Norwell Faces Potential Override as Budget Challenges Mount
Town officials discuss need for tax increase amid rising costs, flat revenues
NORWELL - February 5 - Norwell officials are grappling with the possibility of an override as budget challenges continue to mount. At the Feb. 5 Select Board meeting, Town Administrator Darleen Sullivan reported that even a level service budget for fiscal year 2026 would require an override, with health insurance and pension costs being major drivers.
"We have restricted very limited, pretty flat revenues that we move off of every year and that we budget off of," Sullivan explained. "But we have obligations such as health insurances and pension and trash and a few things that put pressure on where, let's say we have a two to three and a half, maybe four and a good year percent, you know, across the board for revenues."
Sullivan noted that these expenses are increasing at double-digit rates, far outpacing revenue growth. "There's really not a way to keep up with that other than coming for an override," she said.
The town is currently exploring both override and non-override budget scenarios. Sullivan indicated her team is "looking at cuts as well as in any areas that we can do," but emphasized that Norwell has already made significant reductions in recent years.
"We've been really, really responsible in the past two years with already making cuts and maybe not backfilling or reducing hours in a couple of positions," Sullivan said. "So we're doing the best we can do, and we'll present to the board and to the advisory board a secondary budget to show what a no override would look like for Norwell and how it would impact our residents."
Select Board Chair Jason Brown noted that the board has not yet seen detailed budget figures. "I know that, you know, Darleen has been working and burning the midnight oil for the last week or two, really, you know, crunching into the budget and seeing where we are and trying to nail down what our position is," Brown said.
Sullivan expects to have more concrete numbers soon, particularly regarding health insurance costs, which she described as "the big driver of this story right now." She plans to present both override and non-override scenarios to the public, with forums scheduled before town meeting to answer questions and provide information.
The budget crunch comes as Norwell's commercial tax base has declined from approximately 15% to under 12% in recent years, according to Brown. This shift places a greater burden on residential taxpayers to fund town services and obligations.
"When we're talking about overrides and needing to carry the expenses going forward to the town, it's all on residential taxpayers," Brown said. He emphasized the need for creative approaches to economic development, stating, "We have to let people know that Norwell is open for business and we are pro-business."
The Select Board is scheduled to meet with the School Committee and Advisory Board on Feb. 13 to discuss budget matters further. Officials stressed that discussions are ongoing and final override amounts have not been determined.
In other business, the Select Board:
- Appointed five members to a new Ad Hoc Government Study Committee to review the town's charter and governance structure.
- Approved a motion to request $130,000 at Town Meeting to fund an update of Norwell's master plan, last completed in 2005.
- Discussed potential options for the future of the town-owned Jacobs Farmhouse, including possibly transferring it to a trust to reduce liability concerns.
- Appointed Brian Greenberg to the high school building committee, which is exploring options for renovating or replacing the current high school.
Try flat spending , pay and benefits increases before any tax increases, the state is bankrupt especially with illegal immigrant support. Going on $5 billion dollars.