The Finance Committee on Monday voted to recommend most Town Meeting warrant articles with financial impact, including Article 23, a $122,762,030 budget for fiscal 2027. Without an override to restore cuts, the budget would lead to deep service reductions and at least 35 to 40 layoffs. That number is expected to climb when the school department announces another $1.5 million in cuts later this week.
“This has been one of the toughest budget seasons, certainly that I’ve been a part of, and one of the toughest that Marblehead has seen as well,” Finance Committee Chair Alec Goolsby said at the meeting.
The FinCom postponed making a recommendation on a joint override until after the Select Board votes Wednesday night on dollar amounts. A small group of town and school department leaders has been meeting over the last week to develop figures for a multi-year, multi-tiered override. Options range from restoring fiscal 2027 cuts to reinvesting in town programs and buildings. The FinCom will meet again closer to Town Meeting to make its recommendation on the override and any other articles with late numbers.
In addition to the budget, the Finance Committee voted to recommend approval of Article 4, the town’s zoning plan to comply with the state’s MBTA Communities law. The proposal identifies multifamily housing zones on Broughton Road and at Tedesco Golf Club…