Duxbury Faces $1.7 Million Budget Shortfall, Considers Override
Selectboard reviews balanced budget and contingency options as town prepares for March 8 Town Meeting
DUXBURY - February 24 - The Duxbury Selectboard grapples with a $1.7 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2026, reviewing both a balanced budget with significant cuts and a contingency budget dependent on a Proposition 2 1/2 override.
"In fiscal year 26, we face a $1.7 million shortfall. The town manager, finance director, department heads, and school administration have wrestled with this and have worked hard to create a balanced budget that nobody is thrilled about, but ultimately, it's the best option we have given the circumstances," says Selectboard member Fernando Guitart.
The board voted to recommend both the balanced budget (Article 5A) and the contingency budget (Article 5B) to town meeting voters, acknowledging the difficult choices ahead.
Selectboard member Amy MacNab expresses concerns about the balanced budget, calling it "horrific" due to cuts to public health and safety. The budget includes layoffs in both police and fire departments.
"I can't in good conscience vote in favor of this article because it cuts the priorities as I see them," MacNab says.
Town Manager René Read confirms that the collective bargaining agreements with unions have provisions for reduction in force, and affected individuals have been notified.
Friend Weiler, vice chairman of the Finance Committee, notes that the committee voted 9-0 in favor of both budgets. He explains that departments with the most personnel, such as police, fire, and DPW, face the largest cuts.
"The departments that took the biggest hits, that people want to say, why are we picking on police, fire, and the DPW? That's where most of the people are," Weiler says.
Weiler emphasizes that the town has built itself in a certain way that comes with costs. "We've sort of built the town the way we want it to look and feel, and we have to decide whether we can afford to continue to do that. Either we can, and we will, and we're willing to pay the price, or we can't and we won't and we're going to have to change the way things are and it won't quite be the town that we've been."
The Selectboard also reviews and recommends approval of Article 4, which addresses funding for salaries. Human Resources Director Jeannie Horne presents the results of a classification and compensation study with a total estimated cost of $188,000.
The study examines 144 unique job titles across the town, using a point factor system with nine factors to evaluate positions. Horne explains that the town targets the 60th percentile for salary surveys to remain competitive.
The proposal includes a 2 percent increase in pay ranges and a one-time years of service adjustment for employees with pay below the midpoint of their grade range.
Horne notes that the town is not recommending a merit pool increase for fiscal year 2026 given the financial situation.
"As all of these costs are based on ability to pay, and the decision the management team made this year is that based on our ability to pay, something had to give," Horne says.
The board also reviews and recommends approval of the capital budget (Article 6), which allocates approximately $2.1 million in free cash for priority capital projects.
Alex Chin, chair of the Fiscal Advisory Committee, explains that requests for capital typically range from $6 million to $13 million annually, far exceeding available funding.
The town has scheduled public information sessions to discuss the proposed override:
- Wednesday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Duxbury Middle/High School Presentation Hall
- Friday, February 28 at 9:30 a.m. at the Duxbury Free Library's Merry Room
A separate tax relief for seniors session will be held at the Council on Aging Second Floor Large Classroom on Wednesday, February 26, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The Annual and Special Town Meeting will take place on Saturday, March 8, beginning at 9 a.m. at the Performing Arts Center. The Annual Town Election is scheduled for Saturday, March 22.
Other significant items addressed by the Selectboard include:
• Approval of a Green Municipal Aggregation rate structure that will allow Colonial Power Group to solicit bids from energy suppliers
• Recommendation of a proposed Town Hall Local Historic District to protect the 1840 Old Town Hall
• Review of Community Preservation Committee funding requests for Town Meeting, including tennis court reconstruction at Wadsworth Park
• Discussion of a climate emergency resolution, with the board requesting amendments to the language before making a recommendation
• Approval of supplemental appropriations in the special town meeting warrant, including repurposing existing funds for the fuel depot, PFAS mitigation, and Onion Field rehabilitation
The next Selectboard meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 3, at 6:30 p.m. in the Mural Room at Town Hall.