Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
On February 3, 2026, the Great Barrington Select Board and Finance Committee held a joint virtual meeting to receive a presentation from Town Manager Liz, along with Finance Director Allie and Accountant Chris, on the state of the FY26 budget and the forecast for FY27. The presentation focused on the town's financial policies, budgetary pressures, and three scenarios for closing a projected deficit.
Let's call the meeting to order. Pursuant to MGL 7C3A session 20F. After notifying the chair of the public body, any person may make a video or audio recording of an open session of a meeting of a public body may transfer the meeting through any medium. Beginning of the meeting, the chair shall inform other attendees of any such recording. This meetings are recorded by the Berkshire Edge by the town of Great Barrington and by CTSB. Any member of the public wishing to speak at the meeting must receive permission of the chair. The listing of agenda items of those reasonably anticipated by the chair, which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed, may in fact be discussed in other items not listed, may be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. So to start with, both boards need to do a roll call vote since we're in a virtual meeting. So I'll start with a select board. Phil was here. I'm now here. Perfect. Here Garfield. Here. Eric. Here. And Steve is here. Rich, you want to do the honors. I am here. Ann O'Dwyer. Yeah. Madonna. Here. Michelle. Here. Milena. Here. We are all present. Thank you. So the one agenda item is the presentation on the state of the FY26 budget and forecast for the FY27 budget from the town manager. Liz, it's all yours. Thank you. Thank you, everyone, and good evening. I appreciate your time tonight and being here. Um, also being remote. So I know it's a little different, but it actually, I believe, kind of works for the slides that you have them up front and close and personal to you. So you don't have to see it on a television screen or uh uh in the meeting room and whatnot. So um it kind of made um it worked out in our favor a little bit so you can have a personal view of the all the slides that we're gonna take you through tonight. Um, I do want to begin by thanking um Allie and Chris who have worked incredibly hard to with me to prepare this analysis. Um the work really does reflect um actually all four months that I have officially been here. Today is my four-month anniversary or three-month anniversary, finishing three months and beginning my four months. And in that entire three full months, we have done an extensive amount of careful review, policy analysis, and collaboration. And I believe that tonight's presentation uh is a clear demonstration of that. It's also about sustainability, about whether the town's current financial practices protect our future, and also what changes are needed to ensure that they do move forward that way. So