Marshfield Police, Fire Detail Service Cuts Under No-Override FY2027 Budget

MARSHFIELD — May 19, 2026 — Marshfield Select Board hears police and fire budget cuts ahead of June 15 override vote. Police Chief Brian Tavares told the two-member board his department is prepared to absorb a $350,000 reduction under the no-override Budget A scenario, eliminating one vacant lieutenant position at $171,000 and one vacant patrol position at $76,000, dropping the force from 49 to 47 officers with no layoffs. Fire Chief Mike LaSelva presented a department that has run five positions short of its 55-member target since roughly 2010, sustaining average annual overtime of $1.3 million; he and Deputy Chief Pat Smith estimated that hiring five firefighters for roughly $400,000 annually would reduce overtime by $250,000 to $300,000. Advisory Board Chair Chris Roland noted mid-meeting that recently updated budget figures place the override option at $5.6 million, not the $7 million figure circulating publicly. The board scheduled a follow-up strategic session for Thursday, May 28, to examine pension, health insurance, and debt as long-term cost levers.