Manchester Finance Committee Sets July 8 Meeting for Year-End Budget Transfers

MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA — May 28, 2026 — Manchester-by-the-Sea Finance Committee previews year-end transfers and an uncertain trash contract transition. Finance Director Andrea Romania told the committee at the May 28 working session that she has identified $855,000 in spending turnbacks across the operating budget, making a draw on the Finance Committee reserve fund unlikely despite overages in legal expenses, electricity, and IT accounts. The most financially uncertain item heading into FY27 is the town's sanitation contract: Republic Services has not yet delivered a signed agreement, the town has asked to delay automated cart collection past July 1, and the transition will eliminate roughly $300,000 in annual orange-bag fee revenue that currently offsets collection costs — a gap that Town Administrator Tony Barletta said may need to be replaced through a per-household fee or additional property tax support. The committee also reviewed a working 25-year capital plan prepared by Romania and Director of Public Works Chuck Dapp, and scheduled a July 8 meeting to formally approve year-end transfers ahead of the July 15 deadline.