SWAMPSCOTT — During a joint meeting between the Select Board, School Committee, and Finance Committee, the three entities discussed the recommended budget for Fiscal Year 26 (FY26) and the impact it could have on town services and its schools.
During the meeting, the director of finance and administration, Amy Sarro, gave a breakdown of the recommended budget for FY26 with Interim Town Administrator Gino Cresta.
“I believe the town’s finances to be my number one priority,” Cresta said. “Ensuring that Swampscott maintains a sound, balanced budget and a plan for future capital investments, while delivering a service that residents of Swampscott expect, are challenges that need to be considered.”
Cresta said that this budget reflects the ongoing efforts to balance the town’s structural needs to help move the community forward. “We continue to look at ways that offset expenses, both needs and wants, while negotiating contracts that benefit the town. We look forward to a thoughtful conversation regarding the FY26 budget over the next two months, leading up to our Town Meeting in May,” Cresta said.
He said that the proposed budget aims to sustain current service levels, meet debts and contractual obligations and continue to invest in veterans and senior citizens. It also seeks to maintain progress in funding long-term liabilities, support an increase in funding for Swampscott schools, and advance efforts to address climate change.
Sarro gave a presentation on the recommended budget. “An overview of the recommended budget for FY26 has a General Fund budget recommendation of $75,280,272 and an Enterprise Fund budget of $9,614,782,” she said. “This was balanced using the best estimates for local receipts and the Governor’s proposal for state aid.”
The recommended budget for Administration and Finance was $3,906,419, which Sarro noted included an increase of $382,251. She said the major drivers were the Salary Reserve for police, fire, and library CBA (collective bargaining agreement) negotiations, as well as the town administrator and building commissioner vacancies, with six individual employment contracts for non-union staff.
The recommended budget for Community and Economic Development was $751,161, with a recommended increase of $53,940. Significant factors were senior planner and building commissioner vacancies, and reductions were made to the Health Department outside services and Recreation Beach Sticker processing.
Public Services had $2,142,202. Public Safety saw a recommended budget of $8,600,180 with an included increase of $230,537. Human Services had a recommended total of $1,262,632.
Education had a recommended budget of $33,703,051. “The recommended budget, we are acknowledging, is $660,941 below the School Committee’s budget,” Sarro said.
Sarro continued, where she covered different areas of the budget: For Debt Service, the recommended total was $7,489,529; Employment Benefits had a recommended budget of $15,474,213; Sewer Enterprise for FY26 was $3,279,708; Water Enterprise was $4,544,593.
Also included was PEG Enterprise, which was $24,056. Sarro noted that Solid Waste Enterprise was $1,612,122.
