Douglas faces near-$1 million snow-and-ice deficit, free cash transfer planned

DOUGLAS — February 24, 2026 — Douglas Finance Committee hears highway deficit could approach $1 million as salt runs low. Highway Superintendent and Building Maintenance Manager Adam Furnow told the Finance Committee on February 24 that the town's snow-and-ice account, which started the fiscal year at $266,000, had already been nearly exhausted by January 18 — before the season's largest storm — and that total spending could approach or reach $1 million. The town's salt shed, which normally holds 22 truckloads, was down to four, at $2,237 per load from the primary supplier. Town Administrator Gene explained that Douglas will address the deficit through a free cash transfer at a special town meeting rather than inflating next year's appropriation, warning that raising the budget too aggressively in response to a bad year would permanently lock in a higher floor under state rules. Furnow also flagged a patchwork electrical system at Town Hall — panels dating from the 1920s through the 1990s, none fully labeled — as a serious long-term concern, and said a conservation agent position potentially shared with Sutton awaits cost details from Town Administrator Matt Wojcik.