The Kingston Finance Committee moved closer to finalizing the fiscal 2027 town budget on Thursday, recommending a local school budget that necessitates significant staffing reductions despite a requested 3.18 percent increase. Superintendent Dr. Jill Proulx informed the committee that while the School Committee opted for an increase over the previous year, the figure remains $277,000 short of maintaining level services, forcing the district to eliminate two full-time teaching positions and one retiring paraprofessional.

Proulx explained that the district is mitigating some of these losses through a new literacy program grant, which allowed for a $74,000 reduction in the curriculum budget, and a $14,000 cut to technology. However, residents can expect slightly larger class sizes as a result of the personnel changes. Member Derek Billnitzer questioned the long-term sustainability of the district's fiscal planning, asking Are we going to be in a situation next year where we have catastrophic decisions? Proulx responded that the district has been very responsible with federal pandemic relief funds to avoid a financial cliff, though future outlooks remain dependent on volatile state and federal grants. Marsha Meekins expressed concern over the certainty of those grants, which total approximately $920,000, to which Proulx indicated an eight out of ten confidence level in securing them.

The committee’s review of the Treasurer and Collector budgets highlighted the ongoing strain of administrative consolidation. Treasurer-Collector Ken Moali, joining the meeting via Zoom, delivered a formal statement warning that while the recent merger of the two offices was intended to create efficiency, it has resulted in a 30 percent reduction in personal services. A full-time clerical position was eliminated, leaving us vulnerable for lack of redundancy and cross-training, Moali said, noting that higher-level staff are now performing transactional tasks he described as operationally unsound. He further noted that the town must now rely on an outside consultant for payroll because the current contract rate of $22 per hour is insufficient to attract a skilled in-house clerk.

Despite the staffing concerns, Moali highlighted a significant return on investment in the tax title foreclosure budget. He reported that an investment of $35,000 helped the town collect nearly $900,000 in unpaid taxes during fiscal 2025. Vice Chair David Fuller inquired about the town's outstanding debt, and Moali noted that while collections have been tremendous, recent changes in state law have shifted the balance of power significantly toward the taxpayer and away from the municipality during the foreclosure process. Motion Made by D. Billnitzer to recommend approval of the tax title foreclosure FY27 budget in the amount of $35,000. Motion Passed 5-0.

Earlier in the evening, Veterans Agent Holly Nighelli detailed the successful regionalization of veteran services with Duxbury, a move that currently saves Kingston approximately $80,000 annually in payroll costs. Nighelli described the Chapter 115 state benefit as a hidden gem and announced plans to send postcards to residents to reach widows and veterans who may not realize they are eligible for medical and funeral reimbursements. She noted that while Kingston pays the benefits upfront, the state provides a statutory 75 percent reimbursement. When Member Meekins questioned why the budget remained high despite a declining number of veterans, Nighelli explained that she is actively educating current clients to increase their use of available reimbursements, such as dental expenses. Motion Made by D. Billnitzer to recommend approval of the veteran services FY27 budget in the amount of $378,025. Motion Passed 5-0.

The committee also addressed the Collector’s budget, focusing on modernizing the town’s billing systems. One member questioned the $27,000 postage budget, asking if an online system could reduce costs. Moali clarified that while an electronic option exists, only about 78 of the town’s 5,600 real estate taxpayers have opted out of paper bills. Then I think we're not pushing it enough, the member remarked. Chair Michael Cowett noted that while the treasurer and collector budgets are being presented separately for now to avoid a paperwork headache, they represent a single combined operation under Moali’s leadership. Motion Made by D. Billnitzer to recommend approval of the collector's budget in the amount of $183,488.88. Motion Passed 5-0.

The session concluded with the approval of several other operational line items, including the general operations budget which covers the town’s gasoline expenses. Motion Made by D. Billnitzer to recommend approval of the general operations budget in the amount of $148,000. Motion Passed 5-0. Additionally, the committee formally recommended the Treasurer’s budget after discussing the increased costs of actuarial audits required for post-employment benefits. Motion Made by D. Billnitzer to recommend approval of the treasurer budget for FY27 in the amount of $159,817.50. Motion Passed 5-0. Chair Cowett closed the meeting by reminding residents that the committee still has two vacancies and encouraged volunteers to apply to help finalize the town’s fiscal planning for the upcoming year.