Whitman Finance Committee Splits Repair Bill, Eyes $500,000 Budget Gap

WHITMAN — March 17, 2026 — Whitman Finance Committee votes to split a $11,730 HVAC repair bill and hears a sobering fiscal year 2027 budget briefing. The committee voted 5-0 Tuesday to transfer $5,865 from the town's reserve fund to facilities line item 01192-2000-585, directing Facilities Director Todd to cover the remaining half from his operating budget to replace a failed compressor at Town Hall — leaving the reserve fund with roughly $12,000. Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter told the committee she has reduced a projected $711,000 budget deficit to approximately $500,000 through revised new growth estimates — raised from $200,000 to $485,000 on the strength of three major Washington Street, South Avenue, and Harvard Street developments — and a plan to draw up to $340,000 from the town's $2.1 million OPEB trust fund. Carter cautioned the strategy is "really only for this year" and outlined two cut scenarios targeting public safety and non-essential departments, while warning that temporarily closing the library could cost the town $40,000 to $50,000 in lost state certification funding. The Select Board faces an April 9 deadline to submit a Proposition 2 1/2 override ballot question to the town clerk.