Kingston Grapples with Tight Budget, Weighs Override Options
Board of Selectmen debates school funding, public safety needs amid financial constraints
KINGSTON - January 28 - Kingston's Board of Selectmen faced tough decisions Jan 28 as they grappled with a tight budget for fiscal year 2026, considering potential overrides for schools and public safety while weighing concerns about increasing tax burdens on residents.
The board voted to approve a preliminary budget of $61,475,194, which includes a 4% increase for schools. However, this figure may change as school committees finalize their budgets in the coming weeks.
Board members expressed reluctance to support overrides, citing concerns about sustainability and the cumulative impact on taxpayers. Selectman Tyler Bouchard said, "If we don't have the revenue projected to cover this for next year, we're gonna be in the same spot or worse."
Selectman Kim Emberg shared these concerns, stating, "We can't just think about this year. We need to think about next year."
The board discussed the possibility of putting override options before voters but did not reach a consensus. Police Chief Brian Holmes presented a request for additional staffing, including three patrol officers, a deputy chief, and a full-time dispatcher, estimated to cost $1.1 million.
Holmes emphasized the department's lack of growth since 1998, stating, "There's been zero growth since as far back as what we mentioned last week in 1998. I don't know what it's gonna take to disrupt the cycle of how we're doing business."
Board members acknowledged the need for public safety improvements but struggled with the financial implications. Selectman Eric Crone said, "We can say to the schools, hey, you only have X amount of money. This is what you get. But then the problem becomes, Kingston used to spend near the top of the state per student. Right now we're near the bottom of the state for regular students."
The board also discussed increasing user fees for services like the transfer station and beach stickers to help offset costs. Town Administrator Keith Hickey presented options for raising an additional $197,000 through transfer station fees and $60,000 through ambulance billing adjustments.
Finance Committee Chairman Carl Pike cautioned the board about the long-term implications of budget decisions, saying, "Leadership is the word that I'm using in this situation that I believe in a lot of cases, you're asked to manage. But this is a situation where I believe you have to represent the town and be the leadership for the town."
In other business, board members reported on a community open house held by the new owners of Kingston Collection mall. The event, co-sponsored by the Kingston Business Association, gathered input on redevelopment plans for the property.
Crone described the owners' vision for a "town center" concept, saying, "It's similar to what Hanover or Legacy Place they said. But it's built in such a way that it's sort of a town within a town. There's lots of greenery, a lot of grass, bushes, trees, you can walk. Lots of benches, restaurants."
The mall owners emphasized their focus on retail rather than residential development, addressing concerns about the recently passed MBTA zoning that allows for increased housing density in the area.
Emberg noted the owners' receptiveness to community ideas, saying, "They seemed really receptive to everyone's ideas and there were a lot of really interesting ideas and people had Post-its and they put their Post-it ideas all over the pictures."
The board encouraged residents to participate in future open houses and provide feedback on the mall's redevelopment plans.
The next Board of Selectmen meeting is scheduled for Feb. 11, where budget discussions are expected to continue as more information becomes available from the school committees.