Whately approves 2.5 percent COLA and $5,000 roof repair transfer

WHATELY -- April 15, 2026, Whately's joint Finance Committee and Select Board approved a 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment for non-union town employees and a $5,000 emergency roof repair transfer at the April 15 meeting. The COLA, recommended by the personnel committee using Consumer Price Index benchmarks and comparable-community data, applies only to non-union staff; unionized school employees operate under separate contracts. The board also approved a common victualler license renewal and the emergency repair estimate for the town offices roof, which had a prior appropriation balance of $2,900 and a total estimate of $7,400. A draft capital plan covering all requested items except a wheel loader, including a new police cruiser, highway truck, and a property survey for the highway garage site, was discussed but deferred to the May 11 Finance Committee meeting for a final vote, with the Select Board warrant closing May 13. Members flagged that Whately's levy limit headroom has shrunk to roughly $700,000 and that a potential Franklin County Technical School assessment increase of approximately $200,000 could push the town toward a Proposition 2½ override within the next few budget cycles.