Douglas Finance Committee Reviews Tight Budget With 20 School Cuts and Surprise Backhoe Failure

DOUGLAS — April 7, 2026 — Douglas Finance Committee previews tight May 4 town meeting warrant dominated by school cuts, capital needs, and a vanishing free cash cushion. Meeting April 7, the committee heard that a surprise highway backhoe failure and doubled sludge-disposal costs — the water department's single largest budget line, now running at roughly $320,000 after years near $160,000 — are among the forces pushing projected free cash to approximately $577,000, below the town's preferred floor of $750,000, against a certified balance of $3,593,615. School officials Paul and Diana told the committee that a proposed $394,000 Special Town Meeting transfer, combined with grant revenue and line-item savings, will hold staff reductions to 20 positions for fiscal year 2027 rather than a potential 31. Capital Committee member Michael Fitzpatrick outlined a $680,000 fire tanker replacement — offset by $300,000 already in reserve — and a $360,000 road-paving appropriation under Annual Town Meeting Article 10. The committee tabled approval of its March 24 minutes pending clarification of whether Blackstone Valley Tech's reported six-position cut was captured in the record, with member Rob Leonardi assigned to review the recording.