The Longmeadow Select Board took its first look at the fiscal year 2026 budget at its March 24 meeting.
Photo credit: Longmeadow TV
LONGMEADOW — The Longmeadow Select Board got its first look at the fiscal year 2026 town budget, which closed a projected shortfall of more than $700,000 through level service funding and a cut in recommended capital projects.
In December 2024, Town Manager Lyn Simmons told the Select Board that a deficit of $707,639 was projected for the fiscal year ahead. It is routine for towns to have a gap in the primary draft of the annual budget. Since that time, the governor’s budget is slated to distribute about half as much state aid as originally expected, while local receipts, such as water and sewer bills, came in slightly higher.
There were other factors in the budget, such as a relatively low 4% increase in the rate paid to Scantic Valley Health Trust for health insurance. This year, Longmeadow became 100% responsible for its WESTCOMM emergency dispatch assessment, as the grant from State 911 has expired.
Simmons had instructed the town departments to prepare a level service budget request. It should be noted that budget increases are required each year to meet level services, as costs rise. The School Department, which typically makes up the lion share of the town’s budget, requested $41.39 million, a 3.2% increase over the FY25 budget. While she said the town was only able to fund a 3% increase, $81,000 less than requested, Simmons emphasized that the department’s ask was “reasonable” and said the schools were grappling with “rising costs that they do not have control over.”
The increase Simmons recommended to the DPW budget is 7.61%, bringing the departments budget to $6.42 million. She described it as “a pretty substantial investment” and said it reflects the “incremental” work toward fully funding and staffing the department. The two largest DPW line items are $75,000 for the athletic fields and $150,000 for HVAC contract services. There are also staff additions to the department, including a custodial operations foreman, laborers, custodial staff and a clerk. Simmons said the department actually requires more than could be funded this year.
Still facing a shortfall after using the full 2.5% tax increase allowed by law and other revenue sources, Simmons said that to balance the budget, a reduction had to be made in capital requests. The funding spent on capital expenses this year is $1.56 million, 28.19% lower than FY25. Rather than outright purchasing a chiller for Blueberry Hill School, the town manager’s recommendation was to bond for the $900,000 item and pay the debt service using the capital budget over the next five years.
Select Board member Dan Zwirko asked Simmons if the town office move to the Greenwood center had borne fruit financially. While still relatively recent, she said the town had started to see savings and efficiencies by having all offices under one roof.
To save money in the future, Select Board member Mark Gold recommended stretching out the town’s vehicle replacement schedule to squeeze an additional year of life out of the town’s fleet.
Select Board member Josh Levine questioned an increase in the legal services line of the budget, particularly as the town has seen some legal issues resolved. Simmons explained that the number in the budget more accurately reflected what is used for legal services each year. “We have had to replenish the legal fund every single year,” she said. Her goal in raising the amount of the line item is to not have to supplement it from free cash in the fall.
After a public hearing from the Finance Committee, the Select Board will vote on whether to approve the FY26 budget at its April 7 meeting.
