Fire department reports first budget overrun since 2019
Monson fire department reports first budget overrun since 2019, cites staffing strain. Fire Chief Brian Harris told the Select Board the department exceeded its operating budget by $15,000 in FY26 and currently faces mounting operational challenges as incident volume increases and staffing falls
Select Board · Meeting of July 14, 2026
Monson fire department reports first budget overrun since 2019, cites staffing strain. Fire Chief Brian Harris told the Select Board the department exceeded its operating budget by $15,000 in FY26 and currently faces mounting operational challenges as incident volume increases and staffing falls short. Harris pressed for capital planning for an ambulance replacement, warning of three-year wait times from equipment suppliers.
Meanwhile, the town's FY27 budget improved by $134,824 due to lower charter school tuition assessments, lifting excess levy capacity to $168,424, though Select Board Chair Patricia A. Oney cautioned that the fall Town Meeting will test whether reserves can cover departmental requests for budget restorations.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 483 words
Source: the Select Board meeting of July 14, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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