Wareham Select Board Unanimously Backs FY27 Budget, Disbands Energy Panel

Select Board · Meeting of April 7, 2026

Wareham Select Board backs $85 million FY27 budget and disbands its Alternative Energy Committee. The board voted 5-0 Tuesday to recommend favorable action on Articles 7 through 10 of the annual town meeting warrant, covering the general fund, EMS, Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, and the WPCF enterprise fund, while also voting unanimously to dissolve the Alternative Energy Committee at that panel's own request. Town Administrator Derek Sullivan warned that Wareham's net state aid is effectively negative $303,000 for the current fiscal year, with state assessments for charter and school choice tuition having grown from $2,045,000 in 2013 to more than $5 million today against minimal aid increases.

Sullivan called a 12 percent jump in motor vehicle excise collections "a one off" and said certified free cash of $8,051,253 includes $1.5 million being sequestered for a future police communications upgrade. The board also reversed its earlier negative vote on a citizen zoning petition, voting 5-0 to refer Article 19 to the Planning Board for further study with a likely return to the October town meeting warrant.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of April 7, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.