Freetown faces record snow deficit in tight FY2027 budget
Freetown grapples with record snow spending and tight FY2027 budget. Town Administrator Deborah L. Pettey presented a $29,159,000 tax levy with a 2.5 percent increase but faces a $477,920 snow deficit from winter 2025-26. Rising school assessments add pressure: district schools up 10 percent,
Board of Selectmen · Meeting of April 13, 2026
Freetown grapples with record snow spending and tight FY2027 budget. Town Administrator Deborah L. Pettey presented a $29,159,000 tax levy with a 2.5 percent increase but faces a $477,920 snow deficit from winter 2025-26.
Rising school assessments add pressure: district schools up 10 percent, Bristol Plymouth up 24 percent. The Council on Aging and Library project, totaling $26 million after budget cuts, requires Town Meeting approval by June 1 to meet a grant deadline of June 30, and would cost homeowners approximately $130 per year over 20 years with a debt exclusion. The Board unanimously approved 12 routine matters including construction contracts, payroll upgrades, and police body cameras funded by a $150,000 grant.
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Source: the Board of Selectmen meeting of April 13, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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