$109 million Middleboro budget approved by select board

MIDDLEBORO -- Select Board members approved a final budget of $109.4 million at their May 11 meeting, the latest step in a lengthy budget process for the town.

The budget, with the exact figure of $109,445,314, includes a number of cuts made to offset a $3.5 million shortfall.

Jobs to be lost include five civilian dispatchers for the fire department, four police officers and the facilities manager position. The media department has also been eliminated.

Interim Town Manager Joseph Perkins did share some positive news at the meeting. 

The town received an additional $272,000 in state aid, which allowed the land steward position to be restored.

That was one of several changes to the budget due to the added funds,  Perkins said.

Other items returned to the budget after the state aid increase include $45,000 to the snow and ice account, restoration of the select board’s administrative assistant to full-time, $100,000 to the schools to offset a previous cut of $400,000, and $42,000 to the unemployment account.

The previously announced cut of the land steward had been questioned by residents, Select Board Chair Teresa Farley and Darren Vasa, the land steward himself.

The position maintains town conservation property, including keeping trails clear, and oversees the town’s community gardens at Picone Farm, which Vasa created, among other duties. Residents noted that the town’s conservation properties are regularly used by the community.

Vasa’s restored salary is $75,876.

The final budget will go before Town Meeting voters June 1.