Plymouth’s financial breathing room has narrowed to just $270,000 in excess levy capacity, a figure that sparked urgent calls for increased transparency and structural reform during Wednesday’s Select Board workshop. As the town begins its long-range planning for fiscal year 2028, officials warned that the current path could lead toward difficult choices between service cuts or a Proposition 2 1/2 override. Vice Chair David Golden emphasized the primary concern of residents: Taxpayers care about one thing: 'What's my tax?' When our excess levy capacity is gone, what is next? Golden noted that even a million dollars in capacity wouldn't cover upcoming contract negotiations with ten labor units, demanding an honest, upfront forecast for the community.

Finance Director Lynn Barrett detailed the complexities of the town’s 18-month budgeting cycle, noting that while interest income has historically fluctuated wildly, her approach remains cautious. I am always conservative, Barrett explained, highlighting that while the town certified $23 million in free cash last year, those figures depend heavily on economic factors like motor vehicle excise taxes and interest rates. Member Deborah Iaquinto stressed the need to better communicate these volatile figures to the public to prepare them for the "fiscal cliff" ahead. We need to bring the community along so they understand why we make tough decisions, Iaquinto said, advocating for a rolling five-year forecast to guide hiring and spending.

To address these tightening margins, Chair Kevin Canty proposed a significant shift in how the executive branch interacts with town departments. For the first time, department heads may be required to present their budget highlights and lowlights directly to the Select Board before the final plan moves to the Advisory and Finance Committee. In other communities, they present to the City Council or Select Board, Canty said, arguing that the Board should have a more active role in hearing from the officials running town operations. Member Richard Quintal agreed that better alignment was necessary, suggesting that opening lines of communication with FINCOM subcommittees earlier in the process would help ensure the Board can observe the process before the budget is fully finalized.

External pressures are already squeezing the 2027 and 2028 projections. School Superintendent Christopher Campbell reported that federal entitlement grants are expected to drop by 10%, a loss of roughly $350,000. One residential placement can cost $300,000, Campbell noted, explaining that the district is exploring bringing transportation services in-house to mitigate rising costs. On the municipal side, Town Manager Derek Brindisi identified a potential silver lining in rising health care costs. By following a nationwide Blue Cross decision to stop covering GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, Plymouth could see its projected 14% health insurance increase drop to 10%. Brindisi stated that by dropping that coverage to align with Blue Cross, the town could avoid nearly $3.8 million in trending costs.

The Board also turned its attention to strategic priorities, reordering a "goals tracker" to guide staff focus over the coming months. Member William Keohan questioned the timing of the snow and ice budget, which Barrett noted usually finalizes in late March and can create deficits that hit the tax rate if not covered by free cash. During the ranking session, the Board elevated several critical projects, including Drug Recognition Expert training for police and a comprehensive five-year financial forecast. Motion Made by R. Quintal to reorder the Select Board goals based on the workshop discussion. Motion Passed (5-0-0). Other high-priority items identified by the Board included repairing the boiler at Memorial Hall, acquiring the Fossils property for environmental preservation, and studying the feasibility of a four-day work week for town employees.