Westborough releases proposed 2024 budget

By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor

WESTBOROUGH - The proposed fiscal 2024 budget is now on the town’s website.

During the Select Board meeting on Dec. 27, Town Manager Kristi Williams noted that the entire budget, including overview and charts, is now available on the town manager page.

Appendices comprise about two-thirds of the 1,200-page document, including the master plans for 2018 and 2021, as well as the climate action plan.

A look at the budget

Overall, the 2024 fiscal year budget is estimated at $129,833,309, or about 5.2% above the 2023 fiscal year budget.

Fixed costs are among the largest hikes in the proposed budget. The town’s electricity budget, Water Enterprise Fund electric line item, and the Sewer Enterprise Fund electric line item are slated to increase by an average of 30% for fiscal 2024.

The average single-family home can expect an increase in the tax bill ranging from $731 to $888. According to the town’s budget message, this is because of rising home values, as well as proposed increases to the 2024 budget.

To lessen the impact, the town plans to use $450,000 in free cash to lower the tax rate. If implemented, the estimated tax hike will be reduced from $888 to $830.

What’s being requested

Here’s a look at some of the requests for the 2024 fiscal year: Police Department – Request for a part-time, non-benefited animal control assistant. Amount of the request is $13,061; this position is part of an intermunicipal agreement with Grafton.

Community Development –Request for a full-time sustainability coordinator/community development assistant, which was deferred in the 2023 fiscal year. Responsibilities will include implementation of climate action plan and related master plan goals, staff support of Sustainable Westborough as well as providing general support to the department, including application review, website maintenance and customer service. This request would cost $52,468, not including benefits. This position will be partially funded by a National Grid/ Eversource grant up to $25,000. Community Development is also requesting $3,900 for an expansion of PermitPro.

Department of Public Works – Request for two new positions, maintenance craftsperson/tree and maintenance craftsperson/sewer. These positions will each work 40 hours per week and will be benefits eligible.

DPW is requesting $64,057 for the tree position, not including benefits (10% of this cost would be funded through water user fees); and $64,057 for the sewer position, not including benefits

(10% of this cost would be funded through water user fees, 90% through sewer user fees).

Fire Department – Request for a new firefighter/paramedic, 42 hours per week, with benefits. Amount of the request is $82,465, not including benefits.

Capital project requests

Here’s a look at some of the capital requests, which totals $7,332,608.

Police Department –$265,000 to replace cruisers.

Department of Public Works – About $500,000 to replace vehicles, including a wood chipper, a bucket truck and a six-wheel dump truck.

School Department – $5.5 million for Hastings Elementary School – $5 million for Americans with Disabilities Act construction, $504,000 for roof design plans.

Information

Technology

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About $270,000 for municipal tech upgrades, including Office Microsoft365 migration and infrastructure updates.

Some ARPA funds remain

Some projects were funded by the $5.72 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), including the roof at Armstrong School and three additional police officers and a cruiser.

There remains $169,865 for fiscal 2024; the town’s finance team will determine how best to expend these funds. The deadline to decide on how to spend these funds is Dec. 31, 2024; the deadline to spend these funds is Dec. 31, 2026.

Town staff and officials will be gathering later this week for its budget summit on Jan. 26 after the Community Advocate goes to press.