West Brookfield Finance Committee Approves Budgets, Senior Center to Close Fridays

Finance Committee · Meeting of March 24, 2026

West Brookfield Finance Committee votes through a dozen budgets and hears three school closure scenarios as town faces structural deficit. The committee unanimously recommended all departmental line items reviewed Monday, including a Council on Aging payroll of $61,225.05 and expenses of $28,980.32, cuts that will close the senior center on Fridays. County retirement came in at $532,635, up 8.85 percent, and health insurance was set at $527,500 following a 12.82 percent increase from provider Maya.

Quaboag Regional School District Superintendent Steve walked the committee through three budget scenarios, keeping current configuration at roughly $2.65 million above minimum contribution, reconfiguring grade bands at roughly $1.6 million above minimum, or closing a school at $872,000 above minimum, with about half of that figure consisting of unemployment costs. Select Board member Cammie Lamica disclosed that a special Select Board meeting has been posted for Thursday at 6 p.m. to consider amending the existing $1.1 million override ballot question in light of the new school figures. Town finance officials said free cash reserves have been exhausted and warned that a second round of budget cuts is likely regardless of whether the override passes.

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Source: the Finance Committee meeting of March 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.