Great Barrington — The town has announced its schedule of meetings for determining its fiscal 2026 budget.
On January 31, Interim Town Manager Christopher Rembold submitted a proposed town budget for fiscal 2026. “An initial draft budget, focused on level services, was determined to be too high and would have exceeded our levy limit,” Rembold wrote in a letter at the beginning of his proposal. “Therefore [former] Town Manager [Mark] Pruhenski requested that department heads reexamine their needs and revise their proposals in an attempt to achieve level-funded budgets. I accepted many, but not all, of those suggestions, and adjusted others.”
In his letter, Rembold wrote that fiscal 2026 “will be another tight budget year.” “We are using a conservative approach here, and we hope this will result in a stronger position than fiscal 2025,” Rembold wrote. “Nevertheless the work of the Selectboard and Finance Committee in the coming weeks will be difficult. Fixed costs, including debt service, retirement assessment, and insurance expenses, continue to increase. Infrastructure needs continue to be high. Future capital needs are extraordinary, even more so when factoring in the expected costs of a new high school. Great Barrington, like most communities in the Commonwealth, relies heavily on revenues generated by local property taxes. This year is no different with an estimated 78 percent of our total Town and school budget funded from taxation. To maintain quality services while remaining fiscally responsible, you may be required to determine the extent to which some programs and services can no longer be sustained.”
Rembold’s proposed town operating budget is about $16.8 million, a $423,766 (2.6 percent) increase from this year’s fiscal budget.
Rembold wrote that the estimated assessment for the town’s share of the Berkshire Hills Regional School District Budget is about $22.1 million, a $1.05 million (five percent) increase from this year’s fiscal budget. However, the final proposed school district budget for fiscal 2026 has not been released, and it is not known what the school district will request from the town.
The town’s proposed Wastewater Treatment/Enterprise Fund operating budget is proposed for $3.19 million, a $34,872 (1.11 percent) increase over this fiscal year.
Rembold wrote that the proposed budget assumes that approximately $30.8 million of revenue will be collected through local property taxes, which is an increase of $752,087 (2.5 percent) from this fiscal year. “This year’s budget assumes that $2,965,250 will be collected through local revenue streams,” Rembold wrote. “This conservative estimate remains unchanged from last year and includes motor vehicle excise taxes, license/permit and inspection fees, and local option taxes from rooms, meals, and the sale of retail marijuana products.”
As for Rembold’s proposed departmental line item increases, as specified in his letter:
- A $7,835 increase (0.37 percent) in General Government due to cuts and near-level funding. Rembold is proposing a General Government budget of $2.10 million for fiscal 2026.
- A $54,279 increase (2.54 percent) in the Police Department line item due to staff restructuring, overtime adjustments, and a new assessment line item. Rembold is proposing a Police Department budget of $2.19 million for fiscal 2026.
- A $909,669 increase (1.36 percent) increase in the Fire Department line item “with minimal growth, but future years may require additional paid staffing.”
- A $107,265 (10.69 percent) increase in the Buildings and Grounds line item to cover repairs to town buildings.
- A $34,475 (41 percent) increase to support lifeguards and youth programming. “A proposed security camera funding request was not recommended.”
- For the proposed Council on Aging line item, Rebold proposed a decrease of $2,986 (1.21 percent) from this year’s budget of $246,766 to $243,789. “A decrease is recommended in the Van Driver line item,” Rembold wrote. “This is a modest cut and I hope that rather than result in fewer service hours, fares or grant funds could shoulder more of the cost burden.”
For capital budget requests, Rembold is requesting $17.5 million, with $7.59 million in funding expected through various sources including Chapter 90 funding, grants, and Community Preservation Act funding.
Rembold is proposing the following capital improvement projects:
- $15 million for various road projects. “The projects include completing neighborhood streets in the Gilmore Avenue area and the Kirk and Hart Street area of Housatonic Village,” Rembold wrote. “Engineering funds are proposed to advance Park Street Route 183 in the state’s TIP (Transportation Improvement Project) funding process, and for other road and bridge projects as needed. We are optimistic that grants can be received to replace the culvert on Brush Hill Road, perhaps for 100 percent of the cost. Crack sealing and guard rail replacements are proposed to continue. And, some deteriorated and unnecessary cemetery roads are scheduled for removal. Seekonk Cross Road, over two miles long, is in design now and is proposed to be rehabilitated in FY26, funded by borrowing.”
- $683,000 for buildings and grounds projects, proposed to be funded by borrowing 71 percent of the funds and using 29 percent of Community Preservation Act grants. Rembold wrote that the town plans on addressing some of the projects deferred last year and will also use the funds for work on the redesign of the Ramsdell Library.
- $189,400 for the purchase of new equipment for various town departments. This includes an all-weather drone and an e-bike for the Police Department, new radios for the Fire Department, and new mowers for the Department of Public Works.
- $397,000 for work at various parks around town, including replacing aging play equipment and installing cameras at parks at Olympia Meadows and Lake Mansfield.
- $1.07 million for new vehicles, including the replacement of a Freightliner dump truck, two DPW trucks, and two police cruisers, along with the purchase of an excavator, a utility van, and two transit vehicles.
The series of Selectboard and Finance Committee meetings to discuss the budget for fiscal 2026 will be held both in person at Town Hall and online via Zoom.
The first meeting in the series will be on Tuesday, February 11, at 6 p.m., and will review the proposed budgets of the following departments:
- Selectboard/Town Manager
- Finance Committee/Reserve Fund
- Town Accountant
- Technology
- Assessors’ Office
- Collector/Treasurer
- Human Resources
- Town Clerk
- Building Inspector
- Health Department
- Debt Service
- Retirement
- Insurance
- Community Services
- Veterans’ Affairs
- Boards and Commissions
- Celebrations and Events
The second meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 12, at 6 p.m., and will review the proposed budgets of the following departments:
- Conservation Commission
- Planning Board
- Zoning Board of Appeals
- Planning/Community Development
- Council on Aging
- Libraries
- Buildings and Grounds
- Highway
- Parks and Recreation
The third meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, at 6 p.m., will review the proposed budgets of the following departments:
- Police Department
- Fire Department
- Emergency Management
- Animal Control
- Special Articles
- Capital budget
A fourth meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 20, at 6 p.m., for a budget review and discussion. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, at 6 p.m.
Click here more information on the proposed budget for fiscal 2026.