Finance Committee sets 3.25% COLA for FY28

In this report: Key decisions · Full report · Sources

What happened

The Finance Committee voted 6-2 to recommend a 3.25 percent cost-of-living increase for non-union town employees in fiscal 2028, then voted unanimously to approve a budget guidance letter requiring flat department spending plans. The committee spent much of the meeting deliberating a rezoning warrant article for Meadowbrook Commons but took no action; an abutter disputed the underlying plans, claiming they omitted a required grading plan and failed to disclose irrigation wells.

Key decisions

• 💰 Fiscal 2028 budget guidance letter. The committee voted unanimously to approve the fiscal 2028 budget guidance letter, which directs department heads to submit flat 'baseline' budgets by department, excluding the cost-of-living adjustment, plus a separate 'level service' budget showing what is needed to maintain current service levels, which would require a Proposition 2½ override. (Vote Unanimous). Read case details
• 💰 Fiscal 2028 cost-of-living adjustment. The committee voted 6-2 to recommend a 3.25 percent cost-of-living adjustment for non-union town employees in fiscal 2028, matching the committee's fiscal 2027 recommendation. Member Stephen Bonder opposed, arguing the committee could not responsibly set a percentage without understanding total labor costs. (Vote 6-2). Read case details

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Full meeting report

The complete, section-by-section account of the meeting, 2,249 words, for members.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.