BURLINGTON WEATHER

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Burlington's Ways & Means Committee has begun the process of reviewing proposed departmental budgets for the upcoming fiscal year and casting their advisory votes.

Town Administration presented these budgets and their justifications to the Select Board at their February 25 meeting and the Ways & Means Committee on March 4, and the boards voted on each budget. This process will continue until all departmental budgets are approved.

This process, which takes place each year ahead of the town's annual Town Meeting in May, ends with a combined budget book that is presented to the 126 elected Town Meeting members for their consideration ahead of the vote. At the (typically multi-night) Town Meeting, which this year begins on May 11, members review the budget for each department, taking into consideration Ways & Means and Select Board feedback.

Capital requests (one-time large expenditures) will be presented in a similar way; those will be considered separately from operating budgets at Town Meeting.

The following departmental budgets were voted on at the Ways & Means meeting on March 4, 2026; all but one had already been voted on by the Select Board. Highlights of changes from previous years, as well as this year's advisory votes, are noted.

Human Resources - $276,607

This budget represents an increase from last year, accounted for by step increases for the HR Coordinator and HR Director, plus $1,200 to purchase a new applicant tracking system to replace the 17-year-old system that is currently in use.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0 | Select Board Vote: 5-0

Conservation Commission - $335,672

Increases this year mostly consist of salary increases.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0 | Select Board Vote: 5-0

Council on Aging - $620,094

The proposed budget for the Council on Aging garnered much discussion. The FY27 ask contains an increase in half a full-time equivalency for half a year for an Assistant Director (which would equate to a whole full-time equivalency if the role is continued into subsequent years). This role is intended to support succession planning for Director Marge Yetman, who will be retiring in August 2027.

Yetman, alongside Town Administrator John Danizio an Assistant Town Administrator Patrick Lawlor, highlighted the increase in the senior population, which is espected to contiue growing over the next 20-30 years, and the evolution of client expectations in programming.

Some members expressed concern about adding roles during a time when the town is trying to exercise more fiscal restraint.

Ways & Means Vote: 10-2-1 | Select Board Vote: 5-0

Accounting - $585,061

No major changes from FY26.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0 | Select Board Vote: 4-0-1

Legal - $230,000

This proposed budget was level from FY26; this covers general town counsel and labor counsel services.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0 | Select Board Vote: 5-0

Select Board/Town Administrator - $1,186,860

This budget's increase of around 3% over last year is accouned for by salary step increases. There are no headcount changes, and the communications officer position added last year was maintained.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0 | Select Board Vote: 5-0

Other Legislative Committees - $11,017

This budget was level-funded and is used for recording clerk services for committees without dedicated staff.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Sealer of Weights and Measures - $18,392

For a couple of years now, Burlington has shared a sealer of weights and measures 60-40 with Lexington. This increase represents a salary increase for the individual who holds that role.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0 | Select Board Vote: 5-0

The Ways & Means Committee and the Select Board will continue reviewing operational budgets and capital requests over the next several weeks.

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