Dartmouth Select Board advances 30-article town meeting warrant for June 2 vote

DARTMOUTH -- April 27, 2026, Dartmouth Select Board reviews 30-article town meeting warrant and hears budget warning ahead of June 2 vote. The board spent much of its April 27 three-hour meeting working through the draft Annual Town Meeting warrant, which includes a proposed $113,388,015 operating budget, a 4.3 percent increase over last year, and a Special Town Meeting article addressing an $800,000 snow-and-ice deficit. Finance Director Gary Carreiro warned that "structural cost growth is outpacing revenue limits" even as the town saved roughly $2 million by switching health insurance providers and remains the only AAA-rated community in Bristol County. The board voted unanimously to affirm the appointment of Parks and Recreation Director Rebecca Amaral and to push back Environmental Affairs Director Jennifer Miller's start date to May 18. On the long-stalled former police station at 249 Russells Mills Road, where the town has spent $20,000 this year on fire alarm compliance while the EPA occupies the rear of the parcel through 2029, member David Tatelbaum moved to table any decision until fall. The board will vote on the final warrant at its May 11 meeting; a pre-town meeting public information session is set for May 27.