The Plymouth Advisory and Finance Committee navigated a complex $309 million general budget on Wednesday night, ultimately moving to restore critical technology positions that had been previously stripped by the Select Board. The session, which spanned nearly three hours, highlighted a significant push to bolster public safety infrastructure through both personnel increases and a defiance of executive-level "no new initiative" mandates. Chair John Lai opened the proceedings by detailing the sheer scale of the fiscal plan, noting that while school services command 43% of the budget, unfunded state mandates now consume over $41 million—roughly 25% of the town's total financial obligations.

The most intense debate centered on the Information Technology budget, where Subcommittee B Chair Christine Richards reported a recommendation to add $295,000 for three new public safety IT roles. These positions had been cut by the Select Board to avoid new spending in a tight cycle. IT Director Joe Young delivered a stark warning to the committee, stating, We have less than one full-time employee supporting eight or nine public safety sites. We have 50 devices scheduled for fire apparatus sitting on a shelf because we can't support them. Select Board member Kevin Canty defended the original cut, explaining that there was a directive not to have new initiatives. Any additions had to be a clear and present need. This was one of those tough decisions made by professionals.

The committee was split on the addition, with member Scott Vecchi arguing against the expansion during a deficit year. I have a problem where we use the term public safety as a panacea to justify everything, S. Vecchi said. In this budget cycle, it is inadvisable to add three positions. However, Marc Malagudi proposed a compromise to fund two of the three roles—the Division Head and Application Specialist—at a cost of $213,000. Motion Made by M. Malagudi to amend the IT motion to fund two positions for a total of $3,606,927 - Passed (11-3-0). Following the amendment, the committee approved the broader IT spending plan. Motion Made by B. Dunn to approve the amended IT budget - Passed (12-2-0), with N. Snyder and S. Vecchi dissenting.

Public safety personnel also saw a massive proposed investment. Gail Butler presented the Subcommittee C report, which includes an 11.7% increase for the Police Department to $19.5 million. This funding is earmarked for 16 new officers and one sergeant. The hiring of 16 new officers and one sergeant accounts for most of the increase, G. Butler noted. The department is considerably short-handed. The Fire Department similarly requested an 8.1% increase, including $500,000 for overtime to maintain safety compliance. Motion Made by D. Trudell to approve the Subcommittee C budget - Passed (13-1-0), with S. Vecchi again voting in opposition.

The Plymouth Public Schools budget, totaling $133.1 million, prompted a discussion on the high cost of the town’s geography. Brian Dunn noted that Plymouth’s 104-square-mile footprint creates a transportation burden that siphons money away from classrooms. We are spending more on transportation per student than everyone else, which means we are spending less on education as a function of the town's size, B. Dunn said. Superintendent Dr. Chris Campbell told the committee that while the current 3.4% increase is manageable through creative use of revolving funds and retirements, the strategy is not sustainable. We feel comfortable with this number to maintain quality services, but next year will be a different story, Dr. Campbell warned. Motion Made by B. Keating to approve the School budget - Passed (12-2-0), with M. Malagudi and S. Vecchi voting no.

Administrative and fixed costs also faced scrutiny. Molly O'Connor reported a 2.9% overall increase for Subcommittee A, driven largely by cost-of-living adjustments and the addition of legal staff in the Town Manager’s office. The administrative services budget as a whole ended up at a 2.9% increase, M. O'Connor said. Most of that impact is personnel services. Dennis Friedman questioned why town employee benefits were rising faster than school benefits. Finance Director Lynn Barrett clarified that items like deferred comp match and 111F programs for public safety are items not on the school side. Motion Made by D. Friedman to approve the Subcommittee A budget - Passed (13-0-1), with S. Vecchi abstaining.

The Department of Public Works budget saw a 7% increase, though some members criticized the town’s approach to unpredictable costs. D. Friedman took aim at the $1.36 million snow and ice budget, which is often exceeded. Budgeting $1,366,415... the chance of that being the actual expenditure for snow and ice is probably not a snowball's chance in hell, D. Friedman said. It offends me to put a number in there that leads the public to believe we know what it's going to be. Despite the critique, Nelson Snyder praised the DPW subcommittees for their restraint, noting, I was impressed with this group because they confined to less than 3% in most areas... these are very responsible budgets. Motion Made by D. Friedman to approve the Subcommittee D budget - Passed (14-0-0).

The committee also authorized spending for various enterprise funds, including $6.1 million for water and $9.7 million for sewer operations. During the review of the $1 million Cable enterprise fund, M. Malagudi raised concerns about the long-term viability of the fund as residents move away from traditional cable services, suggesting it may eventually require support from the general tax fund. Motion Made by T. Jacinto to approve the Article 12 Cable budget - Passed (14-0-0). The committee concluded the night by approving Article 2, which sets spending caps for revolving funds, after L. Barrett confirmed the closure of the Plymouth County Outreach account. Motion Made by G. Butler to approve Article 2 - Passed (13-0-0).