Freetown Select Board Unanimously Approves $34.7 Million FY2027 Omnibus Budget

FREETOWN -- May 12, 2026, Freetown Select Board approves $34.7 million FY2027 budget on unanimous vote ahead of June town meeting. The board, meeting remotely via Zoom on May 12, voted 3-0 to adopt the $34,773,562.50 omnibus budget, which reflects a roughly $90,000 reduction in the town's school assessment following action by the state Legislature. Town Administrator Debbie told the board the change was critical, saying she had been "literally moving $5,000 from one budget, putting in another" to close gaps, including a cut to a highway department position that the $90,000 reduction allowed to be restored. The board also unanimously finalized the June 1 annual and special town meeting warrants, correcting the town moderator's stipend to $185 per meeting and removing an inapplicable recommendation line from a citizens' petition article. In a personnel matter, members approved a clerical fix to the town administrator's 2026–2029 contract, changing the automobile allowance from $500 annually to $500 monthly. The board adjourned at 9:20 a.m., 14 minutes after convening.