Bellingham Selectboard forwards amended town-side budget to Finance Committee

BELLINGHAM -- March 2, 2026, Bellingham Selectboard unanimously approved a restructured town-side budget totaling $486,486 in departmental cuts and forwarded it to the Finance Committee Monday. Town Administrator Joe Malines worked with incoming Finance Director Chris to restore portions of originally proposed reductions across police, fire, DPW, and animal control, holding the police net reduction to $135,000 and fire to roughly $107,000 while preserving staffing levels across departments. The board said the action is the opening move of a multi-year fiscal strategy, with sustainability scenarios already being mapped to FY29 and FY30. Separately, the board continued a public hearing on a Class 1 dealer's license for Cranes 101 Inc. at 57 Mendon Street to April 6, directing town counsel KP Law to draft formal conditions including a four-vehicle cap on the rear lot, after neighbors raised sight-line, noise, and runoff concerns. The board also awarded a water leak detection contract to low bidder Water and Waste Pipe Testing Inc. of Rowley at $159,000, approved no-excuse mail-in voting for the June 2 local election, and voted to place a vacant one-year library trustee seat on that same ballot.