Belmont municipal departments present FY27 budgets under tight 3 percent cap

BELMONT -- December 10, 2025, Belmont Select Board reviews FY27 draft budgets for six municipal departments, with Town Administrator Patrice Garvin warning that at least $150,000 must still be cut before a February preliminary budget. Chair Matt Taylor, Vice Chair Taylor Yates, and Member Elizabeth Dion heard from DPW, Planning and Building, Facilities, Community Services, Board of Health, and IT at a 9:04 a.m. session December 10. DPW Director Jay Marcotte reported bulky-item pickups fell from 1,165 to 188 over five months after new collection fees took effect July 1, and outlined a proposed parks-and-cemetery staffing restructure to add a dedicated fields specialist. Planning and Building Director Chris Ryan sought relief for a building administrative assistant he said has absorbed building-inspector duties while capped at the top of her pay range, a union matter currently at the bargaining table. Facilities Director Dave Blazon flagged rising electric costs as the all-electric new rink and new library come online, while IT Chief Chris McClure said a server overhaul eliminated roughly $30,000 to $40,000 in annual VMware licensing costs. Taylor closed by noting the town now directs roughly 70 percent of its operating budget to school costs and said continued erosion of municipal services "has reached the limit."