Douglas Finance Committee Hears Fire, Library Previews With Budget Pressure Mounting

DOUGLAS — February 10, 2026 — Douglas Finance Committee hears fire and library budget warnings ahead of tight FY27 season. Fire Chief John Furno and Deputy Fire Chief Kelly Manning told the committee February 10 that contractual wage increases will push fire department salary costs up roughly 5 to 6 percent in FY27, driven largely by a corrected overtime budget that now accounts for the department's 56-hour work week and chronic understaffing on one of its three platoon shifts. Turnout gear costs have risen from $2,300 a set in FY2021 to $4,528 today for new PFAS-free compliant gear required by FY2028, and a replacement engine now runs $1.1 million with a four-year wait. Ambulance receipts reached $481,000 in FY2025, but Town Administrator Matt Wojcik told the committee the department's roughly $702,000 operating budget request still requires approximately $270,000 from general revenues. Library Director Justin reported the library's capital reserve for building renovation stands at nearly $300,000 against a Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners estimate of $4.5 million for a code-compliant renovation. Wojcik closed the meeting with a blunt assessment: "I'm not getting good news. I'm just getting bad news all the time."