Finance Committee hears FY27 budget proposals, debates free cash use
Franklin Finance Committee continues FY27 budget review with free cash concerns. The committee heard presentations from Town Administrator Jamie Hellen on facilities needs and Superintendent Lucas Giguere on schools' FY27 budget, which requests a 3 percent increase despite zero net new positions.
DocumentCenter · Meeting of April 7, 2026
Franklin Finance Committee continues FY27 budget review with free cash concerns. The committee heard presentations from Town Administrator Jamie Hellen on facilities needs and Superintendent Lucas Giguere on schools' FY27 budget, which requests a 3 percent increase despite zero net new positions. Committee members raised concerns about the proposed use of approximately $2 million in free cash and questioned whether recurring capital costs, including Chromebooks ($125,000), police cruisers, and fire equipment (totaling roughly $2 million), should be shifted back to the operating budget.
The town covers approximately $18 million to $20 million annually in school-related costs beyond the operating budget. Schools' five in-district specialized programs save approximately $1.7 million compared to out-of-district placements.
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Source: the DocumentCenter meeting of April 7, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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