Select Board reviews FY27 budgets, considers VSO proposals.
Select Board holds FY27 budget work session covering police, fire, and assessment functions. Town Administrator Kevin Harutunian presented departmental requests, with Police Chief Neal Hovey outlining needs including a $2,200 annual request for work phones and vehicle maintenance increases after
Select Board's Office · Meeting of January 14, 2026
TOPSFIELD — Select Board holds FY27 budget work session covering police, fire, and assessment functions. Town Administrator Kevin Harutunian presented departmental requests, with Police Chief Neal Hovey outlining needs including a $2,200 annual request for work phones and vehicle maintenance increases after five years of flat funding; Fire Chief Jen Collins-Brown requested $88,000 for an additional full-time firefighter position and flagged $100,000 in necessary repairs to Fire Engine 3. The Board separately reviewed two candidates for Veterans' Service Officer--Steve Bohn at approximately $30,000 annually and Joe LeBlanc at $22,000--and requested additional information on veterans served and office-hour availability before deciding.
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Source: the Select Board's Office meeting of January 14, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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