Duxbury Faces Budget Constraints with Service Cuts
Selectboard discusses financial challenges leading to reduced municipal services while evaluating town manager's performance amid difficult fiscal year
DUXBURY - July 28 - The Duxbury Selectboard addressed significant budget challenges and service reductions during its July 28 meeting, while also conducting the annual evaluation of Town Manager René Read, who received an overall score of 2.60 out of 4.0.
The town has implemented several service cuts following the failed override vote in March, including closing Town Hall to walk-in traffic on Fridays, Sunday closures at the Duxbury Free Library, and reduced hours at the Transfer Station from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
"The change in hours to walk-in traffic is not a day off for the employees, as they will be at Town Hall and they will be working," Read explained in a detailed memo to the board. "This change is necessitated by the need for the employees to complete their normal workload while absorbing the workload of positions that were reduced following the override vote in March."
The town lost 33% of administrative staff in Read's department alone, forcing remaining employees to absorb additional responsibilities. Town Hall employees continue working on Fridays but are not available for public walk-in services, allowing staff to catch up on work previously handled by eliminated positions.
Finance Director Mary MacKinnon outlined the town's fiscal 2027 budget planning priorities during the meeting. The top priority involves funding all fixed and mandatory costs, followed by retaining existing staffing levels in police and fire departments, including two positions each that were restored in a June special town meeting.
The third priority sets school funding at up to a 3% increase, while the fourth priority examines all other budget lines to prepare a balanced budget, which may result in additional staff reductions. A fifth priority involves developing an override budget that seeks to restore eliminated positions.
"The town is actively working to close our fiscal 25 books for year-end June 30, 2025," MacKinnon said. "Our forecast for FY 27 is being actively updated as we look at and analyze our actual revenue and expenditure performance."
Six collective bargaining agreements expired June 30, affecting police commanders, police patrol and sergeants, firefighters, Department of Public Works employees, library staff, and public safety dispatchers. These ongoing negotiations will impact the fiscal 2027 budget.
Department heads proposed several cost-saving measures for evaluation, including revisiting short-term rental regulations, adding parking kiosks at beach locations, sponsorship signs at sporting fields, and selling town-owned property including the Wright Building and Girl Scout House. Other suggestions include evaluating insurance deductibles, adding golf course holes, reducing working hours across departments, and potentially closing the town pool.
Selectboard member Fernando Guitart emphasized the importance of maintaining public safety services beyond police and fire departments. "We've got to keep the roads open," Guitart said, advocating for adequate highway department staffing to respond to emergencies and weather events.
The Department of Public Works lost four positions in the fiscal 2026 budget, with Director of Public Works Sheila Sgarzi indicating current staffing levels are insufficient for adequate emergency response.
During the town manager evaluation, board members provided mixed feedback on Read's performance across six categories: leadership and vision, execution of policy, financial management, relations with the Selectboard, employee management, and community relations.
Chair Brian Glennon explained his scoring approach, noting that a score of 2 represents solid performance meeting expectations. "Any twos that I gave, which was I think most of my scoring, was to show that I think you're a solid performer," Glennon said.
Board member Amy MacNab raised concerns about employee morale and suggested improved communication between management and staff. "I think some of the best managers and bosses, you know, kind of walk around to the different departments and establish, you know, a friendly, personal, hi, how you doing, how's it going?" MacNab said.
Guitart acknowledged the challenging fiscal year while noting improvements in Read's approach to working with the five-member board. "It's going to be really tough," Guitart said regarding ongoing community relations challenges.
The evaluation resulted in a 2% cost-of-living adjustment for Read, consistent with increases provided to other municipal employees, bringing his annual salary to $194,608.49.
Public comments during the meeting included criticism of recent changes to municipal services and concerns about communication with residents. Resident Maureen Sullivan Caruso expressed frustration about learning of service hour changes by chance and criticized what she perceived as a lack of community engagement.
The board also addressed other municipal business, including swearing in two new police officers, Connor Doyle and Michael Rockoff, and approving various committee appointments and one-day liquor licenses for community events.
The next Selectboard meeting is scheduled for Aug. 11 at 6:30 p.m.