Whately Boards Review FY27 Budgets, Shift Finance Vote to May 11

Select Board · Meeting of March 4, 2026

Whately's Finance Committee and Select Board jointly reviewed more than a dozen proposed FY27 operating budgets at their March 4 meeting, taking no final votes but flagging several areas of uncertainty. Town Accountant James presented a department budget showing a 51 percent decrease in expenses year over year, along with a one-time $3,760 cloud migration fee for the town's MIP accounting software. Historical Commission member Judy Marklin, who has served since 2008, sought a significant budget increase from the commission's longstanding $200 baseline to fund a QR-code walking audio tour of Whately's town center tied to the American Revolution's 250th anniversary.

Housing Committee Chair Grant Ikes requested level funding of $500 as a placeholder while the committee focuses on the DeMeo property on Routes 5 and 10. The town's legal firm, AP Law, is raising its hourly rate $10 to $260 for FY27. The Finance Committee's final budget vote was rescheduled from May 6 to May 11 at 5 p.m.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of March 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.