By Susan MacEachron

First Selectman Henry Tirrell reviewed the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-27 with the Board of Finance at a meeting on April 14. The total cost to run the town and fund the schools is $9.4 million, a 2.05 percent increase over the current year. With a reduction in the capital reserve and in the positive fund balance, the budget as approved has no increase in the mill rate. Board of Finance Chair Michael Sconyers praised Tirrell and said it was “the finest piece of work he had seen in a long time.”

The town operating budget has three major components: Botelle School, Northwest Regional 7 School District and town government. Education costs are 50 percent of the budget, with Botelle accounting for 28 percent ($2.67 million) and Regional 7 at 22 percent ($2.1 million). All other town expenses are 50 percent of the budget. The town government expense is $4.7 million, with the largest component being $2 million for the Public Works Department.

Although the total operating expense for the town is $9.4 million, the town has various sources of revenue that provide a partial offset. The result is that the amount needed to be raised from property taxes is approximately $8.4 million. The mill rate would be unchanged at 22.49.

One significant component in the budget is $647,860 to cover debt service for various town loans. Slightly more than half ($325,000) of that amount is for interest and principal on the approximately $4 million loan for the extensive work on Maple Avenue and Botelle’s new roof. The firehouse debt service is $150,000, and the remaining $172,860 covers the outstanding loans for the River Place and Mountain Road bridges. In addition, the town made its final payment on the long-term loan for the EMS building of $127,406. This payment was covered from the remaining defined benefit plan funds.

Tirrell explained how the town can pay for two new plow trucks costing $270,000 each without being a burden on the annual budget. At a town meeting in April, the purchase of one new plow truck was approved using town funds that remained from the termination of the defined benefit plan. The second plow truck is being paid for with insurance money the town has been promised in settlement for the gas spill.

A significantly more expensive vehicle the town needs is a new fire truck. The Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department, after exploring several options, estimates the cost to be between $1.1 and $1.2 million. At the April town meeting there was approval to set aside $130,000 from the terminated defined benefit plan to establish a savings account dedicated to funding the future purchase. The proposed budget allocates an additional $130,000 to the account funded with monies from the gas spill settlement.
Tirrell said the town received a $10,000 insurance payment, the maximum amount allowed under the policy, for the litigation involving the Planning & Zoning Commission.

The Board of Finance held a public hearing on the budget on April 21 where public turnout was low. The town meeting to approve the budget will be held on Monday, May 11, at 7 p.m., at Botelle School.