West Bridgewater Town Meeting Approves $49M Budget, Rejects Water Board Change

Town Meeting · Meeting of May 12, 2026

West Bridgewater voters approved a $49.16 million FY27 budget but rejected a plan to make the Board of Water Commissioners appointed rather than elected. Town Administrator Dave Gagne presented the budget as a roughly 5 percent year-over-year increase driven largely by health insurance and retirement costs, with $2 million in free cash used to avoid a tax override. Capital items approved unanimously included a $1.76 million ladder truck — combining $400,000 in free cash with $1.36 million in borrowing — a $430,307 ambulance replacement, and $214,090 for school intercom systems.

The meeting's central fight was Article 28, Selectman Jeff Ryan's proposal to file a home rule petition converting the water commissioners from elected to appointed and consolidating management under DPW Director Phil McNulty; former Water Superintendent Rick Krueger warned residents "don't give up your right to run your own business," and the article failed on a voice vote after a related amendment to strip the Select Board's oversight clause also failed.

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• The complete report — 1,586 words

Source: the Town Meeting meeting of May 12, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.