Town Meeting Preview: Proposed Half-Percent Budget Increase

WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington residents will vote Saturday on the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, among other matters.

The 2021 annual town meeting begins at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Shriners Auditorium. The Shriners are allowing the town to use the facility for free. It is larger than the high school and allows for more social distancing.

The 2021 town meeting warrant is 64 articles, plus three special town meeting articles.

The majority of the budget deals with budgeting, with the town manager recommending a level service Fiscal Year 2022 budget costing 0.46 percent more. Town Manager Jeffrey Hull's recommended operating budget would rise to $119.9 million, up $500 thousand over Fiscal Year 2021.

The Finance Committee recommended an additional $2 million in spending, in the form of capital outlay and warrant articles. The Finance Committee's recommended $121.9 million total budget is a 2.1 percent increase over Fiscal Year 2021. The additional spending is funded with an extra $2 million from Free Cash.

In addition to the budget articles, the warrant includes a number of zoning changes and renamings.

The warrant with Finance Committee and Planning Board recommendations is available here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.