East Bridgewater Finance Committee Approves $15,099 in Reserve Transfers Amid Fiscal Warning

EAST BRIDGEWATER — April 1, 2026 — East Bridgewater Finance Committee approves two reserve fund transfers and hears urgent fiscal warning from chair. The committee unanimously approved a $4,500 transfer to purchase equipment — including a photo ID badge printer, resident no-solicitation decals, and lanyards — needed to begin enforcing the town's new solicitation permit bylaw, and a separate $10,599 transfer to cover insurance deductibles on two active legal cases. Finance Committee Chair David Walsh then delivered a stark assessment after meeting with bond counsel earlier in the day, warning that free cash has dropped from $2.7 million to $1.2 million, that the town carries roughly $350,000 in outstanding past-due property tax debt, and that a reliance on stabilization fund draws for operating expenses is "not sustainable." Walsh said he does not believe the town can fund its $400,000 Chapter 90 road supplement this year and called for "a year of correction," raising questions about police patrol levels, ambulance staffing, and whether an operational override may be necessary to avoid service cuts. East Bridgewater Community Access Media Director Russ separately reported that declining Comcast subscriber revenue could exhaust the station's retained earnings within two to three years, forcing a decision on town subsidy.