The most pressing topic at the meeting was the town’s financial challenges, particularly the school department’s budget. Szczebak stressed the need for a streamlined budgeting process guided by principles of efficiency, transparency, and responsibility. He noted that maintaining level funding for the school department would have simplified the budgeting process but was not feasible due to increasing health insurance costs and transportation expenses. The school committee is set to provide a comprehensive budget overview at the next Select Board meeting, highlighting the significant impact of these fiscal demands on the town’s overall budget.

To address budget constraints, Szczebak discussed reorganizations within the budget, including consolidating departmental budgets for maintenance, custodial work, and waste disposal. He emphasized the importance of examining unused special accounts, grants, and trusts, some of which have been dormant for decades, to determine their potential for repurposing. The operating stabilization fund, currently at $950,000, falls below the recommended 10% of the total budget, while the capital stabilization fund stands at $350,000. Szczebak expressed a desire to build these funds to recommended levels, though he acknowledged this would not be achievable in the current budget cycle.

The library’s budget was another focal point, with a detailed presentation revealing that salary adjustments primarily drove budget increases. The library director highlighted the critical role of state grants, amounting to approximately $177,000 last year, in sustaining library operations. Staffing changes, including increasing part-time employee hours to provide benefits, prompted discussions about the financial implications of such moves. The director expressed a desire for a more robust staffing structure to enhance service delivery and emphasized the need for a long-range plan, as the last one was established in 2012.

The Parks Commission also presented its budget, focusing on the challenges of maintaining and enhancing public parks. The integration of waste removal services into the town-wide waste budget relieved some financial burdens. However, the need for improvements, such as Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and renovations to water management systems, was emphasized. The commission faces challenges with underutilized spaces like the LBR Field’s adult baseball diamond and overused soccer fields.

Water management emerged as a key issue, with discussions on the potential installation of a well to reduce irrigation costs, currently estimated between $7,000 to $10,000 annually. The commission considered a feasibility study for a well, with rough estimates around $50,000 to $60,000, as a sustainable financial decision. Maintaining field quality remains a priority, with plans for proper care, such as aerating and overseeding, to support the increasing demand for park usage.

Cemetery management was also discussed, with a focus on maintenance, expansion, and modernization efforts. The Cemetery Commission addressed the need for computerized record-keeping, with a placeholder figure of $6,000 mentioned for software costs. The commission seeks to expand into a southwest corner of the cemetery, designing it for better accessibility and a park-like atmosphere. The cost of tree maintenance and unforeseen expenses, such as erosion repairs from a ruptured pipe, highlighted the financial challenges faced by the commission.

The meeting also touched on the implementation of a townwide e-permitting system, with a budget of $44,000 allocated for this initiative. The system aims to streamline the permitting process. This initiative reflects the town’s broader efforts to improve operational efficiency and fiscal management.