Selectboard Faces $1.6M Budget Shortfall; Schools Report $3M Gap
Bellingham confronts $1.6M deficit and $3M school shortfall in FY27 budget cycle. Town Administrator Joseph Laydon presented the projections to a joint meeting of the Selectboard, Finance Committee, and School Committee, citing rising health insurance costs as the primary driver alongside
Selectboard · Meeting of February 18, 2026
Bellingham confronts $1.6M deficit and $3M school shortfall in FY27 budget cycle. Town Administrator Joseph Laydon presented the projections to a joint meeting of the Selectboard, Finance Committee, and School Committee, citing rising health insurance costs as the primary driver alongside declining new growth and union contracts. Schools reported their $3 million gap is driven by contractual salary increases and operational growth in special education and transportation.
The Selectboard unanimously approved a fire service software contract with Locality Media, LLC dba First Due and authorized Laydon to execute contracts under $10,000 without approval.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 253 words
Source: the Selectboard meeting of February 18, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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