Billerica Finance Committee Approves Finance Director Post, Advances Nine Department Budgets

BILLERICA -- March 19, 2024, Billerica Finance Committee recommends nine departmental budgets and endorses creation of a new finance director post. The committee, meeting March 19, advanced budgets totaling more than $6.1 million across Conservation, Board of Health, Building, Library, Town Accountant, Town Hall Buildings, Historical Commission, Town System-Wide, and Town Civic Events, all recommended to town meeting. The most consequential action was a 44 percent increase to the Town Accountant budget, rising from approximately $363,000 to $529,620, to fund a new finance director position that will oversee the accountant's office and the treasurer-collector as longtime Town Accountant Paul prepares to retire after more than 20 years. Building Commissioner Mark reported the first permit fee adjustment in memory has pushed large residential permits from roughly $2,900 to as much as $9,000, with annual building permit revenue estimated at more than $1 million, nearly double the department's $765,289 operating budget. The Building budget passed 10-1, the lone dissent from a member who opposed the fee-to-budget ratio logic. The Library budget of $1,766,575 and all remaining budgets passed unanimously or with a single abstention on the Civic Events item.