SHELBURNE — As Annual Town Meeting approaches, members of the Selectboard and Finance Committee are working to finalize the fiscal year 2027 budget.
During a joint meeting on Monday, they reviewed Police Chief Greg Bardwell’s request to offer staff a raise on top of the town’s 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment.
“We’ve got a great crew. The work they’ve been doing is fantastic, and I wanted to show that by essentially requesting between a 3.6% to 3.8% increase, not a cost-of-living raise, but a raise for officers,” Bardwell said. “I think in the seven years I’ve been chief, I don’t think I’ve ever asked for a raise aside from when we did the wage classification study. So the numbers I don’t think are outside the norm. I think they track pretty well with the county.”
Following the results of a wage classification study, Town Meeting voters approved increasing the police salary line by $113,000, or 22%, for fiscal year 2026. The FY25 study had found that Shelburne patrol officers made $26 per hour, or $54,080, and sergeants made $35.44 per hour, or $73,175, on average. The most recent wage classification study completed by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, covering FY26 salaries, found that after voters increased the salary line by $113,000, pay for Shelburne patrol officers rose to $35.25 per hour, or $73,320, and sergeants now make $40.58 per hour, or $84,406.
Bardwell said after looking at what other neighboring departments pay and considering how long Shelburne officers have been working in town, he feels they deserve more than just a cost-of-living increase. The officers have been working full-time for five to 20 years.
“I took a look at who we have for officers and where we’re at in the job market. What drew my attention to this was, not too long ago, Northfield had posted a full-time position for a new officer coming in with a starting salary range of $32 to $37 an hour, which is about $75,000 for a starting officer to jump on and start working,” Bardwell said.
Bardwell said the salary increases would result in $14,000 more for the police salary line. At last May’s Annual Town Meeting, voters approved a $610,713 budget for police salaries.
He added that while salaries would be increasing, he is decreasing the Police Department expenses line by $1,900, bringing the total proposed police budget increase to 2.7%. Bardwell said he believes the gas expenses for police cruisers can be decreased since the department began using fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles, although he is unsure if the war in Iran would require the town to increase the gas budget.
“From 2026 to the request for 2027, we’re looking at going from $91,700 to $89,800,” Bardwell said of the proposed budget for gas. “Mind you, I submitted this prior to Iran, but the gas consumption for cruisers is down significantly. We’ve noticed that ever since we started implementing the hybrids, the gas budget seems to be trending in a downward pattern compared to when we were running all-gas cruisers.”
Selectboard Chair Rick LaPierre, who also serves on the Police Services Advisory Committee, said the committee reviewed the budget requests and unanimously supported them.
The Selectboard and Finance Committee also reviewed budget requests from the Conservation Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, Emergency Management Department and Board of Assessors.
The ZBA plans to level-fund its expenses, which for fiscal year 2026 were budgeted at $2,908, but hopes to increase the budget for the clerk, Faye Whitney. Her pay would increase to $30 an hour for 125 hours.
While the ZBA did not have a representative at the meeting, John Richardson, a Conservation Commission member, said Whitney is a knowledgeable asset and a big help to the commission. Whitney assists both the Conservation Commission and the ZBA.
LaPierre said he would agree that keeping qualified staff is worth the increased expense.
“I concur that one of the things that we face as a town and as our fiduciary responsibility requires is keeping people that know what they’re doing and not losing them over a few dollars,” LaPierre said. “And so the difference in her previous pay to this, to me, is a few dollars and would be well worth it.”
Finance Committee members said they are not opposed to increasing Whitney’s pay, but since the board does not use the full amount that is budgeted for the clerk, increasing the budget line is not necessary. The board could increase her pay rate and still be within the amount budgeted for the year.
The Conservation Commission is also requesting an increase in its budget from $3,241 to $4,275 to cover added training expenses. The Board of Assessors plans to decrease its expense line but increase its contracted services line, for a total 6% increase.
Emergency Management Director Tom Williams noted he wants to rescind his capital request for a $61,000 generator for the Cowell Gymnasium as he would like to look into possible grant opportunities.
The Selectboard and Finance Committee will continue reviewing the budget in the weeks leading up to Annual Town Meeting, which is set for May 1.