2025 Annual Town Meeting & FY26 Budget Timeline
Budget season for 2025-26 is already underway – we’ll keep our timeline updated as the year progresses so you can follow along.
- Town FY26 Budget Website
- Town FY26 Budget Google Folder (coming soon)
- FY26 Budget Timeline (PDF)
- School FY26 Budget Website
| Date | Timeline Details | Documents | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2024 | Town Manager gains consensus on budget timeline with Select Board, Appropriation Committee and School Committee. (Charter § 7-2(a)) Budget message discussion. | FY26 Town Budget Discussion Slides FY26 School Budget Discussion Slides | 09/10/24 Meeting Video |
| October 1, 2024 | FY26 Budget Message (voted by the Select Board) | FY26 Budget Message FY26 Budget Initial Discussion Information | 10/01/24 Meeting Video |
| October 4, 2024 | CFO distributes budget materials. | ||
| October 10, 2024 | Deadline to submit Community Preservation Committee (CPC) applications | ||
| November 1, 2024 | Municipal Services budgets due to Town Manager. | ||
| November 18, 2024 | 10 Year capital plans due to Capital Improvements Committee (CIC). Town Manager CIP review. CPC capital requests due to CIC | ||
| November 25, 2024 | The Fiscal Year 2026 Town Budget Survey – Share Your Ideas and Recommendations Fire, Police, Facilities and Communications Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) Review | Link to survey: https://forms.gle/uwv62WPtMc2PZ5xr6 | |
| December 2024 | Town officials and multiple member bodies may submit draft warrant articles to Town Counsel for review and comment. | ||
| December 2, 2024 | Parks/Rec and DPW Communications Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) Meeting | ||
| December 12, 2024 | Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) Meeting for Technology and School Projects | ||
| December 16, 2024 | Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) Meeting to review all FY26 requests | ||
| December 17, 2024 | Select Board Meeting Select Board voted to open the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) warrant on January 5, 2025. (120 days before ATM) | FY26 Budget General Fund Sources and Uses | 12/17/24 Meeting Video |
| December 19, 2024 | Town Manager completes Municipal Services budget review. CIC & CPC complete capital hearings and submit to Town Manager. School Superintendent presents budget; Joint Meeting School Committee, Appropriation Committee, Select Board | FY26 HPS School Budget Presentation 12-19-24 | 12/19/24 Meeting Video |
| January 5, 2024 | Annual Town Meeting (ATM) Warrant opens. Submission of proposed warrant articles begins. | ||
| January 9, 2024 | School Superintendent presents budget to School Committee. Select Board & Appropriation Committee will attend. | ||
| January 16, 2024 | School Committee Public Hearing/Board Discussion, with Select Board and Appropriation Committee; will include information on funding sources. | ||
| January 21, 2025 | Town Manager submits a consolidated budget to the Select Board. | ||
| January 23, 2025 | School Committee Votes FY 26 Budget | ||
| February 3, 2025 | Annual Town Meeting (ATM) Warrant closes (90 days before ATM, Charter § 2-3). ● All petitions for warrant articles submitted to Town Clerk for signature confirmation. ● Town Manager refers all appropriation articles to Appropriation Committee. ● Select Board refers voter petitions to Board of Registrars (MGL c.39 § 10). ● Select Board refers all zoning articles to Planning Bd. within 14 days of submission (MGL c.40A § 5). | ||
| February 2025 | Planning Board public hearing on zoning articles (date scheduled by Planning Board, Zoning Bylaw §210-153; MGL c.40A §5. | ||
| March 2025 | Public Forum – General Bylaw articles submitted into Warrant, hosted by those proposing the General Bylaw articles. | ||
| March 11, 2025 | Select Board adopts budget and capital and submits to Appropriation Committee. | ||
| March 31, 2025 | Last day to file nomination papers for town election (MGL c.53 § 7, 49 days prior to election). | ||
| April 8, 2025 | Select Board vote to sign ATM Warrant. | ||
| April 14, 2025 | Deadline for final written notice of any ballot questions to be submitted to the Town Clerk (35 days before annual town election, MGL c.54 § 42C). | ||
| April 15, 2025 | Appropriation Committee holds hearing and votes on budget and delivers required report by April 21. (At least 14 days before ATM, Charter § 7-2(b)) Deadline for submission of powerpoint presentations for ATM. Send to Moderator for approval. | ||
| April 21, 2025 | Warrant and Motions Document completed. Appropriation Committee Report Due (At least 14 days before ATM, Charter § 7-2(b)) All Town Meeting Reports/Handouts/Q&A’s Are Published and Available to the Public. (Annual Town Report 14 days before ATM, Charter § 3-1(f)) | ||
| April 25, 2025 | Combined Election and Warrant posted at least 8 days before ATM (Bylaws § 47-1; MGL c.39 §§ 9A, 10). Last day to register to vote for the Annual Town Meeting and Annual Town Election (10 days before Town Meeting/Election M.G.L. c. 51 § 1F). | ||
| May 5, 2025 | Annual Town Meeting begins (First Monday in May, Bylaws § 47-2) | ||
| May 19, 2025 | Annual Town Election (3rd Monday in May, Bylaws § 47-2) |