Category Archives: Financial

Warrant Committee’s slides on its override recommendation

Posted on March 27, 2026 | 1 comment

Stephen Callahan, Chair of the Warrant Committee, shared the following slides on how the Warrant Committee reached its decision of the override it is supporting. Steve and the Warrant Committee have been working diligently despite difficult parameters. –

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Posted in Financial, Schools, Select Board matters, Town Meeting, Warrant Committee

$13,904 average RE Tax Bill for FY26

Posted on March 16, 2026 | Comments Off on $13,904 average RE Tax Bill for FY26

From DOER –

https://dlstab.dor.state.ma.us/views/AverageSingleFamilyTaxBillV2/AverageSingleFamilyTaxBill?%3Aembed=y&%3Aiid=1&%3AisGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y

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Posted in Budgets, Financial

3/15 DEADLINE for 2026 Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund Grants

Posted on February 28, 2026 | Comments Off on 3/15 DEADLINE for 2026 Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund Grants

MEDFIELD FOUNDATION LEGACY FUND NOW ACCEPTING

NON-PROFIT GRANT APPLICATIONS


The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund has announced that applications are now being accepted for its 2026 Community Impact Grants.  Up to $40,000 in grants will be awarded, and any Medfield-based nonprofit or Town department is eligible.  Applicants are welcome to submit a grant request online at https://www.medfieldfoundation.org/ by March 15, 2026.

The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund Community Board will review all submissions and select the finalists who will be invited to PITCH IT!, a Shark Tank-type event to be held in person on April 16, 2026.  At PITCH IT!, applicants will present their proposal, goals, and financial needs and directly engage with the Community Board on their projects.  The Community Board will make its final selection of grant recipients for the 2026 funding round in late April, 2026. 

This year marks the sixth round of Legacy Fund Community Impact grants.  To date, over $136,000 has been awarded to thirteen organizations, including the Cultural Alliance of Medfield, the Friends of the MHS Theatre Society, the Friends of the Medfield Rail Trail, Medfield Cares About Prevention, Medfield Outreach, The Peak House Heritage Center, Zullo Gallery and Sustainable Medfield. 

Grantees have used their awards to further important projects in Medfield and, in some cases, to leverage significant additional resources such as matching grants or federal or state funding.  This year’s applicants should be prepared to illustrate a strong and compelling current need for funds, and possibly present how those funds may generate additional investments in the Medfield community as well. 

Act fast to take advantage of this spectacular opportunity!

ABOUT THE MEDFIELD FOUNDATION LEGACY FUND

The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund is a professionally-managed endowment created to support community-driven projects. Volunteer-run and designed to complement the initiatives of Medfield organizations, the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund raises private funds for public good.  The Legacy Fund invests for the long term while also helping to address current community needs through annual competitive grantmaking for immediate positive impact.

For more information or to contribute to the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund, please visit https://www.medfieldfoundation.org/.

Make an impact. Leave a Legacy!

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Posted in Charity, Events, Financial, Medfield Foundation

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Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund – 2026 Grants

Posted on February 5, 2026 | Comments Off on Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund – 2026 Grants

MEDFIELD FOUNDATION LEGACY FUND NOW ACCEPTING

NON-PROFIT GRANT APPLICATIONS


The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund has announced that applications are now being accepted for its 2026 Community Impact Grants.  Up to $40,000 in grants will be awarded, and any Medfield-based nonprofit or Town department is eligible.  Applicants are welcome to submit a grant request online at https://www.medfieldfoundation.org/ by March 15, 2026.

The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund Community Board will review all submissions and select the finalists who will be invited to PITCH IT!, a Shark Tank-type event to be held in person on April 16, 2026.  At PITCH IT!, applicants will present their proposal, goals, and financial needs and directly engage with the Community Board on their projects.  The Community Board will make its final selection of grant recipients for the 2026 funding round in late April, 2026. 

This year marks the sixth round of Legacy Fund Community Impact grants.  To date, over $136,000 has been awarded to thirteen organizations, including the Cultural Alliance of Medfield, the Friends of the MHS Theatre Society, the Friends of the Medfield Rail Trail, Medfield Cares About Prevention, Medfield Outreach, The Peak House Heritage Center, Zullo Gallery and Sustainable Medfield. 

Grantees have used their awards to further important projects in Medfield and, in some cases, to leverage significant additional resources such as matching grants or federal or state funding.  This year’s applicants should be prepared to illustrate a strong and compelling current need for funds, and possibly present how those funds may generate additional investments in the Medfield community as well. 

Act fast to take advantage of this spectacular opportunity!

ABOUT THE MEDFIELD FOUNDATION LEGACY FUND

The Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund is a professionally-managed endowment created to support community-driven projects. Volunteer-run and designed to complement the initiatives of Medfield organizations, the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund raises private funds for public good.  The Legacy Fund invests for the long term while also helping to address current community needs through annual competitive grantmaking for immediate positive impact.

For more information or to contribute to the Medfield Foundation Legacy Fund, please visit https://www.medfieldfoundation.org/.

Make an impact. Leave a Legacy!

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Posted in Charity, Events, Financial, Medfield Foundation

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Warrant Committee on Budget/Override

Posted on January 14, 2026 | Comments Off on Warrant Committee on Budget/Override

From Stephen Callahan, Chair of the Warrant Committee, this afternoon –

Discussion of Operating Budget Override Article Warrant Committee January 13, 2026 Discussion of Operating Budget Override Article Warrant Committee January 13, 2026 Updates Budget A (Prop 2 ½ budget): New department guidance recommends 1.3% growth rate and asks departments to idenfify cuts and savings to achieve a balanced budget. The Select Board has voted for a placeholder for an operating budget override on the 2026 Town Warrant. The Governor’s budget preview is expected on January 23rd, after which updated guidance will be provided. Many municipalities, as reported in a recent Boston Globe article, are struggling with their budgets this year. Why is there an Article to Override the Levy Limit? Proposition 2 ½ : The Structural Math • Major Cost Drivers: +4 – 18% per year Health Insurance Special Education Transportation Utilities Contractual Wages Result: A predictable multiple year structural gap Preference for residents to be provided with a choice to restore some costs and service cuts while weighing the related tax impact.Why Now? Inflationary pressures remain high, especially in health insurance. Growth in state aid is modest and not sufficient to cover increased costs and Federal relief funds have been exhausted. Department level service budgets are estimating annual increases of 3% -5% for FY 2027. Proactive planning is necessary to avoid future negative “cliff” decisions. Voter approved override can bridge the gap, maintaining service levels and preventing cuts. Scenario Modeling of Department Budgets Estimate of FY 2027 Baseline Average Single Family Tax Bill Increase of $401 Department Budget Growth Scenarios of: +2.5% +3.0% +3.5% Override to the Levy Limit: Impact to Average Single Family Tax Bill Budget Options Budget A ( Prop 2 ½ budget): • Warrant Committee provided department budget growth guidance of 1.3% with request to identify prioritized cost and service cuts. Budget B (Override budget): • When deciding which cuts to restore, departments are looking for WC guidance and input. • What is a reasonable department growth rate? What is a reasonable single family tax increase that is sustainable and has the best possibility of passage at Town Meeting? Scenario Modeling of Department Budgets Estimate of FY 2027 Baseline Average Single Family Tax Bill Increase of $401 Department Budget Growth Scenarios of: +2.5% +3.0% +3.5% Override to the Levy Limit: Impact to Average Single Family Tax Bill Department Budget Growth of 2.5% FY 2026 FY 2027 Forecast Prop 2 /12 $ Change FY 26 to FY 27 % Change FY 26 to FY 27 FY 2027 Forecast $ Change FY 26 to FY 27 % Change FY 26 to FY 27 Override Amount Remaining Revenue Available for Departments $ 59,082,913 $ 5 9,829,657 $ 746,744 1.3% $ 60,559,986 $ 1,477,073 2.5% $ 730,329 School Department $ 44,598,730 $ 4 5,158,788 $ 560,058 1.26% $ 45,706,535 $ 1,107,805 2.48% Town Departments $ 14,484,183 $ 1 4,670,869 $ 186,686 1.29% $ 14,853,451 $ 369,268 2.55% Total $ 59,082,913 $ 5 9,829,657 $ 746,744 1.3% $ 60,559,986 $ 1,477,073 2.5% Impact to Average Single Family Tax Bill FY 2027 Assumed Department Growth 2.5% 3.0% 3.5% Assumed Override Amount $ 730,329 $ 1,025,743 $ 1,321,158 Estimated Average Single Family Tax Bill Impact for Department Override $ 1 75 $ 247 $ 319 Estimated Average Single Family Tax Bill Impact within Prop 2 1/2 $ 4 01 $ 401 $ 401 Estimated FY 2027 Total Single Family Tax Bill Impact with Override $ 5 76 $ 648 $ 720 Assumes Average Single Family Assessed Value $1,028,374 Assumes the Estimated Property Tax Increase Within Prop 2 ½ is $1,680,701 Preferred Scenario ??? • Final recommended override amount will be after Warrant Committee review of savings from department detailed cost reductions and services from a Level Service budget. • Criteria will include tax impact on residents, service restoration extent, alignment with community priorities and fiscal sustainability. • Provide preliminary guidance (subject to change) to departments for Override budgets

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Posted in Budgets, Financial, Town Meeting, Town Services, Warrant Committee

FY27 PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET REDUCTIONS

Posted on January 14, 2026 | Comments Off on FY27 PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET REDUCTIONS

From Town Administrator, Kristine Trierweiler this morning, her FY27 PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET
REDUCTIONS to the Warrant Committee last night –

FY27 PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET REDUCTIONS Department Proposed Cuts Police Department Eliminate on-call animal control officer Police Department Eliminate funding to staff community events at no charge Assessor’s Department Reduce Full Time Admin to Part Time MSH Maintenance Eliminate dog waste pickups Select Board Eliminate printing GFOA Budget Book Select Board Eliminate offsite storage at Montrose Facilities Reduction of electricity budget due to solar Parks and Recreation Reduction in overtime budget

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Posted in Budgets, Financial, Town Meeting, Town Services

MMA Suggests Solutions to Declining State Aid

Posted on December 11, 2025 | Comments Off on MMA Suggests Solutions to Declining State Aid

GET THE FULL ARTICLE VIA THE LINK BELOW:

Navigating the Storm: Charting a Course Toward Fiscal Stability

State aid – Unrestricted General Government Aid, or UGGA – to Medfield has declined for decades, and today is at less than half the level of our real estate property tax revenue that it was in 2007. The declining state aid has increasingly moved municipal services from being funded by the state income tax to the local property tax.

Thanks to Steve Callahan, Chair of the Warrant Committee for circulating the link to the Massachusetts Municipal Association piece that Assistant Town Administrator, Brittney Franklin shared with him.

Thanks too to the Massachusetts Municipal Association for focusing on this issue of inadequate and declining state funding.

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Posted in Budgets, Financial, Legislature, Select Board matters, Warrant Committee

Town’s Buildings Require $100m in Repairs in Next 5 years

Posted on December 11, 2025 | 1 comment

 https://town.medfield.net/DocumentCenter/View/9333/Medfield_CapitalPlan_DecarbonizationStudy-1

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Posted in Budgets, Buildings, Financial, Select Board matters, Town Meeting, Town Services, Warrant Committee

Black Out at Budget Workshop

Posted on December 3, 2025 | 2 comments

MEDFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT photo –

The Warrant Committee’s joint budget workshop with the Select Board and School Committee last night was ended by this tree on the wires along Main Street that turned off the electricity to the Medfield High School library, putting the meeting into darkness – the MHS’s emergency generator failed to come on. The meeting proceeded in the dimness for a short time illuminated only by the light from the computer screens and cell phones, and apparently was still being broadcast on backup power.

The workshop discussion will be re-scheduled and the discussions will continue.

Issue = only an additional 1.2% budget monies are available for spending increases for FY27, so even level funding is not possible. Plus large capital expenses required:

  1. $120 m. required to repair town buildings over the next 20 years.
  2. $100 m. required in next 5 years for priority building repairs – roofs and building envelopes.
  3. Dale Street School must be replaced.

Overrides seem needed, unless residents want fewer services.

Thank you to the Warrant Committee for starting the discussion!

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Posted in Budgets, Financial, Medfield High School, Police Department, Schools, Select Board matters, Warrant Committee

Massachusetts losing $3.7 billion to Trump policies, per state dashboard

Posted on October 8, 2025 | Comments Off on Massachusetts losing $3.7 billion to Trump policies, per state dashboard

From the Globe –

New dashboard shows exactly how much federal funding Mass. is losing out on under Trump

Many Massachusetts residents are at risk of losing their Medicaid coverage, SNAP benefits, and more under the cuts.

Massachusetts is losing about $3.7 billion in federal funds due to actions by the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress. Suzanne Kreiter/Boston Globe

By Ross CristantielloOctober 7, 2025 | 11:24 AM

Massachusetts officials launched a new online dashboard this week designed to clearly show how federal funding cuts are negatively impacting Massachusetts under the Trump administration. All told, the state has lost about $3.7 billion due to President Trump and a Congress beholden to him, according to the dashboard.  

From Massachusetts state website –

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Posted in Budgets, Federal Government, Financial, State