Monday, February 24, 2025

Care Drive infrastructure marks key capital request as Erving begins FY26 budget talks

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ERVING — Department heads presented their fiscal year 2026 budget requests and hopes for capital projects on Monday, including multi-year, $2.35 million Care Drive infrastructure improvements.

The joint meeting of the Selectboard, Finance Committee and Capital Planning Committee began with a brief presentations from the general administration offices such as the tax collector, town accountant, treasurer, town clerk, assessors, planning and information technology (IT).

Department requests

Between all the line items presented Monday, the general fund budget request for FY26 is $1.52 million. For the FY25 budget, that number was $1.6 million. Other departments have yet to be reviewed.

Many of the offices reported no significant changes, but salary increases were budgeted in for most requests. Some personnel changes are included in FY26 budget planning, including accommodating retirements.

Town Accountant Deborah Mero, presenting the budget for her office, said there is an increase in the salary line in hopes of hiring an assistant accountant who could learn the ropes before transitioning into Mero’s role upon her departure. Town Administrator Bryan Smith also mentioned that auditing costs have gone up.

Principal Assessor Jacquelyn Boyden noted she will be retiring at the end of March. She hopes to hire either a new principal assessor, whose salary is budgeted in for FY26, or an assistant to train before she leaves her position. In the salary line item for the Assessors Office, there is an increase of $36,259 over FY25’s figures, bringing the initial request for FY26 to $108,587.

Selectboard Chair Jacob Smith confirmed with Boyden that she’d budgeted for a principal assessor position. Boyden noted that if a principal assessor isn’t hired but a lesser position is, there would be some extra capacity in the budget.

Tax Collector Michele Turner said her budget has no significant changes. There is a decrease in requested funds as a blended financial assistant position between the Tax Collector’s Office and the Assessors Office has decreased the salary line item from $36,109 to $34,216.

The general administration presentation by Bryan Smith covered funding for the town moderator, Selectboard, Finance Committee, personnel services, legal services, public buildings, property insurance, annual town reports, the town newsletter and public education governmental TV.

The public education governmental TV line item spurred discussion. Bryan Smith noted the prior budget allocated extra funding to film events and there is money left behind from that allocation. Per the budget materials presented, the town has used $16,333 of the $25,000 it budgeted for FY25. Bryan Smith asked if the town wished to continue with a level-funded request or decrease it to a contractual amount.

As the town has been operating without a Cable Advisory Committee, the Selectboard has been acting as the de facto committee. Selectboard member Scott Bastarache said he’s not opposed to leaving the extra money in the FY26 budget in an effort to increase transparency when it comes to filming other board meetings that aren’t typically filmed. Echoing that sentiment, Finance Committee Chair Debra Smith said she is not opposed to the level-funded budget as committees like hers host public hearings and information sessions that would benefit from being broadcast.

Capital requests

Capital projects were also part of the discussion, including a $2.35 million capital request from the Senior Housing Committee to start work on sewer and water infrastructure, as well as roadwork, associated with building the senior and multi-generational housing complex called Evergreen Circle at Care Drive.

Bryan Smith said the same request was reviewed for FY25 and was presented Monday to showcase refined numbers.

Finance Committee Chair Debra Smith clarified in a follow-up interview that this capital request was presented to keep the three boards apprised of the plan. This capital request, and all budget requests, will be reviewed further in the coming weeks, and more formal decisions on their inclusion in the budget will be made later on. It remains unclear whether the full request for $2.35 million would be handled in FY26 or broken up over multiple years. Debra Smith said the latter is more likely. Any grants the town can secure would also reduce costs.

The cost breakdown explains the sewer and water infrastructure project sits at roughly $1.69 million, with Tighe & Bond engineers expected to handle the work. Roadway construction is estimated to cost $623,000, and the town intends to work with Weston & Sampson engineers. Other associated costs, including site improvements and contingency, are worked into the $2.35 million figure.

Other funding considerations include a $300,000 IT request for security improvements at the wastewater treatment facility, $35,000 to replace hardware on 13 computers and $23,000 for licensing software replacements.

A copy of the FY26 initial budget requests is available at erving-ma.gov/administration-select-board/agenda/select-board-agenda-127.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.

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