Billerica Select Board Approves Town Manager Contract 3-2 Amid Budget Scrutiny

BILLERICA — February 27, 2023 — Billerica Select Board approves town manager's contract 3-2 and unanimously recommends $178.6 million FY24 budget to Town Meeting. The board voted three to two Monday to renew Town Manager John Carman's contract through June 30, 2027, raising total compensation to $217,031 with 3 percent annual increases in each of the next three fiscal years and extending severance upon termination without cause from five to 12 months. Selectwoman Janet Conway and Selectman Michael Rosa voted against, with Conway calling the package "too rich" and citing an 8 percent salary increase in year one and an 18 percent jump in total compensation. On the FY24 budget, Carman presented a $4.1 million general budget increase driven by a $2.8 million school department rise, a $619,000 waste management contract increase, and $936,000 in pension cost growth, with roughly $2 million in debt stabilization funds projected to bring the net levy impact to approximately $3.9 million. The board also unanimously approved a permanent outdoor dining licensing policy and authorized reallocation of leftover capital project funds toward a $2 million Buck Auditorium renovation covering HVAC, acoustics, and balcony conversion.