At the forefront of the meeting was the presentation of the 2024 budget. The total municipal budget is set at $58,129,379.97, with a slight increase in the recommended municipal tax rate due to increased assessed valuation and the levy cap bank available from 2021 to 2022. The manager emphasized the importance of maintaining fiscal strength, improving infrastructure, enhancing services, growing the surplus fund, and reducing municipal debt. The conservative approach to meet the needs of the community and support municipal employees was noted. The budget presentation was met with no public comments or questions.

The discussion then delved into the 2023 financials, where the year-end Surplus balance showed a decrease of $48,181.14 compared to 2022. However, after applying anticipated 2024 revenue, the Surplus balance is expected to increase to $12,323,658.38. The cash Reserve balance for tax appeals stands at $6,219,494.91, and the outstanding municipal debt has decreased from $3,797,000 in 2010 to $10,788,000 in 2023. The Municipal open space fund balance was another focal point, recorded at $3,660,691.78.

Significant increases in appropriations for 2024 include salary and wages, employee group health, solid waste collection, and reserved for uncollected taxes. The employee group health insurance appropriation, in particular, saw a substantial increase of 99.7% due to changes in rates and participation. The Municipal budget’s revenues come from Surplus, miscellaneous revenues, receipts from delinquent taxes, and the amount to be raised by taxation, with the latter experiencing an increase of $98,900. The net valuation taxable for 2024 is $4,721,519,000, marking an increase of $115,167,500 over the previous year.

In line with financial planning, the council highlighted changes in major appropriations and revenue sources, including the addition of the 2% cannabis tax phased into four quarters. The town’s debt service was a topic of interest, with two outstanding bonds set to be rolled over, and the goal of being debt-free by 2027 was reiterated. The capital budget, which includes infrastructure and equipment upgrades across departments, was also addressed. Notably, the council discussed the procurement of an electric vehicle trash truck through a grant.

The meeting then shifted to the reappointment of members to various committees. Decisions included holding interviews for the Health Advisory Board due to multiple applications, the reappointment of Dr. Hunter as the historian, and the unanimous appointment of Mr. Joseph Sone to the Historic Preservation committee. The council discussed the Planning Board appointments and the transparency of conducting interviews for all applicants. The council also voted on appointments to the Public Safety committee, Recreation Advisory, Senior Executive, and Trails Open Space and Stewardship committees. The Rent Stabilization committee’s continuation was affirmed due to public engagement, and appointments to the Zoning Board of Adjustment were made with unanimous support for the reappointment of existing members.

One of the major decisions made during the meeting was the approval of a resolution supporting the audio recording of executive closed session meetings. This resolution was recommended by the municipal attorney, who advised that both handwritten notes and audio tapes be kept, with the tapes being confidential unless ordered by the court. Despite concerns about potential liability and impacts on discussion confidentiality, the resolution was approved.

In addition to the budget and appointments, the meeting touched on grant funding initiatives, specifically the allocation of $272,100 towards the Sheft Acquisition of Colonial Lake.