Select Board reviews FY27 budgets, considers VSO proposals.
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, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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