The Select Board and Finance Committee held a joint budget information meeting in mid-April to review with residents the proposed FY26 Town budget and special articles that will be voted on at the Annual Town Meeting in May. About twenty residents attended.

• A significant change in the School Budget helped lower overall Town operating costs. Due to the change in the Regional District Agreement at the Farmington River School District between Otis and Sandisfield, the Town will see a 17 percent decrease for the FY26 school year, or about $318,000. Carl Nett received a round of applause for his work on this issue on the School Committee. This decrease contributed to the Town's total operating budget being reduced by 4.45 percent.
• There was an increase in the FD/EMT Administration of $27,000 and EMT compensation was increased by $25,000. Select Board Chairman Steven Seddon commented that it's very difficult to hire for part-time positions, so the Town is considering full-time for these positions.
• Employee insurance costs increased by 19.92%, so insurance was budgeted for only the current employees and not future hires. This lowered the line item for insurance by $54,000.
• There is an item on the warrant to replace the ambulance for $300,000-$260,275 from the Ambulance Stabilization fund and $39,724 from the Capital Stabilization fund. The ambulance is 13 years old and has ongoing problems with its electrical system.
• Another item is to be voted on is to purchase a COA shuttle van for $64,000. A separate item will require a vote to approve $15,600 for a driver for 15 hours/week at a rate of $25 per hour.
• There will be a vote to approve $75,000 to replace the Old Town Hall boiler and drop ceiling. Funding would come from the Capitalization Fund.
• The biggest item on the warrant is for the town to buy the firehouses from the SFDI for $765,000. $440,000 would come from Free Cash and $325,000 would come from the General Stabilization fund. If approved, this would be the biggest purchase for the town since the purchase of the firetruck that was approved in the FY2023 budget.