget to $1,737,907.77 with a deficit of $1,170,561.16. The Town Manager states that the budget is fluid and may be revised over the next several weeks to months. ===PAGE 3=== Important Upcoming Dates: - 4 th Shift Fire Presentation 2/23/26 - Finance Committee Public Hearing 3/19/26 - Annual town Meeting 5/2/26 at 9 AM Chris Menard inquired into the investment income for this year as well as actuals. Town Manager will provide these documents. Ana Lockwood inquired about the public relations firm. Town Manager confirms the contract with John Guilfoil Public Relations costs $10,000 and the agreement has been ongoing for several years. Tom Gray asked about a discussion at a previous meeting regarding free cash being reconciled and questioned why the annual audit did catch it. Town Manager states this error would not be included or reviewed in the town audit. The last concluded audit for the town was FY24. Tanya Doll questions if there is a penalty for not closing out books. Town Manager states penalties are severe, and the state can hold back state aid funds. Chris Menard thanked the Town Manager for implementing and utilizing a format for budget presentations. b. Fire Department Budget The Fire Department budget presentation was provided by Fire Chief Patrick Sullivan. In the past year, there was a 19% increase in mutual aid response as well as a 37% increase in EMS mutual aid. The total budget request (including the possible 4th shift): $2,097,555.42. There are current and ongoing contract negotiations with the firefighters’ union. Rates are expected to increase due to educational incentives and certifications. The budget lines for radio maintenance, portable radios, and vehicle maintenance have increased due to inflation. Grants & Donations: $7,400 grant from the state to provide fire safety for kids and seniors. $15,000 to $19,000 Firefighter safety grant to purchase equipment. $5,000 donation from the firefighter’s association to purchase equipment. $165,000 money received from Nashoba Valley Mitigation. ===PAGE 4=== The Emergency Manager Preparedness grant is typically received but this hasn’t come to fruition. Chief Sullivan applied for the assistance to firefighters grant to replace Engine 2 but hasn’t heard any update. Ana Lockwood inquires about the man hour increase for coverage at the station. Chief Sullivan states 16 hours will be added per diem. Instead of a 7-day cycle, career staƯ would work an 8-day cycle. Currently, there are 96 hours of per diem being utilized per week. Chris Menard mentioned recent findings from a Boston fire were the result of hoses being inadequate. Chief Sullivan hasn’t purchased any hose replacement but is looking into it. c. Police Department Budget The Police Department budget presentation was provided by Chief JeƯrey Tibido. The total budget request is $2,581,557.92. This is a 1.2% increase over FY25. Personal: $2,331,947 Salaries: $1,672,862 Incentives: $265,787 Overtime: $294,389 Training: $98,909 Purchase of Service: $23,450 Supplies: $35,015 Other: $37,238 Animal Control: $46,125 Lockup: $20,600 Front Desk Radio Watch: $104,764 Nashoba Valley Regional Dispatch: $216,098 Vehicle Maintenance: $67,000 Regarding the animal control budget, Chief JeƯrey Tibido states they are starting to explore regionalization animal control as well as shared services. The town was awarded the jail diversion mental health grant totaling $109,000. This has been used for a co- response clinician. There has been discussion about promoting 1 of the school resource oƯicer to a detective position. This would then leave 1 resource oƯicer to rotate between all of the schools. ===PAGE 5=== Chief JeƯrey Tibido states upon comfort k9 Hank’s retirement, there are plans to implement another comfort dog program. Chris Menard inquired into the dispatch budget line and the option of having an in- house dispatch center. Chief JeƯrey Tibido states the cost would be substantial to hiring multiple dispatchers as well as running the center. Ana Lockwood asked for the total number of cruisers in the fleet. Chief JeƯrey Tibido confirms there are 15 vehicles in the fleet. d. Facilities Department Budget The Facilities Department budget presentation was provided by Facilities Director, Chris Ruth. Public Building Utilities Budget: $ 287,500 (29.88% Increase) Facility Maintenance Budget: $770,474.56 (8% Increase) Parks Budget: $145,433.60 (8.18% Increase) The TCP Revolving Fund currently has $33,500. Chris Ruth states that despite decommissioning 50% of TC Passios there is only a 20% decrease in the heating costs. Tanya Dall inquires if the department is still hiring for the Park Director position. Chris Ruth confirms there are ongoing interviews. Tanay Dall suggests hiring someone with grant writing experience. Chris Menard inquired into the status of decommissioning and the prior capital project to replace the roof of TC Passios. Chris Ruth has started the decommission and has spoken to all stakeholders to relocate. The capital project to repair the roof will not be going forward. Town Manager intends to fund the operations of the building through FY27 with hopes that the funds will not need to be expended. Chris Menard requested a quarterly report regarding prior capital requests and their status. 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 8. Minutes There were no minutes to approve. 9. Committee Reports There were no Committee reports. ===PAGE 6=== 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no actions or topics to add to future agendas. 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – February 26, March 5,12,19,26 Public Works presentation moved to March 12 12. Public Comment Ana Lockwood is maintaining a list of all questions for department heads regarding their budget. Questions should be sent to Ana Lockwood and added to the Sharepoint file. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Tom Gray, seconded by Jay Simeone. Roll call vote. All in favor. The meeting closed at 10:23 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-26-agenda-7673.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-26 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-26-agenda-7673.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02262026-7673 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Chris Menard, Chair Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, February 26, 2026 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall Town of Lunenburg 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- Cable-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. V otes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business (order may change) a. IT Budget b. School Department Budget 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. Discussions on prior Department Briefings c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – March 5,12,19,26 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-02-26-minutes-7673.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-02-26 KIND : minutes OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-02-26-minutes-7673.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_02262026-7673 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Lunenburg Finance Committee Meeting Minutes Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall February 26, 2026 Present Members: Chair Chris Menard, Clerk Tom Gray, Committee Member Tanya Dall, Committee Member Ana Lockwood, Committee Member Mike Rupp, Committee Member Jay Simeone Absent Member: Vice Chair Jean Russell 1. Call to Order The meeting opened at 7:00 PM. 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements There is an upcoming Town Caucus scheduled for March 9th. The next Tri-Board meeting is scheduled for March 11th. 4. Public Comment Dave Rogers, 82 Highland Street, requests more than a 1-year projected budget. He inquired into the number of new personnel included in the budget. 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports Town Manager confirms that Karen Brochu and Karen Barrett have submitted the Schedule A. Also, the close out for FY25 is complete and is now in consideration by the state. 6. Current Business (order may change) a. IT Budget The IT budget was presented by the Communications and IT Manager, Kara McCarthy, and IT Director, Casey Chisholm Typically there are 800 to 1200 help desk tickets per fiscal year. So far for FY26, there have been over 630 tickets with a current average resolution time of 18 and a half hours. Total Request for FY27: $535,459.33 - Salaries: $59,459.33 - Hardware Maintenance: $38,500 - Telephone Charges: $56,500 - Contracted Services: $141,000 ===PAGE 2=== - Purchase of Services: $240,000 Includes software that is used to support all departments in town. The IT department will not be renewing the ClearGov license which is a savings of $21,000. There has been a reduction and savings of $18,000 by reducing the number of days Suzor support is physically in-house. Chris Menard asks if there were any updates for prior year capital items. Town Manager states there was a request for FY27 to purchase additional access points and a server upgrade at the Adult Activity Center. This item did not make it above the cut line, but a community compact grant has been submitted. Mike Rupp inquired into the salary increase. Kara McCarthy confirms there was a reclassification and regrade. Town Manager states that no colas have been included for any SAP employees. Mike Rupp inquires if the school dept is covered within the Microsoft licenses. Town Manager states the school is not covered. Regarding the $24,000 license fees for Microsoft, Ana Lockwood asks what majority of the town is covered under that license. Kara McCarthy says it includes the town, Boards, and Committees. Majority of users have a basic license but there are a few standard licenses. Ana Lockwood suggests looking into the desktop version of Microsoft. Jay Simeone questions what code red is. Town Manager states it is a subscription service most municipalities utilize and is primarily used for emergency communications. Town Manager will provide the Committee with the number of subscribers. Chris Menard inquiries into possible services to ease and streamline workflow and scheduling zoom meetings. He believes that using IT should make everything more eƯicient if it’s used properly. Additionally, there are a lot of boards that are out of open meeting law with their delay in minutes. Town Manager states the town has 5 zoom accounts and 1 of which has a higher capacity. b. School Department Budget The School Department budget was presented by Superintendent, Dr. Jodi Fortuna, ===PAGE 3=== Chair of the School Committee, Anthony Sculimbrene, and Business Manager for Lunenburg Schools, Christopher McNamara. The goals for FY27 are to stabilize staƯ size, reinstate critical support services, and meet the required standards for students that are not currently being met. Total FY27 Budget: $28,454,840 Salaries: $18,869,757 Expenses: $9,585,084 The FY26 revenues are as follows: Federal Entitlement Grants Title I: FY26 $209,522 Anticipated: FY27 $145,565 Title II: FY26 $35,276 Anticipated: FY27 $24,693 Title IV: FY26 $14,616 Anticipated: FY27 $10,231 240/260 Grant: FY26 $437,278 Anticipated: FY27 $437,000 Student Opportunity Act: FY26 $100,000 FY27: $0 Special Earmarks FY26: $370,000 FY27: Unknown FY27 School Budget - Salary Increases Teachers: 3.5% Increase Paraprofessionals: 3% Increase Secretaries: 4% Increase Cafeteria & Custodial: Unknown as contracts are up for renewal. - Health insurance There is an estimated 9% increase from FY26. The FY26 budgeted amount was $3,701,195 and the FY27 budget is $4,341,561. ===PAGE 4=== - Utility Costs The FY26 budget for electricity totaled $265,000 and the heating budget totaled $145,000. The FY27 budget for electricity is $316, 250 and the heating budget is $148,320. Jay Simeone questions the impact of the solar panels. Christopher McNamara will provide those numbers to the Committee. - Transportation FY25 General Education Cost: $907,300 Special Education Transportation: $434,922 FY26 Budget for General Education Cost: $965,500 Budget for Special Education Transportation: $565,734 FY27 Budgeted for General Education: $1,110,825 Budgeted for Special Education Transportation: $649,953 Chris Menard suggests the schools work on the contract as it is scheduled to be renewed in 2028. - Technology The technology consultants recommended a 3% budget increase and an 8% increase in cost of technical equipment. StaƯing Increase Requests - Primary School 1 Interventionist to address the early literacy and math gaps: $72,441 1 Kindergarten Paraprofessional: $22,205 - Turkey Hill Elementary School 1 Interventionist targeted to support students identified at risk in math and reading: $72,441 - Middle School 1 Interventionist targeted to support students identified at risk in math and reading: $72,441 - High School 1 World Language Teacher: $72,441 Additional hours for the Music Teacher: $28,976 ===PAGE 5=== 1 English Teacher: $72,441 1 Bridge Process Teacher: $72,441 1 Bridge Process Paraprofessional: $22,205 The above listed position costs do not include insurance costs. The high school is looking to restore 1 full-time principal budgeted for $95,000. The literacy coach that was previously grant funded has been eliminated. The Schools are looking to add a Data Reporting Manager and Assistant Business Manager position estimated to cost $39,000. Dr. Jodi Fortuna stated that the School Committee did open 24 seats this year for school choice. She further states that only 5 students applied. Mike Rupp asked how many diƯerent languages the school is currently able to teach. Dr. Jodi Fortuna states that a teacher doesn’t have to be multilingual to teach a language. Tanya Dall questions if the school has inquired with Fitchburg State College to see if student teachers would be able to help while getting their service hours. Dr. Jodi Fortuna confirms that is something they are looking into exploring as well as tightening our partnerships with local universities. Ana Lockwood questions what the athletic trainer tasks are during the day. Dr. Jodi Fortuna states the trainer does oƯer services to students during the day. Ana Lockwood provided an email with other options. Anthony Sculimbrene has suggested combining the athletic director and trainer position. Ana Lockwood seeks information about guidance counselors. Dr. Jodi Fortuna states there are only guidance counselors at the high school. Ana Lockwood suggested reaching out to Community Health Link or Seven Hills Charter for possible services. Dr. Jodi Fortuna and the other presenters do not suggest cutting social workers. Jay Simeone inquiries into the number of maintenance and custodial staƯ. Dr Jodi Fortuna confirms there are 12. 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. Discussions on prior Department Briefings c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) ===PAGE 6=== 8. Minutes There were no minutes to review. 9. Committee Reports The current Committee assignments are as follows: Chris Menard – Capital Planning Committee and previously on the Town Manager Screening Committee Tom Gray - Municipal Design Committee and Select Board Mike Rupp – Master Planning Committee Jean Russell – School Committee, Police & Fire Jay Simeone – Personnel Committee Currently, Facilities and DPW do not have an assigned Committee member. Chris Menard suggests reviewing and assigning Committees in the near future. Jay Simeone states most Capital Planning, Municipal Design, Master Planning, Select Board, School Committee, Parks, Council on Aging, Sewer Commission, and Green Communities meetings are available on YouTube. There are some Committees such a Police, Fire, Facilities, and DPW that aren’t available to view. 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings There were no additional actions or topics to add to future agendas. 11. Important Dates Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – March 5,12,19,26 12. Public Comment John Bowen, 162 Highland Street, suggests the Town look into an increase in the levy limit. Additionally, he states the town should look into investing. 13. Adjourn There was a motion to adjourn by Jay Simeone, seconded by Tanya Dall. Roll call vote. Tom Gray aye, Mike Rupp aye, Ana Lockwood aye, Tanya Dall aye, Jay Simeone aye, Chris Menard aye. The meeting closed at 11:05 PM. ======================================================================================== DOCUMENT : 2026-03-05-agenda-7682.txt BOARD : finance-committee DATE : 2026-03-05 KIND : agenda OUR COPY : https://lunenburgbudgetproject.org/docs/minutes/text/finance-committee/2026-03-05-agenda-7682.txt TOWN PDF : https://www.lunenburgma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_03052026-7682 ======================================================================================== ===PAGE 1=== Chris Menard, Chair Lunenburg Finance Committee Town of Lunenburg Jean Russell, Vice-Chair Tom Gray, Clerk Jay Simeone Tanya Dall Ana Lockwood Mike Rupp Thursday, March 5, 2026 7:00 PM Bilotta Meeting Room Lunenburg Town Hall *Zoom Only *Amended March 5, 2026 17 Main Street, P.O. Box 135 Lunenburg, MA 01462-0135 978.582.4139 978.582.4148 Agenda In accordance with the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, please be advised that this meeting is being recorded and broadcast over the Lunenburg Public Access channel and on Facebook Live on the Public Access Facebook page (h ttps://www.facebook.com/Lunenburg-Public-Access- C able-157427270975305) and will be uploaded to the Lunenburg Access YouTube channel after the meeting. *Due to the weather forecast, this meeting is being held via Zoom. This meeting will be held in-person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in -person meeting. Please note that while the option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Members of the public with particular interest in any specific item on this agenda should make plans for in-person vs. virtual attendance accordingly. The following information is provided for members of the public that would like to participate in the meeting remotely: To Participate Remotely: From a computer, please use the link below to join the public meeting webinar: h ttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/82195029392 .From a telephone, dial the toll-free number (888) 475-4499, enter Webinar ID: 821 9502 9392. If you have not registered with Zoom you will be asked for your name and an e- mail address. Note: No participant ID is needed, just press # when asked. Telephone users may dial *9 to request to speak after joining the meeting. Computer and app users may use the “raise hand” feature to request to speak. This agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the Chair. Votes may be taken because of these discussions. Not all items listed may be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent allowed by Open Meeting Law. 1. Call to Order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3. Announcements 4. Public Comment 5. Town Manager & Finance Director Reports 6. Current Business (order may change) a. Council on Aging b. Library c. Public Access Cable * d. Administration, Unclassified, Debt Service 7. Old Business a. Potential FY27 Prop 2 ½ Override b. Discussions on prior Department Briefings c. TriBoard discussions (Prior and Upcoming) 8. Minutes 9. Committee Reports 10. Actions and Topics for Future Meetings 11. Important Dates & Upcoming Meetings a. Finance Committee – March 12,19,26 b. TriBoard – *March 10 March 11 12. Public Comment 13. Adjourn