Groveland Finance Committee Hears Four Department Budgets, Flags Aging Assessors Software

GROVELAND -- January 28, 2026, Groveland Finance Committee opens FY27 budget review with four department presentations, flagging aging software as a top risk. The committee heard from Council on Aging Director Alyssa Lee, who reported 14,886 service interactions in the past fiscal year and requested a 2 percent salary increase across most staff while asking the town to absorb van maintenance costs currently covered by a MassDOT grant of approximately $5,000. The Board of Assessors administrator Julie presented a level-funded budget but warned that the department's CANVAS property-valuation software, operated through Catalyst/Patriot Properties, is running on an unsupported version that "we cannot wait on" to replace, cost estimates are held by Town Administrator Rebecca for presentation at the next meeting. Building Commissioner Sam, who splits time with West Newbury, asked to restore his expense account to an inflation-adjusted $8,400, up from a prior cut to $4,800, citing rising postage and mileage costs. Highway Superintendent Arthur, presenting his first full budget, said the four-person crew is "pretty maxed out" and described new service lines including catch basin cleaning, street sweeping, and in-house line painting added in the current year.