By Beth David, Editor
Fairhaven Town Meeting members will face 29 articles, including an override to the budget and some bylaws changes, at the Annual TM on 5/2/26. This year, the Fairhaven Recreation Center is offering free child care to Town Meeting members, and $35 for the day to other residents who want to attend, but are not voting members. The format will be similar to the Kool Kids program. See page 9 for details. Call 508-993-9269 to sign up.
In its letter to TM members, the Fairhaven Finance Committee noted that they were unable to agree on the Education Budget (school department). They will meet again before TM anticipating “new information.” Presumably they mean the governor’s budget, which has not been finalized yet. Fairhaven receives about 22% of its budget from state aid, about $14 million, with $10 million designated for the schools, and $2.8 million in unrestricted funding.
On 5/2, TM members will be asked to vote on Article 8, which presents a balanced budget with a total of $62,935,726, with $29,750,111 for the schools. That budget includes cuts in personnel and services including: eliminating the Office of Tourism and the Animal Shelter, and making the Animal Control Officer (ACO) part time; not filling two vacancies in the Highway Department; not filling a vacancy in the Recreation Department; reducing an administrative position in town hall; eliminating life guards at West Island town beach, hazardous waste day, and the town beach bathrooms (they will be replaced with portable toilets). Other cuts include reductions in tree planting and removal, building inspections and marine assistance. There is also less money for street repair.
Article 9 provides an additional $760,149 in funding through a Proposition 2 1/2 override. Prop 2 1/2 is a state law that limits the amount municipalities can raise on the tax levy (property taxes) to 2 1/2 percent of the previous year’s valuation. The town also raises revenues with local receipts (permits, fees, excise taxes), and receives state aid.*
Article 9 lists line by line the services that will be restored. TM will vote on each item separately. If it passes, the measure will appear on the ballot in the town’s 6/9/26 election. If voters approve the override, then it will go into effect with Fiscal Year 2027 that starts on 7/1/26. If it does not, then the budget in Article 8 will be implemented.
Article 9, if passed as written, will restore the ACO position to full time ($62,532); restore the animal shelter ($9,000); restore police and fire overtime ($25,000 each); restore Tourism wages ($76,532) and operating expenses ($25,709); restore one of the two vacant positions in the highway department ($50,000).
Article 9 will also appropriate $481,376 to the School Department to bring it to $500,000 over Net School Spending. NSS is the minimum spending the state requires (see page 3 for related story). Article 8 funds the schools at $18,624 over NSS. The School Superintendent has stated that the current amount is inadequate to ensure that the district stays above NSS, because many unforeseen expenses can happen during the school year. Funding the schools at the Article 9 amount will also restore two teaching positions and a Special Education program that was eliminated last year.
In addition to the operating budget, TM will be asked to appropriate the spending from the enterprise accounts, which are funded by fees and can only be spent in the department that collected the fees, such as water department using water fees. Enterprise funds include Water ($4,278,282), Sewer ($7,449,215), Town Cable ($251,204), School Cable ($201,755).
TM will also be asked to approve $1,996,038 from Free Cash for 16 capital expenditures, including $400,000 for public works equipment, including a street sweeper; police cruisers ($172,066); PFAS Free Firefighting gear ($133,285); a truck for the Harbormaster/Shellfish Warden ($59,539); $210,000 for football field bathrooms; $700,000 for roof replacement at the Tripp School.
TM will also be asked to approve borrowing of $756,000 to fund replacement of the Wolf Island Well, to be paid with Water Enterprise funds. This requires a 2/3 vote at TM.
Article 19, proposes $828,505 in spending by the Community Preser-vation Committee. These funds come from a surcharge on property taxes. Spending is restricted to three main areas: the acquisition, creation, and preservation of open space, historic resources, community housing.
CPC projects include $320,000 for repair of the town hall west retaining wall. The project involves disassembling the wall, rebuilding stonework, brick sidewalk, and installing a new drainage system. Other CPC projects include: $140,000 for exterior masonry at Fairhaven High School; Oxford Terrace window replacement ($100,000); $70,000 for Livesey Park Tennis and basketball courts resurfacing; $95,000 to restore the antique fire engine owned by the town; $30,000 for trash compactors at sites throughout town to reduce trips by the BPW; $25,000 for Millicent Library Center Street lighting; $25,000 for three Millicent Library restoration/ preservation projects; $10,000 for historic property survey, for a comprehensive town-wide historical inventory; $5,000 to Riverside Cemetery to restore some gravestones; $3,505 for Macomber/Pimental park to create a walkable garden space with signage.
Other spending articles include: $377,929 from the Stabilization Fund for snow removal costs associated with the 2026 blizzard; $280,000 from Free Cash for Union Wharf construction; $326,000 from the Water Enterprise Fund for a backhoe and water telemetry for the wells; $625,000 from Sewer Enterprise Fund for a dump truck ($125,000), West Island Generators ($400,000), inflow & infiltration ($100,000); $95,000 from the Ambulance fund for paramedic training ($20,000), and $75,000 transfer to the Ambulance Stabilization Fund; and the following from Free Cash $18,600 for Shellfish propagation, $20,000 for Rogers School Maintenance, $40,000 for town facility emergency repairs, $250,000 for Post-Employment/OPEB Trust Fund, $10,000 for Rec Center equipment replacement, $75,000 for compensated absences.
In addition to spending articles, TM will be asked to vote on several bylaws changes.
Article 25 would change the snow and ice removal bylaw to require property owners to clear sidewalks in front of their buildings “within 48 hours of a snow event” or face a fine of $100.
Two bylaws changes, submitted by citizen petition, would restrict the number of boards/committees held by elected and appointed officials.
Article 27, would restrict elected officials to serving only on the board/ committee they have been elected to. They would only be allowed to serve on other boards as non-voting liaisons of the board they were elected to.
Article 28 would restrict appointed officials to serving on two boards/ committees at the same time, unless “otherwise authorized by a specific vote of the appointing authority.”
Article 24 would establish an Affordable Housing Trust, allowing the town to create affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households, to support efforts to improve housing affordability, and to fund community housing. Article 26 would require at least 50% of CPA funds to go into the Housing Trust for FY 27.
TM will also be asked to adopt chapters 22I and 22J of the “Hero Act,” which gives property tax breaks to veterans. The change would increase the amounts
Article 23 would petition the state legislature to create a special act to exempt the Fire Chief from Civil Service.
Fairhaven’s Annual Town Meeting is on Saturday, 5/2/26, at 9 a.m. at Hastings Middle School. Fairhaven has a representative Town Meeting, meaning only TM members can vote. Residents may ask to be recognized and can speak if TM members vote to allow it. If your precinct has openings, you may be appointed at the precinct meeting on 5/1/26. Contact the Town Clerk’s office, 508-979-4023.
The TM warrant is available on the Town Moderator’s page at https://fairhaven-ma.gov/town-moderator/ and at the Select Board office in Town Hall.
*The town’s website has a tax calculator on the budget page. Residents can enter the assessed value of their homes and the calculator will estimate the taxes on the house with no override and with an override. Visit https://fairhaven-ma.gov/fy2027-budget-information/
EDITOR’S NOTE: Salaries of town employees are included in the annual report starting on page 173. It is available online at https://fairhaven-ma.gov/town-moderator/ or from the Select Board’s office.
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