Warrant Committee Sets January Deadline for Belmont Center Overlay Financial Analysis

BELMONT -- December 17, 2025, Belmont Warrant Committee reviews fiscal year 2026 Q1 budgets and locks in overlay report timeline. The committee, meeting December 17, received first-quarter budget updates showing municipal investment income already at its full-year $500,000 budget target with expectations of exceeding $1 million, while special education contracted services on the school side are running above the prior-year pace against a $70,618,000 school budget. School Committee Finance Subcommittee Chair Amy Zuccarello said a budget transfer is under consideration that would shift general fund tuition dollars toward the contracted services line, offset by the district's approximately $5.5 million Circuit Breaker allocation, but committee member Tom Caputo cautioned that the move would permanently elevate the contracted services baseline in future budgets. Chair Paul Richter set a January 7 working session and a January 28 vote on the committee's financial analysis of the Belmont Center Overlay, with positions due February 25 ahead of a March 4 Special Town Meeting. The Belmont Public Library renovation was reported running approximately $500,000 under budget, with a grand opening celebration planned for the weekend of January 17.