Westport Finance Committee Approves Council on Aging Van Repair, Grills FY27 Budget

Finance Committee · Meeting of February 19, 2026

Westport Finance Committee approves a $5,743 van repair transfer and spends the bulk of its February 19 meeting probing the fiscal year 2027 budget's revenue assumptions. Town Administrator Chris Vitale told the committee that the budget heading to the Select Board for a Monday vote raises the local receipts estimation rate from roughly 82 percent to 85 percent, generating about $308,000 in additional projected revenue, but that a $135,000 gap remains in the school department's spending plan tied to three proposed positions — a social studies teacher, a career pathways coordinator, and a student support role intended partly for opioid settlement funding. Member Hugh Morton cautioned against embedding higher receipt estimates in the base budget, warning it amounts to "basically stealing from free cash, but isn't so obvious." Member Al Lees raised a structural concern that school salaries carry a 30 to 35 percent fringe cost that hits the town side of the budget, making an $80,000 school position materially more expensive to taxpayers.

After former Finance Director Jim's early state aid estimate of 2.8 percent growth came in at only 2.3 percent under the governor's February budget, the committee acknowledged it must approve a final budget within roughly one month — before the town warrant closes — and will hear from the town accountant and regional school district at its next session on February 24.

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Source: the Finance Committee meeting of February 19, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.