Plymouth Finance Subcommittee Unanimously Approves Nine FY27 Department Budgets

PLYMOUTH — January 21, 2026 — Plymouth Finance Subcommittee E recommended all nine FY27 department budgets by unanimous 4-0 votes at its January 21 session. Chaired by Christine Richards with members Dennis Friedman, Emily Tompkins, and Scott Vecchi, the panel approved budgets ranging from a $350 Disabilities Commission allocation to a $2,433,329 Library appropriation, with the nine combined totals exceeding $6.1 million. Public Health Director Karen Keane disclosed that a $535,000-per-year Public Health Excellence Grant — shared with five other towns and funding three staff positions — expires June 30, 2027, with the state indicating no follow-on funding is expected. The library's $2,433,329 budget drew the sharpest scrutiny, with Vecchi noting the department had already spent $95,509 of its $151,263 FY26 overtime budget at roughly the fiscal year's midpoint. Planning and Development's request of $1,032,459 marked an 8.5 percent decrease from the prior year, while Recreation Director Anne Slusser projected a $28,000 annual savings by bringing Whitehorse Beach parking enforcement in-house at $21,600 versus a $50,000 third-party contract.