Acushnet Finance Committee Approves Level-Funded FY27 Budgets, Advances Warrant Articles

ACUSHNET -- May 18, 2026, Acushnet Finance Committee approves level-funded FY27 departmental budgets and three warrant articles at May 18 meeting. The committee voted unanimously to recommend 18 level-funded departmental budgets, including street lights at $27,350, veterans at $142,397, ice and snow at $110,000, and parks at $49,967, while holding police, DPW highway, technology, and enterprise fund budgets for further negotiation. Chairman Dr. Michael R. Boucher formally introduced new Town Administrator Adam Lamontagne, who noted trash bid savings had helped reduce the overall deficit; outgoing administrator Jamie Kelly said the town remains close to closing the gap but faces a $410,102 Old Colony Regional assessment he called a "budget buster" that consumes nearly half of available revenue growth. The committee approved Article 17, transferring $25,000 from the EMS reserved receipts account to establish a repair and maintenance reserve fund, and Article 32, creating a new beautification donation account allowing direct receipt of donated funds without a town meeting appropriation, both unanimously. Kelly cautioned residents watching that despite news headlines suggesting the state was distributing $1.8 billion more to municipalities, Acushnet's actual share of the state aid increase amounts to approximately $88,000.