$5.4 Million Free Cash Certification Sets Ceiling for Duxbury’s $7 Million Capital Request List
Key Points
- Free cash was certified at approximately $5.4 million to fund the FY26 capital plan
- Committee discussed a $435,000 emergency HVAC replacement for the fire station
- Members proposed moving the $1.4 million school feasibility study to a separate warrant article
- A $1.6 million design phase for PFAS water treatment was reviewed as part of a $43 million long-term project
- Proposed $875,000 for a new fuel depot was met with requests for alternative solution studies
- IT requests were whittled down from $540,000 to approximately $475,000 through inventory review
- Sidewalk improvements were de-prioritized in favor of drainage and bridge infrastructure needs
The Duxbury Fiscal Advisory Committee opened their review of the fiscal year 2026 capital budget on Wednesday, navigating a $7.4 million list of requests against the backdrop of a newly certified free cash figure of $5.4 million. Chair Alexander Chin noted that the committee would focus on the town manager's preliminary recommendations, highlighted in a draft schedule provided by Finance Director Mary MacKinnon. The yellow highlights here are the draft of the town manager's recommendations, Chin explained, setting the stage for a line-by-line prioritization of critical town needs ranging from computer replacements to a multi-million dollar school feasibility study.
Technology and emergency infrastructure dominated the early discussion, with the committee debating a $250,000 proposal for computer replacements. While Town Manager René Read recommended replacing only half of the aging fleet, committee members questioned the efficiency of a phased rollout. Do you know why they're not thinking of doing the lease? Bethann R. Halligan asked, noting the town's current cash flow situation. Ling Wong added that while standardization is a goal, the practical application is complex, stating, I think that it's always simpler if you're just basing everything off of a single model, but it's not clear to me that that is ultimately going to be that important for the town. The committee expressed more urgency regarding a $435,000 HVAC replacement at the fire station, where units are failing and necessitating the use of rental heaters. Karen E. Barry emphasized the necessity of the project, noting, I do think that this is a priority and it would be one that I would put into our column.
Public works and schools also saw significant scrutiny, particularly regarding the proposed $1.7 million school feasibility study, which the committee suggested should be a standalone warrant article rather than being buried in the general capital budget. Meanwhile, Vincent Walsh voiced strong opposition to sidewalk expansion, favoring drainage improvements instead. I will always vote for those as the lowest priority of anything else, Walsh said of the sidewalks, arguing that they can create safety issues and "hot potato" political situations. Frank M. Holden shared concerns regarding bridge and culvert maintenance, specifically the Powder Point Bridge, though he suggested a lower priority for certain assessments. I put repairing the Powder Point Bridge as a C on my book, Holden remarked, as the committee weighed which infrastructure projects could be deferred to future years.
The meeting concluded with a look at the $875,000 fuel depot and significant water department requests, including a $1.6 million design for PFAS treatment. Chair Alexander Chin expressed a desire to seek alternative solutions for fuel management before committing to a near-million-dollar replacement. The committee intends to reconvene next week to finalize their rankings once additional breakdowns of the allocated capital funds are provided by the finance department. The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 PM.
Motion Made by Alexander Chin to adjourn. Motion Passed 6-0