South Hadley town departments, including the schools, provide important services to the community. The funding and policy landscape have fundamentally altered the town’s ability to provide quality services.
The Selectboard has established a Budget Task Force to determine whether an operating tax override of Proposition 2½ shall be recommended to support the town’s fiscal year 2027 budget. The recommendation shall detail the amount of any override, its allocation and for how long its intended support until consideration of the next tax override. The Budget Task Force shall be a temporary committee consisting of 7 to 11 members. The Budget Task Force shall include a member of the Selectboard, a member of the School Committee, a member of the Appropriations Committee and a member of the Capital Planning Committee. The remaining members shall be appointed in a manner to balance the various interests of the community. The town administrator and the superintendent of schools and their respective staff shall participate in the Budget Task Force process but shall not be members of the committee.
Charge: The Budget Task Force shall complete the following tasks in connection with this charge:
- Examine the mission of the town and understand the impact and priorities of the community through dialogue, surveys and a review of existing plans.
- Utilizing the town’s long-range forecast and budget projections, determine the structural budget gap for Fiscal Year 2027 and beyond;
- Examine school enrollment projections and costs including operational costs.
- Assess the adoption and implementation of the efficiencies and best practices identified by prior override study and efficiency committees;
- Examine potential non-override revenue sources, including costs, feasibility, potential savings and other impacts of potential adoption and implementation;
- Benchmark town and school programs, expenditures and revenues with comparable municipalities;
- Compile data that shows the impact that increased taxes and fees will have on taxpayer and residents;
- With input from the town administrator and school superintendent, prioritize programs or other expenditures for funding.
- Examine the impact of changes in state and federal policies and funding sources on the delivery and impact of services.
- Analyze the impact to town and school programs of failure of its recommendations.
Reporting: The Budget Task Force shall submit a detailed written report of its findings and recommendations no later than February 9, 2026. As the Selectboard determines, the committee shall remain in place and participate in public forums to communicate its report and recommendations.
Applications: The Selectboard will review any applications for this committee at their May 20 and June 3, 2025 meetings. Interested community members should complete an application on the town website here. The deadline for applicants is Tuesday, May 20 by 4:30 p.m. Please include particular skills or interests you have that would help the Selectboard better evaluate your application.