Early Draft of Mansfield Town Budget Comes in at $87.5 Million

An initial look at next year’s town budget shows a 2.14 percent increase over last year.

Calling it a work in progress, Town Manager Bill Ross presented an early draft of the fiscal year 2016 budget, which came in at $87.5 million.

According to Ross, it contains a $2.7 million shortfall, down from the $3 million shortfall when the budget was presented at the same time last year.

New positions in the budget includes a purchasing director, a clerical support person, and a crime analysis for the police department.

The fire department’s budget will have funding for four more lieutenants but will not have room to hire new staff.

An addition 500,000 from the budget will be placed stablization fund, increasing it to $3.7 million. $400,000 will be moved from the general fund to help cover other post employment benefits.

Ross said that the budget assumes that revenue from the state will be flat. The town will not know how much aid they will receive from the state until March since newly elected Governor Charlie Baker is allowed an extra 30 days to submit a budget.

Residents will have a chance to vote on the budget at the Annual Town Meeting in the spring.