The West Springfield Town Council approved all aspects of the fiscal year 2027 budget at its meeting on June 1.
Photo credit: West Side Media
WEST SPRINGFIELD — The West Springfield Town Council has closed out the budgeting season with unanimous approval for fiscal year 2027.
The FY27 capital and operating budget public hearing wrapped up before the Town Council began each round of voting at the meeting on June 1.
The general fund operating budget for $138,085,319 was voted on with no discussion among the council, aside from Councilor Anthony DiStefano, who gave kudos to those involved in the budget planning.
This number includes the main operating budget of $137.2 million and a non-recurring operating budget of $870,375, which are one-time expenditures that aren’t expected to repeat in future budget years.
Mayor William Reichelt said anything over $150,000 will be considered capital and anything under it will fall into the non-recurring budget. The capital fund is set at $8,615,000.
The council also passed $7.2 million for the water enterprise fund, $6.1 million for the sewer enterprise fund and approved the intergovernmental agreement with the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission.
Councilor Frederick Connor said that the School Department budget is nearly half of the operating budget, which was recommended by Reichelt at $58.7 million, and asked about the cut staff positions and how the department moved from a level service budget to a level funded budget.
West Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefania Raschilla said that some positions were combined, such as the executive director of compliance taking the role of an open special education director because he already oversaw the department. The closing of Mittineague Elementary School, which was a big cut in itself, also saw a cut with a principal position.
Raschilla added that as educators retire or don’t renew, the positions are cut out of the budget.
Resident Linda Parent had a few revenue questions during the public hearing regarding where the MassHealth reimbursements, drug rebates from the insurance company and the “Wi-Fi money” were in the budget.
Chief Financial Officer Sharon Wilcox said the reimbursements were all included in a miscellaneous line item of $100,000 in local revenue and the drug rebates were included in the health insurance appropriation and a monthly settlement statement from Blue Cross Blue Shield.
The “Wi-Fi money” was included in the broadband enterprise fund, which did pass with $2.52 million.
Connor said during the broadband enterprise discussion that fiber is moving forward at a quickening pace and that this is something to get excited about. He added that it has become very popular in town, trumpeted by the public and the people in town government.
“Despite the delays, I’m encouraged we will move forward,” Connor said. “Although, there is a little catching up to do, we can look forward to this being a profit center at some point, I truly believe we can all look forward to that as we enjoy the fast internet service that’s coming our way.”
Councilor Diana Coyne said that everyone was focused, thoughtful and disciplined during the budget meetings and that the town is in a “whole lot better state than many of the municipalities right around us while we maintained, as best as possible, our stability, our services, our safety in our community.”
“I do look at things from a return on investment, and we’re seeing value,” Coyne said. “We’re seeing roads paved, we’re seeing our sidewalks put in … everyday, [town departments] are making impacts in everyones lives that are in this town in one way shape or another.”
