Finance Committee — October 29, 2026

The Fairhaven Finance Committee met on October 29, 2026, to review and vote on recommendations for the upcoming Special Town Meeting warrant scheduled for November 17, 2026. After approving the minutes from August 26, 2026, the committee evaluated warrant articles alongside Town Administrator Keith Hickey, Assistant Town Administrator and Finance Director Anne, and Police Chief Daniel Doggett. Significant debate centered on Article 2, a two-year memorandum of understanding for the dispatchers union. Committee members questioned the rationale for retaining civilian dispatchers after transitioning primary 911 dispatching to Holbrook, as well as the fiscal precedent of granting a 2% shift differential to day-shift workers. Despite fiscal concerns regarding the $14,123 annualized increase, the committee voted 8-0-1 to recommend Article 2 to avoid the potential expense of arbitration.

The committee unanimously voted 9-0 to recommend Article 3, authorizing a lease to solicit requests for proposals (RFPs) for wireless carriers to place communications antennas on the Sconticut Neck water tower. The committee also voted 9-0 to recommend Article 4, which transfers an unexpended balance of $253,156 from the completed West Island Treatment Plant capital project to the ongoing sewer nitrogen facility project. Article 5, appropriating $30,348 in the general fund operating budget to fund training and staffing transitions ahead of the Finance Director's planned retirement in July, was also recommended unanimously.

For non-financial and governance-related articles, the committee voted to yield to the petitioner on Article 6 (a conservation restriction held with Buzzards Bay Coalition), Article 7 (revising the OPEB Trust agreement), Article 8 (bylaw amendments conforming to town charter language), and Article 9 (a citizen petition concerning automated license plate readers). Action on Article 1, appropriating insurance proceeds for blizzard flood repairs at East Haven School, was tabled until the November 12 pre-town meeting preview so town administration could confirm the exact insurance reimbursement amount, which was estimated between $162,000 and $163,000 against a $168,608 contractor invoice.

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