Sherborn Finance Committee hears police and fire budgets, flags aging tanker crisis

Finance Committee · Meeting of January 28, 2026

Sherborn's Finance Committee reviewed level-service police and fire budgets and heard urgent capital requests at its January 28 meeting. Police Chief Galvin presented a roughly 4 percent wage increase driven by three employment contracts, plus $8,800 in returning grant costs, and a $75,000 request to replace a Chevrolet Tahoe. Fire Chief Ward reported a dramatic rise in full-recall incidents — 84 in 2025 versus 38 in 2024 — pushing fire-response wages well above prior budgets, and disclosed that a $25,000 reserve fund transfer is imminent to repair pump corrosion on Engine Three, a 2004 tanker the department calls critical for water supply across the town.

The ambulance revolving fund budget includes a phased EMT pay increase toward $24.60 per hour by January 2027, against a market rate of $27 to $28 at comparable services. The town's regional dispatch contract with Holbrook's A-TREC center expires after fiscal 2027, after which the full cost rises to $300,000 annually.

In the full story:

• The complete report — 1,017 words

Source: the Finance Committee meeting of January 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.