Budget Constraints Threaten Duxbury's Fourth of July Parade and Beach Party
Town officials discuss funding challenges for beloved community events as budget cuts impact public safety overtime
DUXBURY - May 5 - Duxbury's annual Fourth of July parade and Labor Day beach party face an uncertain future due to budget constraints following the failure of a recent override vote.
Town officials reveal the two events cost approximately $88,000 to run, with $40,000 in celebration costs and $48,000 in police and fire overtime expenses.
Town Manager René Read explains that while Town Meeting typically appropriates $25,000 for the Fourth of July Committee, the remaining $63,000 gap has historically been absorbed by police and fire department budgets.
"They were simply eaten by the departments," Read says. "Because they had the staff on board for their basic shifts and now with the reduction in staff, their overtime dollars are going to be exclusively used for their shift coverage."
The funding challenge emerges as departments face staffing reductions following the failure of a budget override vote, leaving them unable to absorb the additional overtime costs as they have in previous years.
Finance Director Mary MacKinnon confirms the town has met with the Fourth of July Committee about potential fundraising efforts to help offset expenses.
"We asked them about their fundraising efforts to see if there was an opportunity to get some additional private partnerships to help offset this expense because we know that we've got a lean budget going into FY26," MacKinnon says.
Read notes the committee currently raises about $20,000 annually in donations, leaving them approximately $35,000 short of covering all expenses.
Selectboard member Amy MacNab expresses concern about the potential loss of these community traditions.
"It's my understanding that these festivities are really in jeopardy," MacNab says. "I understand town meeting spoke, but at the same time these festivities are part of the fabric of our community and important to a lot of people."
Selectboard member Michael McGee points out that the Labor Day beach party actually generates revenue for the town through beach sticker sales.
"People are lined up on the bridge with paper purchases of beach stickers to go to that Labor Day party. We make money for that beach simply on that party," McGee says. "People literally spend $180 to drive onto that beach for one day."
The funding challenge for these events comes as the town faces broader budget constraints. MacKinnon presented preliminary fiscal 2027 budget planning information showing the town continues to face a structural deficit even after recent budget cuts.
In other business, the Selectboard voted to refer a proposed zoning bylaw to the Planning Board that would bring Duxbury into compliance with the state's MBTA Communities Act.
The law requires Duxbury to identify at least 50 acres where property owners would have the right to build multifamily housing.
The MBTA Communities Working Group presents a plan that focuses on overlaying existing dense developments to minimize immediate impacts while maintaining eligibility for state grants.
"We're creating a plan that complies with the MBTA Communities Act in case our lawsuit fails," says Steve Gandt, chair of the working group. "We're zoning properties where development of new housing would be extremely difficult or unlikely without considerable costs or demolition of what's already there."
The proposed overlay districts include the Village at Duxbury property on Kingstown Way and the Park at Island Creek apartment buildings on Tremont Street, along with a portion of the First Baptist Church property.
Tag Carpenter, a working group member, explains the strategy aims to maintain control over zoning while preserving access to state funding.
"It is the current policy of the Healey-Driscoll administration that all discretionary state grants to municipalities may be subject to compliance with section 3A," Selectboard Chair Brian Glennon says, referencing an affidavit from the state's Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
The Selectboard unanimously votes to refer the proposed bylaw to the Planning Board for review and public hearing. A special town meeting vote on the bylaw is scheduled for June 16.
Other Key Items:
- The Selectboard votes to close the June 16 special town meeting warrant, which includes articles on MBTA zoning, accessory dwelling units, and citizen petitions to use stabilization funds to hire two police officers and two firefighters.
- Recreation Director Steve Studley clarifies the beach escorting program, explaining that while the town is encouraging residents to complete the required training, multiple factors including staffing, weather, and wildlife conditions must align for escorting to be available.
- The Selectboard discusses plans for an employee well-being survey and other initiatives to engage with town employees following recent budget challenges.
- The Hazard Mitigation Plan update is presented, outlining the town's efforts to address natural hazards including flooding, high winds, winter storms, wildfires, and extreme temperatures.