Belmont budget fails for 2nd year in row at Town Meeting

BELMONT — For the second year in a row, the Belmont town budget failed at Town Meeting on Tuesday. The proposed budget was $11.4 million, but the vote means the town must adopt a default budget of $10.82 million.

Based on an estimate posted on the town's website, roughly 1,300 residents voted in the election. The town clerk’s office did not provide voting totals by press time. The budget failed by just 29 votes, 434-405.

Police Chief Stephen Akerstrom is uncertain about what the budget's failure means for the town.

“It's not just us, it's the entire town. It's the Town Hall, it's the fire department, DPW, it's the entire town that will be in default for a second year,” Akerstrom said. “I don't know, at this point, what’s going to happen.”

While the police department must operate based on the default budget, there is a small silver lining for Akerstrom. Wage increases for union police officers and dispatchers were passed 464-390, after failing last year.

“We appreciate the community support with that vote,” he said.

Town Administrator Alicia Jipson and Selectboard Chair Ruth Mooney did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Other notable results from the town warrant include the rejection of an article to hire two full-time firefighters. The budget committee and selectboard did not recommend the article, which asked for $193,391 total for salary and benefits. Belmont Fire Chief Deborah Black declined to comment.

An article to add $500,000 to the Municipal Facilities Capital Reserve Fund failed, but an article to allow manufactured homes in the town passed by a 4-vote majority, despite the planning board's lack of endorsement. Residents also voted to appropriate the sum of $110,000 to the Highway Department Heavy Equipment Capital Reserve Fund, transferred from the unassigned fund balance.

Incumbents won all three contested races. Selectboard member Jonathan Pike edged out Thomas Murphy and Doug Trottier, who serves in the Statehouse as a Republican. Incumbent Rachel French and newcomer Brian Gardiner beat Susan Roache for seats on the budget committee. Roache also ran for treasurer, but lost to Alicia Segalini.

James Woodbury, 64, co-owner of Belmont Hardware, heard the results of the election Wednesday morning. Woodbury admitted he didn’t vote.

“I meant to go up, but I just never made it. I had to work,” he said. “It's always on a weekday, and you got to work.”

Despite missing Town Meeting, he said there aren’t many good excuses for not doing so, including his own. He acknowledged the importance of local elections, and the direct impact they have on the residents. He acknowledged the budget's failing will lead to cuts in town services, but empathized with those who voted it down, specifically due to increases in property taxes.

“You're getting a push back from town residents who are just tired of their taxes going up every year. And until you come up with a solution to alleviate the high cost of property taxes, you know,” he said. “But the money's got to come from somewhere.”

Woodbury has lived in Belmont for nearly 50 years. He bought his house in 1982. He said he’s seen house prices increase significantly over the years.

“When I bought my first house in Belmont, I said that once my house was paid off, all I would have to do was pay the property taxes,” he said. “By the time I got my house paid off, the property taxes were higher than what my house payment was.”

He said as a business owner, the COVID-19 pandemic was very hard on him, and he imagines on other residents, too. He said he’s still feeling the impacts of it today.

“We would wait for parts for months to be able to do repairs on equipment we just couldn't get because of the supply chain,” he said. “That affected us more than anything.”

He said increasing any expenses for townspeople can be tricky, as they can only afford so much.

“If you get your insurance bill from your insurance company, and it's more than it was last year, right now, you got to come up with the extra money to pay for that," he said "Food, you know, electric, oil, gas, everything's going up. It's costing people more to live. And that's the problem.”