HADLEY — One-day-a-week closures of Town Hall, the Hadley Public Library and the Council on Aging, elimination of the human resources department and staff reductions across most municipal departments loom as part of streamlined operations being proposed in next year’s budget.
In a presentation of fiscal year 2027 budget scenarios at a joint meeting of the Select Board and Finance Committee Wednesday, Finance Director Linda Sanderson and Interim Town Administrator Michael Mason outlined how the proposed spending confronts a $1.51 million deficit, with no use of free cash or assumption that a Proposition 2 1/2 tax-cap override would pass.
While a $23.89 million budget is needed to maintain level school and municipal services, the budget presented is for $22.37 million, which is $385,572 less than this year’s spending plan.
Mason said there were challenges in putting together a balanced budget without using free cash or assuming an override. “It’s a tough year for us to not use any of that free cash,” Mason said.
Based on this plan, 14 positions will be impacted, totaling 7.5 full-time equivalents lost, with an additional 10 positions possibly to be eliminated at the public schools.
These reductions come several months after the Fire Department lost two full-time staff following a failed Proposition 2 1/2 tax-cap override.
Sanderson said the impact for the public is a recommendation that Town Hall, the Senior Center and Hadley Public Library each be closed at least one day each week, allowing the scaled-back staff to better do its work.
“We’re at a point now where we have to spread that across more budgets, and it’s not going to be easy,” Sanderson said.
Mason said the human resources department is being zeroed out, effective immediately, with outsourcing of payroll and benefits, and the permanent closing of the department in the future. There will be a restructuring of the town administrator’s job to handle human resources responsibilities, he said.
All of the town’s department heads are concerned with staff reductions and how they get everything done, even if buildings aren’t open as many hours.
“Every department head had some kind of reduction,” Mason said.
Two Department of Public Works employees and three public safety professionals would be affected by the cuts, on top of what Sanderson said would be unprecedented reductions at the schools. “That is an historic cut,” Sanderson said.
Much of the budget situation is affected by rising health insurance costs.
“We have to compensate for what’s been a runaway situation with health insurance,” Sanderson said.
Those attending the meeting expressed concen.
Kenny Richards, co president of the Hadley Educators Association, explained the harms to the schools that have been recognized statewide and nationally for education.
“Our schools need teachers, our fire department needs fireman, our police station needs police officers,” Richards said. “What I’m saying is our town needs skilled personnel in all departments.”
School Committee member Paul Phifer said the schools have created an attrative product for the region and the investment has paid off with many school choice families coming to Hopkins Academy and Hadley Elementary School.
“These cuts would really set us back in multiple ways,” Phifer said.
Caitlin Kennedy, who is an education support professional in the school’s Nest program and school choice parent, said the one-on-one manner of education has been life changing for her child.
“I encourage the town to prioritize education because these kids are brilliant, these teachers are special, and I’m proud to be part of this community,” Kennedy said, adding that she is asking the town to consider scheduling another override.
School Committee Chairwoman Humera Fasihuddin said she doesn’t want to see property taxes raised, but it may be the only way to provide the necessary support for town and school services.
“I see no choice but to work toward a second override,” Fasihuddin said.
Select Board Chairman Randy Izer confirmed there isn’t the money to keep things as they are, and an override attempt will be discussed.
“We’re going to have to figure out how to make it appealing to voters,” Izer said. “That’s going to be the hard part.
Select Board member Jane Nevinsmith said she, too, expects that an override will be discussed, with the budget assumptions illustrating the fallout from not finding new sources of revenue.
Select Board member David J. Fill II said not using free cash to build the budget made sense, as it illustrates what should be the worst-case scenario.
Tax Collector Susan Glowatsky said it may be appropriate to present a menu-style override where voters can decide on which things they want to spend more money.
“We need to keep our schools solid, and I would love to keep our government solid,” Glowatsky said.