West Newbury Pulls Three Warrant Articles, Advances Capital Budget Items

Select Board · Meeting of March 4, 2026

West Newbury Select Board and Finance Committee pull three warrant articles and advance multiple capital requests at joint March 4 meeting. The Select Board voted unanimously to remove Article 39, which would have enabled the town to raise its retiree health insurance contribution from 50 percent to 65 percent, with Chair Wendy Reed and Member Barry Fogel citing an actuary's presentation of costs they called "staggering" and a possible bond-rating impact. Article 26, a shared DPW barn energy project, was also withdrawn after the Water Commission raised concerns about an $81,000 department deficit and the absence of any written cost-sharing agreement among building occupants.

The Finance Committee approved a compact excavator not to exceed $100,000, a $35,000 zero-turn mower, $50,000 for Page School window repairs, a $15,000 equipment trailer, and a $1,301.25 unpaid fiscal year 2024 police detail bill. Town Manager Angus told the Finance Committee that the building department alone generates more than $200,000 annually in permit fees, warning that a town meeting vote rejecting both proposed fee-setting options would force budget cuts or a tax rate increase.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of March 4, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.