Select Board weighs $2 million override to fund FY27 budget
Select Board · Meeting of April 7, 2026
Great Barrington town manager trims FY27 budget 5.78% but ties the plan to a $2 million ballot question. At a joint Select Board and Finance Committee meeting, the town manager said she cut $1,006,379 in operating costs to reach a $16,354,835 budget while still funding a 2 percent raise for all staff and avoiding layoffs. She warned that if voters reject the override or debt exclusion, free cash reserves would drop to just $171,000.
A procurement audit has already found roughly $800,000 in questioned contracts on one town project. Southern Berkshire Ambulance Squad's CFO, Patrick, sought $414,000 in operating funds plus a $490,000 citizens' petition for two new ambulances, prompting board pushback over repeated 30 to 40 percent annual increases. A board member, Michelle, separately warned the Shaw Bridge cannot withstand truck traffic now detouring around the closed, sinkhole-damaged Division Street Bridge.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 862 words
Source: the Select Board meeting of April 7, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
Keep reading with a 30-day free trial
Subscribe to Great Barrington News to keep reading this post and get 30 days of free access to the full post archives.
Starting a trial requires a payment method. After 30 free days your subscription begins at the price shown at checkout and renews automatically until you cancel. You can cancel anytime from your account. Subscription terms
A subscription gets you:
- Subscriber-only posts and full archive
- Post comments and join the community
- 24x7 access to local news