ADAMS, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen will take up review of the fiscal 2026 budget beginning Tuesday, with the presentation of the budget books and an an overview. 

 

Interim Town Administrator Kenneth Walto briefed the board on aspects of the more than $19 million spending plan at the regular board meeting on Wednesday. Finance Director Ashley Satko attended the meeting, recorded by Northern Berkshire Community Television, to answer any questions.

 

"The general impression we want to leave you with tonight is we are in very good shape," Walto said. "I want to compliment Ashley for the hard work under a really expedited timeframe this year. ... We're about a month late in starting."

 

The largest factors of the budget are personal services — employee wages, benefits, insurance and unemployment — at $8.1 million and the school assessments at nearly $7 million. Walto is recommending using $250,000 in free cash to keep total expenditures just under $5.1 million. 

 

The board will have to deal with a $25,000 deficit that would bring it over the levy limit. 

 

Walton said the deficit looked like it "was going to be a heck of a lot higher" but Satko combed the budget looking where other appropriations could be made. The town departments also helped in bringing in there budgets level or under, though there are areas where increased expenditures could not be avoided. 

 

"That has to be cured in some way and there are several ways to do it," said Walto, including use of more free cash, cuts, the stabilization account or a Proposition 2 1/2 override, though he dismissed that as unlikely.