Bellingham Select Board Confronts $1.6 Million FY27 Deficit Ahead of Override Vote

BELLINGHAM — April 28, 2026 — Bellingham Select Board approved two key municipal hires and debated a $1.6 million FY27 budget deficit at its April 28 meeting. Town Administrator Joe Buckley detailed how the shortfall — driven largely by a decision to fully fund health insurance at $3,316,000, roughly $2 million above prior-year appropriations — was split between town departments, which absorbed about $486,000 in cuts, and the school district, which absorbed just under 70 percent of the remainder. The board ratified Rachel Benson as Director of Planning and Community Development and Caleb Moody as Inspector of Buildings, both unanimously. The town's outside auditor reported a clean FY25 opinion, noting a $47 million post-employment benefits liability against which the town contributed just $50,000 in FY25. Buckley cautioned that drawing down the town's $5.4 million in combined stabilization funds could jeopardize Bellingham's AA-plus bond rating, warning that a downgrade would raise borrowing costs on major capital projects. Voters will decide a Proposition 2.5 override question at the June 2 election; officials said a home assessed at $500,000 would see an annual tax increase of roughly $300.