Brunswick Town Council Budget Workshop – March 30, 2026

The Town Council held a budget workshop on March 30, 2026, to review the Town Clerk's and Economic & Community Development (ECD) department budgets, and to receive presentations from the Town Manager on governmental fund structures and potential budget adjustments. Councillors discussed the proposed new positions, revenue trends, and the need to balance service demands with affordability for residents.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Carol O'Donnell, a resident and chair of the Housing Committee, expressed strong support for the proposed records management specialist in the Town Clerk's office, citing the heavy workload from new ordinances. She opposed adding a fee to the rental registry and warned against using one-time funds to cover ongoing expenses.
• Jennifer Navarro, a resident, questioned the necessity of the Economic & Community Development position given high property taxes. She noted that many residents, including her family, are struggling and may be forced to leave Brunswick, and argued that the town lacks amenities commensurate with tax burdens.

Discussion Items

1. Town Clerk's Department Budget

• The Town Clerk presented a proposed budget of $745,636, an increase of ~$158,000 from the prior year, driven primarily by a requested records management specialist position (salary $65,000). The position would handle Freedom of Access (FOIA) requests across departments, including redaction of body-worn camera footage from the Police Department, and support the new rental registry program.
• The Clerk reported over 16,000 registered voters, a growing absentee ballot trend (e.g., 4,200 absentee of 10,000 voters in November 2025), and upcoming elections in June (including a semi-open primary) and November. FOIA requests have surged, with the Police Department estimating ~10 hours per week on FOIA alone. The rental registry has been implemented but lacks administrative support; the Clerk used interns for initial mailings.
• Councillors discussed the scarcity of FOIA revenue ($25/hour after two free hours) relative to staff costs, and the potential impact of federal voter ID legislation. Councilor Hicks and Ellis examined the possibility of rental registry fees and the position's utility across departments. Clerk emphasized the neutral role of the Town Clerk's office as the FOIA officer.

2. Economic & Community Development Department Budget

• Director Sally Costello presented a budget of ~$338,000, primarily salaries for herself and Project Manager Chrissy Adamowitz. She distinguished between economic development (business, wealth generation) and community development (social infrastructure, equity).
• The department staffs several committees, manages projects like Cooks Corner revitalization (including a pedestrian hybrid beacon, trail, and curb cuts), the MARC project (basketball/pickleball courts), Hawthorne School adaptive reuse, and the Blueberry Fields cooperative (a $5 million funding request). The department also works on policy (inclusionary zoning, mobile home park ordinance, rental registry) and grant writing (four grants submitted recently).
• Councillors asked about strategic planning alignment and the criteria for prioritizing projects. Director Costello explained that many initiatives are long-standing (e.g., Cooks Corner) or arise from community needs. Councilor Hicks requested that the regional MCOG economic development strategy be posted on the town website.

3. Town Manager Presentations on Governmental Funds and Budget Adjustments

• Governmental Funds Overview: Town Manager Henzi presented an explanation of the general fund, special revenue funds, capital project funds, and proprietary funds. Total governmental fund expenditures in FY24-25 were $111.9 million, of which the general fund was 79%. Revenues: property taxes (59%), intergovernmental (state revenue sharing) ~11%, excise tax (11%), and other. Education consistently accounts for over 50% of expenditures. Charts showed that expenditures have grown at an annualized 4.5% over 20 years, while revenues have grown 4.72%. The current year faces a drop in state revenue sharing, contributing to a projected tax impact of 3.94% under the Manager's preliminary budget after $994,000 in cuts.
• Budget Adjustment Tiers: To achieve lower tax impacts, the Manager proposed five tiers of additional cuts. The tiers reduced the expenditure increase from 5.82% (preliminary) to as low as 2.9% and the tax impact from 3.94% to 1.78%. Cuts included delaying hires (e.g., firefighters, records manager), reducing sidewalk and climate action reserves, and reducing social services. The Manager stated she does not recommend the deepest tiers, but will present a middle-ground recommendation in the combined budget.
• Councillors debated the appropriate target: Councilor Weems and Hicks advocated for a 4% tax impact maximum, citing affordability concerns. Councilor Ellis noted the historical median tax increase is about 3.84% and the proposed 6-7% would be among the highest in 16 years. Councilor Teemey emphasized the need to balance austerity with maintaining essential services. Councilor Wilson expressed that she would not vote for anything over 4%. Several councillors stressed the importance of the clerk's records position and code enforcement to implement previously passed ordinances.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes or decisions were taken; the meeting was a workshop to gather input.
• The Town Manager will incorporate councilors' feedback and present a combined recommended budget (including the school board's adopted budget) at the April 9 meeting, where a public hearing will be set.
• Councilors will email additional priorities to the Manager before that meeting.
• The Manager confirmed she will adjust her recommendation based on new valuation growth data expected by early April.
• The majority of councillors indicated a target of a 4% or lower property tax increase, with some flexibility depending on service needs.