Summary

Committee Approves Police and Town Budgets

WilbrahamMar 18, 20262 min read

At a glance

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The committee approved multiple departmental budgets, including $3,165,902 for the Police Department with funding for two vehicles totaling $126,000. It also increased the Tree Warden budget to $146,327 and approved a $1,939,036 Highway budget.

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Finance Committee

Topics discussed

Budget & TaxPublic SafetyEducation

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What this means

The approvals advance a large portion of Wilbraham’s proposed municipal spending, but they do not complete the full budget review. The committee postponed decisions on the Reserve Fund Transfer, Facilities, Recreation, Fire Department, and Library budgets. Fire staffing remains under review: the Select Board supports two firefighters, while the Fire Department requested four firefighters/EMTs to help operate a third ambulance.

Key decisions

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Approved multiple municipal budgets by roll-call vote, including Select Board/Town Administrator, technology, accounting, assessing, treasury, legal, technology, clerk, planning, insurance, pensions, dispatch, inspection, animal control, debt, engineering, cemetery, health, aging, veterans services, public access television, historic commission, and interest-on-debt accounts.
Removed the $250,000 Reserve Fund Transfer from the budget motion for later discussion; the amended motion passed 9-0.
Approved the Tree Warden budget at $146,327, including an increase for recurring canopy-raising work; the amended motion passed.
Approved $3,165,902 for the Police Department, including funding for two police vehicles at $126,000; the vote was 8-0-1.
Approved the Highway budget at $1,939,036 after discussion of capital projects and moving $150,000 from roads and paving to free cash; the vote passed with eight yes votes, while one member's vote had no audio or verbal confirmation.
Deferred votes on the Facilities, Recreation, Fire Department, and Library budgets to later meetings.
Discussed a price increase for two Dell servers from $52,000 to $55,000; the Select Board was scheduled to consider funding options on March 23, 2026.
Received an update that the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District budget would increase Wilbraham's share by $1,154,472; the committee did not vote on that budget at this meeting.

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