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During a joint meeting of the Sudbury Select Board and Finance Committee on November 10, 2026, Town Manager Andy Sheehan presented a comprehensive overview of the Town’s financial condition and forecast.
The detailed presentation, embedded below, provided an update on the Town’s fiscal health, explained recent FY26 revenue surpluses, and laid out the path ahead for the Fiscal Year 2028 (FY28) budget.
A central theme of the evening was the Town’s efforts to avoid a Proposition 2½ override for FY28.
Through the work of the Town Manager’s Budget Working Group, which brings together representatives from all cost centers, the Town has managed to whittle down an initial $3 million projected FY28 budget gap to approximately $290,000.
Several Select Board members lauded Sheehan for the presentation’s depth and level of detail, noting that it represents a significant increase in financial transparency for the Town.
Collaboration with Sudbury Public Schools
SPS has been contemplating potential budget cuts in light of the Town’s initial 3.6% budget growth guidance. However, Sheehan’s presentation signaled that the Town is working closely with SPS to close their current budget gap. SPS also reported positive conversations with Sheehan earlier this week in a meeting with the Finance Committee.
Sheehan noted that the 3.6% guidance establishes a balanced budget, but acknowledged the difficulties it presents for SPS in particular. To that end, officials are eagerly anticipating finalizing several key variables in the coming months:
- New Growth: Final certification could increase available real estate tax revenue. They expect to know more in the next few weeks.
- Health Insurance: Final rates from the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) are expected by March, which could potentially reduce projected employee benefit costs.
- Debt Service: Borrowing costs will be finalized following a bond sale in early January, which may come in lower than projected.
Sheehan told the Select Board and Finance Committee that if the Town receives good news regarding these revenues and expenses, it may create opportunities to revise the budget guidance upwards for SPS and other cost centers while still keeping the Town’s budget balanced and successfully averting an override.
At a time when costs for everyday goods have risen sharply, avoiding an override could be very well received by many residents. However, a balanced budget is not necessarily a level service budget. SPS leadership has told the SPS School Committee that budget cuts would likely impact staffing levels, and force an increase in class sizes.
Notably, Sheehan also reminded attendees on Tuesday that avoiding an override this year does not change the forecast of substantial shortfalls in FY29 and FY30. Residents can expect override conversations to continue even if one is avoided this year.
