Accountability Posts

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Fiscal uncertainty in the FY26 budget and what it means for property taxpayers

Amherst BOS 10/28: The FY26 budget draft shows a 3.09% spending increase — but the town doesn't yet know its health insurance costs. The estimate ranges from 5% to 9.5%. That gap matters to your tax bill. Second draft due Nov. 18.

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Fiscal risk of a potential cell tower warrant article with uncertain return

Amherst BOS 10/28: The town may ask voters in March to spend $225K–$250K on a cell tower — with no guaranteed carrier interest. ~$100K would come from a new warrant article. No revenue commitment. Board asked for firmer cost estimates before proceeding.

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Lack of public disclosure about the nature of the Fourth of July fireworks funding problem

Amherst BOS 10/28: Fireworks on the line? The board met with the Fourth of July committee about an unspecified 'situation' and may bring a warrant article to the March ballot. No details were disclosed publicly. Discussion scheduled for Nov. 18.

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First Amendment limits on municipal authority over political sign content

Amherst BOS 10/28: A resident asked the board to remove a political sign from public property, calling it election misinformation. The board refused — correctly — citing the First Amendment. Content-based removal would expose the town to litigation.

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THREAD: Amherst Board of Selectmen met 10/28. Routine in places, but several items will hit your tax bill or ballot in March. Here's what you need to know. 🧵

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1/ FY26 BUDGET — Draft #1 shows a 3.09% spending increase. Drivers: 3% COLA for employees, health insurance costs, and debt service shifts. Problem: health insurance estimates range from 5% to 9.5%. That uncertainty alone could meaningfully change the tax rate. Second draft: Nov. 18.

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2/ CELL TOWER — The town is eyeing a town-owned cell tower at $225K–$250K total cost. Existing Capital Reserve Funds cover part of it. A warrant article for ~$100K more may go to March ballot voters. Catch: no carrier has committed to using it. Board asked for firmer numbers first.

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3/ FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS — The board met privately with the Fourth of July committee about what they called a 'fireworks situation.' A warrant article for March is under consideration. What the situation actually is? Not disclosed at the meeting. Full discussion: Nov. 18. Residents deserve to know before that.

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4/ ELECTION SIGN COMPLAINT — Resident Lisa Dennis asked the board to remove a Trump campaign sign from public property, calling it dangerous election misinformation. The board declined — and they were legally correct. Supreme Court precedent bars content-based sign restrictions. The town can regulate size and duration, not message.

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5/ PERSONNEL — Nick Strong resigned from town administration to take a position in Manchester. Perry Dang retired from DPW after 27 years. Both accepted 5-0. The board also entered non-public session for a hiring matter and pending litigation. Next full meeting: Nov. 18. Be there if any of this affects you.

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Longer-form draft.

📋 AMHERST BOARD OF SELECTMEN — October 28, 2024 Meeting Recap

The board covered several items that will directly affect residents' tax bills and the March ballot. Here's what happened.

💰 FY26 BUDGET (Draft #1): Town Administrator presented the first budget draft showing a 3.09% overall spending increase, driven by a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for employees and rising benefit costs. The single biggest uncertainty: health insurance estimates currently range from 5% to 9.5% — a spread that could meaningfully shift the final tax rate. The board directed the Town Administrator to nail down accurate figures and return with a revised draft at the November 18th meeting, along with draft warrant articles.

📡 CELL TOWER WARRANT ARTICLE: The Police Chief reported that a town-owned cell tower would cost an estimated $225,000–$250,000. The town has Capital Reserve Funds that could cover part of this, but the board is considering asking voters to approve roughly $100,000 more via a March ballot warrant article. The significant caveat: no cell carrier has committed to using the tower. Spending a quarter-million dollars on infrastructure without guaranteed revenue is a real fiscal risk. The Chief was asked for firmer cost estimates before the board moves forward.

🎆 FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS: Board members met with the Fourth of July committee about what they described only as a 'fireworks situation.' The suggestion of a warrant article for the March ballot implies that existing funding is not sufficient to continue the event as currently structured — but the board did not disclose the nature or scale of the problem at the meeting. Full discussion is scheduled for November 18th. Residents who care about this community tradition should show up or tune in.

🪧 ELECTION SIGN COMPLAINT: Resident Lisa Dennis asked the board to remove a Trump campaign sign from public property, saying it spread dangerous election misinformation. The board declined, and their reasoning was legally sound: the First Amendment and Supreme Court precedent prohibit municipalities from restricting political speech based on content. The town can regulate sign size and how long signs stay up — it cannot regulate what they say. The resident left frustrated, but acting otherwise would have exposed Amherst to a lawsuit it would likely lose.

Next meeting: November 18th. Budget draft #2, fireworks discussion, and warrant article decisions are all on the horizon.