(5-11-26 Document #7) FinCom Minutes 3-30-26 (HM)

Word document text

Canton Finance Committee Meeting
Monday, March 30th, 2026, 7pm
Virtual Meeting


In Attendance: Emilio Mauro, Nicholas Corkery, John Leonetti, Helen Mancuso, Evan Patton, Reuki Schutt, Kristin Mirliani, and Ronald Wilson
William Scollins – Finance Director
Absent: Cindy Thomas
CCTV Recording
Recording Secretary: Allison Neff

Chairperson Mauro called the meeting to order at 7:01pm.


ARTICLE 3 – HEAR & CONSIDER VOTE TO ACCEPT REPORTS OF COMMITTEES APPOINTED AT PRIOR TOWN MEETINGS 
Chairperson Mauro explained to the Committee that certain committees that have been appointed by Town Meeting usually provide reports at Annual Town Meeting each year.

Canton Alliance Against Substance Abuse Committee Report
Izzy Nolan, Program Manager
Ms. Nolan introduced herself and explained that the Canton Alliance Against Substance Abuse Committee (CAASA) primarily focuses on youth substance use prevention and education. Mr. Nolan is a certified DARE officer and goes into health classes, as well as having 1:1 meetings with students to focus on youth prevention. She noted that the Federal Government shutdown caused their grant to lapse, but it has since been reinstated by the Government, and the Committee is hoping to get their funding back come June of 2026.

Ms. Nolan listed some of the events and programs CAASA has held over the past year. They hosted a Celebration of Life in August 2025 for those who have lost a loved one to substance use, and the event was coordinated by CAASA member Harriet Burak. The Committee conducted a successful leader-in-training program for the second summer in a row, as well as hosting their annual Summer Blast Off event. A main priority for CAASA is bringing families and community together, and this summer event is part of that mission. For the first time, CAASA hosted a Dinner with Santa, teaming up with the Canton Helpline to help families who have received resources and assistance from the Helpline. Ten families attended, and the Committee is hoping to expand this event for next year.

On ½ days at the Galvin Middle School the Committee has hosted field trips, at which students have had a lot of fun, and this has led to the growth of summer camp registrations. Youths who are signed up for programs like this are more likely to stay away from dangerous substances. Lunch Leaders is another youth program formed at the Canton High School and Galvin Middle School, and the middle schoolers recently put together a successful school dance. A peer leadership group has been formed at the High School; this program is from the District Attorney’s office, and the group has monthly meetings about substance use, healthy relationships, distracted driving, and other matters important to youth mental and physical health. The group also participates in school community support activities and fundraising. The Committee’s goal is to expand its youth offerings, services, and events.

Ms. Nolan also explained that the Committee attends many community events throughout the year and is actively collaborating with the Canton Public Library for more programs. They proudly report the distribution of Narcan boxes around Town, along with drug buster units provided to help people dispose of drugs at home.

Chairperson Mauro thanked CAASA for everything they do, complimenting the emphasis on addressing underlying causes and making sure families impacted by addictions have support-based resources, along with preventing substance abuse. He noted that substance abuse is often a symptom of underlying issues and it is beneficial to treat the whole situation. He asked if the Committee had any concerns about what they are seeing in the community, and Ms. Nolan responded that the Canton Board of Health has shared a lot of information on upcoming substance trend issues. Reports state that officials are seeing an increase in marijuana usage, making education more important. Overall, Ms. Nolan noted the Committee has been very impressed with the actions and efforts of the kids involved in the programs.

Chairperson Mauro thanked Ms. Nolan and the entire CAASA Committee again, noting his appreciation for everything they do to keep the community safe and prevent the loss of opportunity from substance abuse issues. CAASA helps make the community a better, safer place. 
Ms. Nolan thanked the Committee for the opportunity to share the efforts CAASA is making, and for all the Finance Committee’s hard work.

Economic Development Committee Report
Gene Manning, Chairperson
Chairperson Mauro noted for the record that he is a sitting member of the Economic Development Committee (EDC).

Mr. Manning introduced himself and stated that the Town of Canton continues to perform well in terms of economic development. Primarily focused on commercial efforts, this Committee helps maintain a vibrant business community to ensure stable commercial tax revenue flow for the Town. While circumstances can change quickly, the Committee looks for ways to increase property values and maintain the Town’s reputation as a proactive business community. The Canton Select Board has historically been (and currently is) very pro-business and the Committee wants to see that continue.

Mr. Manning noted challenges seen in 2025 by many municipalities, like Boston, whose tax growth diminished significantly last year. Canton saw an increase that was less than other recent years, but any increase is incredibly positive when many other towns saw negative numbers. Mr. Manning listed new business additions to Canton over the past year and reported on the Canton job fair held over the summer, organized by Greg Murphy, which involved over 30 companies and over 200 attendees. 

Mr. Manning noted that some of the new construction buildings coming up in town will contain multiple businesses, stating that many new businesses are opening downtown and in Cobbs Corner. He pointed out the large Rivian acquisition of two buildings, which was built in a wooded area with minimal disruption to neighbors, and he explained that CubeSmart (which is going in where the 99 Restaurant used to be) is mid-construction at this time, and is increasing the property value of that site from $2 million to approximately $10-$12 million. These two large business additions increase revenue to the Town while not requiring significant Town services or adding to the burden on the School System.

Mr. Manning compared Canton favorably to its peers, noting a revenue impact of approximately $40 million, and a commercial and industrial valuation of over $1.8 billion, making Canton one of the top Norfolk County communities for commercial taxes generated. He also noted that the 2026 residential tax rate in Canton is $9.75 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, which is the lowest in Norfolk County, with the commercial rate at $19.67 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. When it comes to the commercial/industrial tax as a percent of the total levy in Norfolk County municipalities, Canton leads with 39.48%. While many of the nearby towns dropped due to the softening of the market, Canton went up .05%.

The EDC engages with the community, mainly through the Canton Association of Business and Industry (CABI), which distributes scholarships to CHS and Blue Hills Regional students, makes donations to the Canton Schools and the Food Pantry, and is soon announcing a major donation to Paul Revere Museum of Discovery & Innovation at the Paul Revere Heritage Site. CABI also hosts an annual Road Race in September with approximately 600 runners; funds raised from this event are focused on going back to the community.
Mr. Manning listed the members of the EDC and complimented their hard work, noting that they are all volunteers working on behalf of Town and are very proud of the results.

Chairperson Mauro thanked Mr. Manning, complimenting his leadership and the hard work of the entire Committee. He confirmed the importance of making sure the Town has this economic development to generate revenue growth, create jobs, and keep the community stable. Referencing Mr. Manning’s mention of the market downturn for other local municipalities, Mr. Mauro asked what factors contributed to that, and he asked what Canton has been doing correctly to prevent that same downturn here. Mr. Manning explained that COVID changed the economic landscape in 2020/2021, with many people now working remotely. While it used to be common for a huge building to only contain one business with many hundreds of employees, companies are now trending toward sharing space in buildings with other tenant businesses. He also stated that Canton has a good leadership team (referencing the Select Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Board, Police Department, and Fire Department) who all support local business. The Town is welcoming to new businesses, allowing them to get started quickly, and the tax rates are low compared to the Town’s competitor set. While there are many economic and market issues outside the control of the EDC, they try to control what they can, and make businesses feel like partners to the Town.

Mr. Leonetti referred to a comment by Mr. Manning about commercial real estate being fragile, though Canton is not doing badly, and asked why this fragility exists. Mr. Manning explained that, similar to the business building occupancy trends changing, businesses are changing in many ways. Canton is fortunate to have the Royal St area, Shawmut Road area, and Dan Road commerce centers that are all zoned for business and are situated away from residences. The Town is also fortunate to be located at the intersection of several major highways and near the commuter rail. The tax rates usually seen in major cities put a large burden on businesses, and these municipalities often have a lot of regulations and hoops to jump through when it comes to a new business being established in the municipality, while Canton’s leadership supports and welcomes businesses and makes it as easy as possible to become a Canton business. The EDC hopes to keep this same momentum moving forward. Mr. Leonetti asked for confirmation that, when a company decides to move, the EDC steps in and helps create opportunities and invitations for these new businesses, which Mr. Manning affirmed, noting as an example the sudden departure of Reebok from the largest commercial property in Town, and the EDC’s successful efforts in bringing in Point32Health and Trillium, which have both been very positive for driving revenue.

Chairperson Mauro thanked Mr. Manning and all his fellow EDC members for their work to promote economic development in Canton. 

Bylaw Modernization Study Committee
George Comeau, Chairperson
Mr. Comeau explained that, under Article 30, the Bylaw Modernization Study Committee (BMC) has met consistently for the past 2 years. Since then, especially over the past year, the Committee has engaged software, called Eco360, to help with the first part of their process: taking all Town bylaws, including zoning and land use, and codifying them. The Committee executed one contract with this company to codify all the bylaws. The codification process is well underway, and the BMC has been coordinating with other Town boards and departments and working diligently. They have also hosted two public listening sessions. The first was for key stakeholders in the process (like the Finance Committee, Moderators, and Town Clerk, among others), and the second session was geared toward the general public.

In late January of 2026, the BMC received the first report back from the software company. This report prompted many questions needing answers (117 of them) and the Committee is working through answering those questions at this time. They are also exploring the legal pathways for adopting new bylaws. Eventually, the BMC will submit four articles to Annual Town Meeting. Two will be non-substantive with no major changes, and two will involve Zoning. When there are substantive changes, it will be broken out in detail and explained thoroughly. The Committee is working on their recommendations to the Town Meeting, cleaning up scriveners’ errors, seeking out inconsistencies and updating them, and performing legal analysis to help understand if Canton’s bylaws match Massachusetts General Laws. The Committee plans to work with everyone impacted by any proposed bylaw changes, and all changes will be recommendations to Town Meeting for the voters to decide on.

Mr. Comeau listed the BMC Committee members, noting that there will shortly be a vacancy. He explained that the Committee is a very technical group, working diligently through the process, and looking forward to making more recommendations at a future Town Meeting. The BMC recommendations for this year’s Annual Town Meeting have already been reviewed by the Finance Committee at a prior meeting.

Chairperson Mauro noted that the BMC, if the extension of their work is approved at Annual Town Meeting under Article 23, will move forward with continuing to review the bylaws, and then more specific entities would review them for codifications. He asked if specific recommendations (such as for Zoning) will come along with general bylaw recommendations and Mr. Comeau answered that he believes that a new codification process will be adopted, and they will come forward together, though he had no specific estimate of when the BRC will be done with the project. Mr. Mauro asked if the primary goal for zoning is to codify the Zoning Bylaws and then send them to the Planning Board for them to take further action, if necessary, which Mr. Comeau confirmed, noting that the codification and bylaw updating are tied to the same contract, and are therefore moving apace. Mr. Scollins, who is a member of the BMC, stated that it is a wonderful Committee, and shared his enthusiasm about the product that will be delivered when the Committee’s work is done.

ARTICLE 26: AMEND GENERAL BYLAW ARTICLE IV ANNUAL TOWN MEETING-RECONSIDERATION 
Chairperson George Comeau - Bylaw Modernization Study Committee
Mr. Mauro reminded the Finance Committee that the other BMC-recommended articles for this year’s ATM were reviewed last week, but Article 26 contained language that did not clarify whether votes being reconsidered would be before or after the Budget Ball. He asked Mr. Comeau how the language has been changed since the previous Finance Committee meeting. Mr. Comeau referenced the document provided to the Finance Committee with the language changes highlighted, reminding everyone that this is an article dealing with vote reconsideration at Town Meeting. If an individual wants to bring a voted article back for reconsideration, it would go before the Moderator to decide if the new information provided satisfies the requirements for reconsideration. If the Moderator says no, a majority vote can overrule the Moderator’s decision. If the reconsideration goes forward, the debate will be deferred until all articles are concluded, “and immediately prior to taking up the question of the Annual Budget”. 

Mr. Comeau noted that, due to the quick timing of this language change being needed to go back before the Finance Committee, this change has not yet gone before the BMC but will do so at their next meeting. If the BMC does not approve the change the article will be withdrawn, but Mr. Comeau found that to be a very unlikely scenario. Chairperson Mauro asked Mr. Scollins if the Finance Committee could consider different changes approved by the BMC, if necessary, at the meeting taking place directly before Annual Town Meeting to help advance the article. Mr. Scollins responded that it could be done, but he concurred with Mr. Comeau that this is not anticipated to be an issue as the BMC is in full agreement on the content and this wording change is more of a clerical correction. Mr. Comeau confirmed that the new language would go before Town Counsel for approval before Annual Town Meeting.

Chairperson Mauro thanked Mr. Comeau for working on the new language, and stated his willingness to vote now and reconsider, if necessary, on May 11th.

Ms. Schutt made a motion to recommend Article 26 (That General Bylaw Article IV be amended by deleting the language in Section 6 in its entirety and inserting the following language in its place:
Section 6 Reconsideration
If an article of the warrant has once been acted upon and disposed of, a motion to return to the article may be made at any time, if the Moderator determines that the person offering the motion discloses significant new factual information to the Town meeting concerning said article, which existed but had not been disclosed or made available to the meeting when the motion under that article was debated, and the Moderator thereupon explains why such information satisfies the foregoing criteria. If the moderator deems a reconsideration request does not meet the requirements but the body feels differently, then the proponent of the reconsideration request can ask for a vote of the town meeting members and if this vote passed by a simple majority that the motion to reconsider will proceed provided, however, that debate and action on said motion shall be deferred until all articles are concluded and immediately prior to taking up the question of the Annual Budget. A two-thirds vote shall be required for approval of a motion to reconsider an article. Or take any other action related thereto.) to Town Meeting as written and presented. Mr. Patton seconded the motion. 
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

Mr. Scollins received confirmation that the deadline for submitting updates to the General Code is June 25th, after which the vendor has 145 days to respond, and then the BMC has 45 days to review that response. When the final draft is produced, the BMC will do public outreach and discuss the changes related to the Finance Committee with this Committee.

Chairperson Mauro thanked Mr. Comeau and the entire BMC, and he volunteered to write the Finance Committee discussion for this article. 

Mr. Patton made a point of order, stating that the Finance Committee did not take a vote on Article 3 after the committee reports were reviewed. Mr. Scollins suggested including it numerically with the other votes being taken at this meeting and Chairperson Mauro concurred.

CONSIDER VOTE ON ARTICLE 1 – ELECT A MODERATOR 
Chairperson Mauro explained that this article is usually deferred to Town Meeting. He asked about future plans if Article 24 (changing how a moderator is selected/elected) passes at Town Meeting this year, wondering if the Town would eventually have an annual article to confirm the Deputy Moderator appointed by the elected Moderator, or if this article would be eliminated entirely. Mr. Scollins suggested Article 1 would likely change to the appointment of a deputy moderator. The article would be written with different language discussing who the appointing authority is and who the electing authority is. 
No motion was made for this article (To elect a Moderator to preside at this Town Meeting to serve until the commencement of Annual Town
Meeting of 2027; or to take any other action related thereto.) as it currently is an election that takes place at Town Meeting with a pre-designated individual.
Mr. Scollins noted that the discussions in the Finance Committee recommendations booklet explain the situation well.
There were no Committee questions or concerns regarding this article. Chairperson Mauro explained for the benefit of viewers that the Finance Committee is not allowed to take a position on the election of officials.

CONSIDER VOTE ON ARTICLE 2 – ADOPT RULES TO GOVERN TOWN MEETING 
Motion 1: This motion lays out the timing of Town Meeting this year. Mr. Mauro asked if the specific date (May 11th) of the first night of Town Meeting should be included in the motion wording. Mr. Scollins confirmed that no specific date was included last year, with the motion worded similarly this year. He noted that all motions will go before Town Counsel before printing, so it will be caught if there is any legal issue with omitting the date.

Mr. Patton made a motion to recommend Article 2, Motion 1 (That this 2026 Annual Town Meeting shall meet on consecutive Monday and Wednesday evenings in the Morse Auditorium on the grounds of the Canton High School, 900 Washington Street, until the business of this Annual Town Meeting has been concluded, each such session to begin at 7:00 o’clock P.M. and to adjourn at 11:00 o’clock P.M., or as near that hour as may be feasible, according to the nature of the business pending at the said hour.) to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mancuso seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
The Committee agreed that the draft discussion was acceptable.

Motion 2: This motion lists the town officials and representatives of relevant entities who do not live in Canton, giving them permission to attend and speak, but not to vote. Mr. Scollins reached out to a variety of town officials and project leaders to ensure everyone was included and the positions listed are accurate.

Ms. Mirliani made a motion to recommend Article 2, Motion 2 (That the following individuals be granted all of the rights and privileges of participation in this Annual Town Meeting, except the right to vote, under any article of this warrant which affects matters within their jurisdiction) to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Schutt seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
The Committee agreed that the draft discussion is accurate as written.

Motion 3: This motion is in regard to the rules stating that if the attendees of Town Meeting increase any appropriation, then a way must be found to balance the budget by either decreasing the appropriation to something else, or identifying an additional funding source. This motion makes sure formalized procedures are followed to ensure a balanced budget at the end of Town Meeting. Mr. Scollins confirmed that nothing has changed in this motion since last year’s Town Meeting.


Ms. Mirliani made a motion to recommend Article 2, Motion 3 (That whenever during discussion under any article in this warrant during this year’s annual town meeting, irrespective of which session such discussion is reached during the progress of the annual town meeting, a motion is made, the effect of which is to increase the total amount to be appropriated beyond that which is recommended by the Finance Committee or which changes the method of obtaining funds to meet that appropriation, the moderator shall not accept such motion unless said motion also contains a corresponding decrease in another appropriation as contained in an appropriation article on this specific warrant or a corresponding transfer from any other available funding source or borrowing
as an alternative funding source, so that the total amount to be appropriated by the town, at this town meeting, and to be expended thereafter, for all the appropriation articles contained in this warrant, shall not in any event exceed the total dollar amount recommended by the Finance Committee as set forth in
the published Report of the Finance Committee Recommendations as may be increased by any transfer from available funds provided, however that nothing in this motion shall prevent an increase in appropriation funding contingent upon the passage of a Proposition 2½ override.) to Town Meeting as written and presented. Mr. Patton seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

Article 3 – Hear & Consider Vote to Accept Reports of Committees Appointed at Prior Town Meetings
This article allows for specific committees formed by previous Town Meetings to make a report to this Town Meeting. This year the listed committees are the By-Law Modernization Study Committee, the Canton Alliance Against Substance Abuse, and the Economic Development Committee.

Ms. Mirliani made a motion to recommend Article 3 (That reports of the following committees appointed at previous Town Meetings be heard:
By-Law Modernization Study Committee (ATM 2024, Article 30)
Canton Alliance Against Substance Abuse (CAASA) (ATM 2016, Article 32)
Economic Development Committee (ATM 2004, Article 14)) 
to Town Meeting as written and presented. Mr. Patton seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

CONSIDER VOTE ON ARTICLE 4 – ACT ON “CONSENT AGENDA”
Mr. Scollins explained that the Consent Agenda allows non-controversial or unnecessary articles to be disposed of with a single vote to save time. The articles which are proposed to be included in the Consent Agenda article are 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 20, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 41. He asked for Finance Committee input regarding the inclusion/exclusion of any of the articles listed or not listed. Mr. Patton suggested the Committee consider adding Article 42 to the Consent Agenda. Mr. Mauro asked Mr. Scollins if there is a required threshold (quantum) of votes for a bylaw amendment that would make it incompatible with the Consent Agenda article, with Mr. Scollins explaining that the Consent Agenda must be unanimous. Any articles pulled would have to be voted on separately, and he therefore recommends not including Article 42 in the Consent Agenda, so voters can weigh in on it if they so choose.

Ms. Mirliani made a motion to recommend Article 4 (That the following articles be disposed of by a single vote, in accordance with the Finance Committee motions as written in the report of the Finance Committee: 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 20, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41.) to Town Meeting as written and presented. Mr. Patton seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
The Committee agreed that the draft discussion is acceptable.

CONSIDER VOTE ON ARTICLE 48 – OPERATING BUDGETS
Mr. Scollins informed the Committee that the Blue Hills Regional School Administration has revised down all community assessments, including Canton’s, due to a formula error in allocating out the cost of debt funding for the school. This has fortunately reduced Canton’s assessment to just below what is already budgeted. A 5% increase was anticipated, which was short of what the school presented to the Finance Committee by approximately $13,000, but this reduction has brought down the total by approximately $14,000, making the number right on target. Mr. Scollins reminded Finance Committee members that he distributed all the budget materials previously sent for past meetings with this meeting’s documents for the Committee members’ reference if needed. Mr. Leonetti asked where the Blue Hills Regional budget numbers can be found, with Mr. Scollins stating it is included in the fixed costs schedule.

Motion 1: This is a procedural motion to transfer funds (totaling $5,997,203) from various sources to partially fund the Operating Budget.
Mr. Mauro asked if the total being transferred in Motion 1 is consistent with previous years in terms of which funds have needed transfers and their purposes. Mr. Scollins answered affirmatively, noting the Town is very consistent in its funding sources and uses. He pointed out a new appropriation of funds intended to pay for the interest costs on the 1-year note for the $35 million borrowed in August 2025 for the new Galvin Middle School. A transfer of $738,565 from the GMS Feasibility Fund is included in this article. The Town was reimbursed approximately half of the funds for design work, allowing those funds to be reallocated to construction. $299,950 being transferred from the Bond Premium Fund is also included here; this was the premium that the bond anticipation note buyer gave to the Town with the $35 million, with the intent of using those funds to pay for interest costs. Mr. Scollins went on to explain why a note buyer pays the Town money when issuing bonds, saying it is the nature of the municipal bond market. Municipal bonds are tax-free, so the interest rate paid by the municipality is fairly low, and bond-brokers like to buy bonds and sell them with a higher interest rate, so money is given to the Town to allow it to pay the higher rate. This practice is common in bond-buying across the country. The next motion is in regard to the funds to pay the bond interest. 

Mr. Patton made a motion to recommend Article 48, Motion 1 (That the following sums of money be transferred to the General Fund in Fiscal Year 2027 in order to fund the Town’s annual operating budget) to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mirliani seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
Mr. Mauro volunteered to write the discussions for all the Article 48 motions.

Motion 2: Mr. Scollins explained that this motion is for another transfer to fund General Fund expenses for the debt service bonded for the new middle school. The source of these funds is the GMS Capital Stabilization Account, to which the Town has been contributing $1 million per year to build up enough funds to pay the debt service costs during construction of the new school, meaning the Town does not need to start paying the excluded tax. This $183,083 transfer requires a separate vote from the transfers listed in Motion 1 because a 2/3 majority is needed for approval. Mr. Mauro reminded Committee members and viewers that stabilization accounts require only a simple majority to put money in, but require a 2/3 majority vote to take money out. 

Ms. Mirliani made a motion to recommend Article 48, Motion 2 (That the following sums of money be transferred to the General Fund in Fiscal Year 2027 in order to fund the Town’s annual operating budget) to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mancuso seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.
Mr. Mauro stated that he will add a note to the discussion explaining why this is a separate vote from Motion 1.

Motion 3: Chairperson Mauro explained that this motion sets the compensation amounts for elected town officials. The set allocation for the Town Clerk’s salary ($132,289) is much higher than the others listed as it is a full-time position, whereas the others (Board of Assessors, Board of Health, and Select Board) are all smaller stipends. The Finance Committee has discussed in the past whether stipends should be considered for officials who do not currently receive any compensation, and whether the stipends listed here are reasonable, but the topic was delayed as the Bylaw Modernization Committee is recommending changes to how the Moderator is elected, which may have an impact on whether a stipend for the moderator might be appropriate. He suggested that, if the Finance Committee wants to consider changes, it should be worked on in the summer or autumn, so that clear recommendations for change may be made in the next funding cycle. He recommended leaving the article as-is for the time being. Mr. Scollins pointed out that in the past this has been a stand-alone article, but Town Counsel advised the Finance Committee to include it within the Operating Budget Article to avoid errors and to ensure it is looked at in the context of the Operating Budget. He went on the to clarify that this is not an appropriation article; it is only complying with State Law to set compensation rates for elected officials. Mr. Mauro added that the departments from which this money is drawn are listed in the motion.

Ms. Mirliani made a motion to recommend Article 48, Motion 3 (That the salaries and compensation for elected officials for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, be fixed as follows) to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mancuso seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-1 with Ms. Schutt abstaining.

Motion 4: This motion adopts all the operating budgets put forward. A document is included in the back of the Finance Committee recommendation booklet with the Operating Budget laid out by voting category. Mr. Scollins suggested that the Finance Committee vote for the School Department’s budget in total, the municipal budget in total, the fixed costs in total, and the 3 enterprises individually, and then the grand total. He stated that Committee members could express if they wanted anything in particular pulled out for separate voting.

Schools:
Ms. Schutt moved to recommend the Fiscal Year 2027 School Department Operating Budget of $62,175,614 to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mirliani seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

Municipal Budget:
Chairperson Mauro stated that the Municipal Budget has multiple departments under its umbrella, and he asked if there were any line items which Committee members would like to discuss before voting on the inclusive figure. No Finance Committee members had any issues.

Ms. Schutt moved to recommend the Fiscal Year 2027 Municipal Operating Budget totaling $30,958,783 to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mirliani seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

Fixed Costs:
Chairperson Mauro reviewed the line items included in Fixed Costs; no Committee members wished to pull any items for discussion.

Ms. Schutt moved to recommend the Fiscal Year 2027 Fixed Costs Operating Budget totaling $40,591,510 to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mirliani seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

Enterprise Funds:

Rink: 
Ms. Schutt made a motion to recommend the Fiscal Year 2027 Rink Enterprise Operating Budget of $488,168 to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mirliani seconded the motion.
Discussion: Mr. Mauro noted that the column titles on the Operating Budget layout being voted on say “FY26”, which Mr. Scollins stated he will correct for all pages.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

Sewer:
Chairperson Mauro explained that the Stormwater Enterprise budget is included with Sewer Enterprise.

Ms. Schutt made a motion to recommend the Fiscal Year 2027 Sewer Enterprise Operating Budget of $8,378,001 to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mirliani seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

Water Enterprise: 
Ms. Schutt made a motion to recommend the Fiscal Year 2027 Water Enterprise Operating Budget of $10,772,955 to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mirliani seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

Operating Budget in Total:
Ms. Schutt made a motion to recommend the Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget in its entirety of $153,365,031 to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mirliani seconded the motion. 
Discussion: Mr. Leonetti asked if paying bills from a prior fiscal year requires a vote higher than a simple majority, to which Mr. Scollins responded affirmatively, stating that a 4/5 vote is required at Annual Town Meeting and a 9/10 vote is required at a Special Town Meeting, but, given that the Finance Committee supported it unanimously and it is a relatively small amount of money, there is no procedural issue with bundling this article under the Consent Agenda. Mr. Scollins went on to explain that the Consent Agenda requires a unanimous vote at Town Meeting, confirming to Mr. Leonetti that even one dissenting vote requires each article under the Consent Agenda to be voted individually.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.

CONSIDER VOTE ON ARTICLE 33 – AMEND GENERAL BYLAW: STRETCH SPECIALIZED ENERGY CODE 
Jen Wexler, Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Committee Vice Chairperson and GreenerU Consultant Craig Altemose
The Finance Committee was reminded that they saw a presentation about this topic at a prior meeting and discussed it at that time. Representatives of the Sustainability and Climate Action Plan Committee (SCAP) sent a robust Q&A to respond to the questions asked by Finance Committee members at that meeting.
Ms. Wexler introduced herself and Mr. Altemose, stating that Mr. Altemose is here to answer any remaining questions, along with Select Board member Susan Harrington to show her interest in, and support for, this Article.
Mr. Altemose thanked the Committee for their time and service to the Town, and he clarified that the adoption of this code would not be a particularly onerous step for Canton. If a building has already been built, this code does not apply, and there is no impact. The Department of Energy Resources estimates that 90% of new buildings are already being built with all electric capability, and this code would have no impact on them. Only a small number of mixed-fuel new builds are impacted.
He listed the four main components of the Code, which he stated will benefit the current and future residents of Canton:
If you want to build with fossil fuels/mixed fuel you may, but you must pre-wire to make the build electrification ready. Mr. Altemose stated that the cost of running a few extra wires to make sure the heater, hot water, dryer, and other systems can be hooked up to electricity in the future is minimal. He added that mixed-fuel construction is usually more expensive anyway.
If you build with mixed-fuels then you must install solar panels, though there are exceptions made for well-shaded properties. Mr. Altemose noted that this requirement helps the Code pay for itself.
You must build to Passive House standards for multi-unit residential structures of qualifying sizes, regardless of whether mixed fuels are involved or not, though Mr. Altemose asserted that the extra expense for building to these standards is made up for in operating cost savings and the opportunity for more incentives.
Any fossil fuels used on-site must be offset by the use of solar panels to ensure there is net-zero energy consumption.

Mr. Mauro asked if a mixed-use building (with commercial and residential inhabitants) is treated as two separate buildings under this Code, which Mr. Altemose confirmed, giving an example of a top floor which is residential and larger than 12,000 square feet and would fall under the Passive House standards, but if that floor is under 12,000 square feet it would fall under this Code. Mr. Mauro stated that some builders/developers may be put off by stringent requirements as they will not benefit from the future operating costs savings. He noted the mentioned grants which are available, asking how much they offset the additional cost of wiring for all-electric, and what flexibility exists for properties with special needs/issues. Mr. Altemose explained that, generally, electric construction is now less costly than mixed-fuel construction. With mixed fuels, a building’s air conditioning and heating are separate systems, but with an all-electric build they are the same system, making it less expensive. He also stated that there are allowances for the solar requirements, if there is too much shade or not enough solar capacity for a property, or for heavier users of energy like labs and hospitals, which are exempt from the Code’s requirement. Mr. Mauro asked if the “all-electric” requirement was referring only to the envelope of the building itself, or if the infrastructure/equipment a company may have inside must also follow the Code. Mr. Altemose responded that it is only the building itself, noting that, for commercial buildings that require fossil fuels, rooftop solar is a robust investment that pays for itself, particularly now with many credits available to defray the up-front costs. This provision for future electric wiring is inviting to businesses moving in, as no retrofits will be required going forward, and the electricity supply will increase, making everyone’s electricity costs go down. 

Mr. Leonetti stated his disagreement with the characterization of the mandating of solar panels as “free energy” given the fairly high expense of solar panel installation. He also welcomed Ms. Harrington to the Finance Committee meeting, asking why the Select Board voted not to recommend this Code in a 2-3 vote. Ms. Harrington stated her opinion that there is a great deal of misinformation about this Code, with many residents thinking it will be a heavier lift than it actually is. She felt that some statements made by other Select Board members about the Code were inaccurate, but she noted that she cannot accurately explain the “nay” votes of other members, as she was a proponent of the Code. She went on to share her feeling that some information stated was crossing between the facts of the Specialized Code and the Stretch Code, which is already in place and more demanding for builders. She also thought that some other Select Board members were looking at this only from the builders’ perspectives, which she acknowledges are very important, but, given that climate change is a serious and imminent issue, she stated that it makes sense to ensure new buildings are more energy efficient, which is in line with the goals of the Town’s Master Plan.

Mr. Leonetti reminded Ms. Wexler of his request to hear from a builder given the fragility of the market as expounded on by Mr. Manning earlier in the meeting regarding economic development. Canton is performing well in a competitive market and the adoption of this Code may disrupt the balance and impact the revenues, which make up 40% of the Town’s annual property tax revenue, by causing those choosing where to do business and build commercial properties to negatively reconsider Canton.

Mr. Mauro asked Ms. Wexler and Mr. Altemose if they have seen some common misunderstandings that they want to clear up. Mr. Altemose stated his desire to underline the difference between the Stretch Code and this Specialized Code. The Stretch Code is already in place in Canton, and it is broader and does apply to renovations. While he felt that Mr. Leonetti’s point about speaking to a builder was fair, and he apologized that they were unable to get someone on short notice, he noted that 57 communities have moved forward with this Specialized Code, with most having done so within the past few years. While this short time frame means there are not any formal impact studies available, Mr. Altemose stated that several neighboring and comparative towns to Canton with significant commercial tax bases found the effect of implementing this code on the tax base to be fairly minimal. He confirmed a point from Mr. Mauro that there were some builders noted in the slideshow seen during the original presentation to the Finance Committee who supported the code, though more so for residential than commercial builds.

Mr. Mauro pointed out that the adoption and implementation of the Stretch Code was a major hurdle requiring all buildings to confirm to new standards of energy efficiency, and he asked how much of the Specialized Code’s requirements are also included under the Stretch Code. Mr. Altemose responded that there would be no impact for most new construction under the Specialized Code, as the Stretch Code has robust rules, which also apply to renovations and rebuilds. The addition of insulation and improvements to the building envelope is already mandated under the Stretch Code, with the Specialized Code really only requiring the extra wiring and rooftop solar installation. He acknowledged that solar panels can drive up construction costs significantly, but their inclusion improves the situation for everyone, and as more solar-derived energy is added to the grid everyone’s electricity costs would lower through higher supply of energy against reduced demand through efficiency. Mr. Mauro agreed that this proposal fits in with the Master Plan and would certainly help the Town’s energy policy, adaptability, sustainability, and public health promotion, but noted his concern about the possible impact on economic development. Mr. Altemose reiterated that the most important thing to remember is that most new construction is already electric; with no additional requirements under the Specialized Code, meaning there is no impact on the cost of construction. If a business wants or needs to be mixed fuel it is allowed for under the Code but must be offset. He also explained that the State is moving towards requiring all renewable energy within the next couple of decades, and retrofits at that point will be very costly, making this requirement to wire for all electric capability a consumer protection measure.

Mr. Mauro asked if the Town could opt-out of the Code if it is proven harmful. Mr. Altemose answered affirmatively, going on to state that over half the communities who have adopted this Code have been operating under it for at least two years and they have not seen negative impacts to their commercial development due to this code.

Ms. Wexler addressed Mr. Leonetti’s point about the negative Select Board vote regarding Article 33, stating that there was concern raised by some Select Board members about whether there would be sufficient public education about this. She explained that the SCAP Committee met with 7 different board and committees, leading them to create the FAQ and engage in a robust process with feedback helping to strengthen their position. There has already been one well-attended public session at the Library and there will be a second on April 30th. Both information sessions include expert speakers, including the Director of the Passive House group and the head of the Zero MA group. More towns are expected to adopt this Code soon, with Stoughton also seeing it on their Town Meeting Warrant this year, and Canton’s new Galvin Middle School is being built to the Code’s standards already, which will contribute to the Town’s energy supply, particularly given the volatility of the fossil fuel market.

Mr. Leonetti stated that mandating these environmental improvements limits choice, and he reiterated his discomfort at not hearing directly from a developer/builder. He also questioned how often something is voted down by the Select Board and still moves forward to Town Meeting with a positive Finance Committee vote. Mr. Mauro pointed out that the Finance Committee and Select Board are two separate entities, and it is not required for them to vote the same way as the other on matters brought before them. He was unsure of the exact number of times the Select Board has voted down something that still went on to be recommended positively by the Finance Committee, agreeing that is not frequent, but it does happen and the Finance Committee is allowed to have its own independent vote while respecting the position of the Select Board.

Mr. Wilson stated his agreement with Mr. Leonetti’s points, reiterating his concern about consumer choice, noting that the long-term positive effects do not necessarily justify the higher upfront costs of building under this Code. He asked why this Code is even needed, given Mr. Altemose’s assertion that over 90% of buildings are already being build fully electric. Mr. Altemose responded that access to millions of dollars in grants is available if the Code is adopted, and some rules are put in place for the well-being of the community, like seatbelt laws in vehicles.

Ms. Mirliani responded to Mr. Leonetti’s earlier point, stating that there have been at least 2 times in the 3 years she has been serving on the Finance Committee that they have not voted in alignment with the Select Board.

Mr. Mauro asked Mr. Altemose for more detail on instances where the Code could be waived for certain projects and how that process would work. Mr. Altemose explained that there are 2 instances. The first is a lack of solar access. The builder/developer/homeowner would have to produce a report of how much solar energy can be generated. The second is some industries that are high energy users, mainly labs and hospitals, can get exempted from the Code, likely through certain paperwork. Mr. Patton pointed out that these mechanisms help preserve choice, which Mr. Altemose agreed with.

Mr. Corkery stated that he spoke with Building Department Commissioner Ed Walsh to get further educated about this topic. He asserted that when the representatives for the SCAP Committee last met with the Finance Committee Ms. Wexler stated Mr. Walsh’s position was vague, but in his conversation with Mr. Corkery made it clear he is against this, as are some other Town officials. He expressed concern about answers given at the last presentation being misleading. Mr. Mauro stated that he has heard some opposition, but recommended against putting words in other people’s mouths, whether for or against this Code, when they are not present to share their view directly. Mr. Corkery agreed with that principle, but reiterated his concerns about feeling misled. Ms. Wexler replied that she was glad Mr. Corkery was able to discuss this with Mr. Walsh, stating that at the prior meeting she reported that SCAP Committee and GreenerU representatives met with Mr. Walsh on three occasions and felt she could not summarize his position, as he stated that his role is to support whatever the Town determines as the rules and regulations. She recalled that he had raised some concerns about mold issues under the Code, but she was unclear on whether he was referring to the Stretch Code or Specialized Code. She asserted that she never witnessed Mr. Walsh state his opposition outright, but accepted Mr. Corkery’s word on it.

Ms. Mirliani made a motion to recommend Article 33 (That General Bylaw Article XXIII be amended to change the Stretch Energy Code to
Specialized Energy Code by adding and deleting language as presented in the warrant.) to Town Meeting as written and presented. Ms. Mancuso seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 5-3-0 with Mr. Leonetti, Mr. Corkery, and Mr. Wilson voting nay.
Mr. Mauro volunteered to write the Majority Discussion and invited the three members who voted nay to collaborate on the Minority Discussion. 

Ms. Wexler thanked the Committee for their consideration and thoughtfulness about this issue, no matter how each individual voted. Mr. Mauro thanked Ms. Wexler and the entire SCAP Committee for all they do, and he also thanked Mr. Altemose and Ms. Harrington for joining the meeting and discussion this evening. 

GENERAL BUSINESS OF THE COMMITTEE IN PREPARATION FOR TOWN MEETING
Mr. Scollins apologized to the Finance Committee, explaining that the March 25th Finance Committee meeting agenda was not correctly posted, and therefore all votes taken at the meeting are invalid. Those votes will be rescheduled to the April 8th Finance Committee meeting agenda, as there is not a significant amount of other business for that night. Chairperson Mauro concurred, and he stated there was not a need for the tentatively scheduled April 6th meeting.

Mr. Scollins stated that he had sent out the latest version of the Warrant Book draft with all the discussions submitted to date, and he noted the small list of still-missing discussions. He also noted to Chairperson Mauro that, under Article 17, there are placeholders for Finance Committee recommendations, in addition to the Finance Committee discussions, that are required, and they are usually an affirmation of the motion.

Mr. Leonetti asked if any of the votes taken on March 25th were part of the Consent Agenda, with Chairperson Mauro responding that the three articles for street acceptance that are being indefinitely postponed fell in that category. Mr. Leonetti asked if there was a procedural problem with the Committee voting to recommend the Consent Agenda when some of the included articles’ recommendation votes were nullified. Mr. Scollins stated his belief that it is not an issue, given that the Consent Agenda articles are voted on as a block, negating the issue even if the invalidated Finance Committee votes had not been unanimous, though they were, and will likely be so again when re-voted on April 8th.

Mr. Scollins complimented the efforts of the Committee, noting that matters were on track as long as anything outstanding is sent to him by April 8th. He also encouraged the Committee members to review the most recent draft of the report, as there is a lot of information and more being added frequently.

Mr. Mauro noted that a Finance Committee member was still needed to write the Community Preservation Article 17 motion recommendation, which he explained is basically just a sentence stating the Finance Committee recommendation regarding each motion to Town Meeting. The Community Preservation Committee creates their own motions, but there is a space reserved for the Finance Committee to add their recommendation. He clarified the difference between the motion discussions (an explanation of the committee’s position) and the recommendations (a statement in lieu of a formally recommended motion) in response to some members’ confusion. He added that it is also possible to decide as a Committee to remove the recommendation since the Finance Committee vote and discussion are already included in the booklet. Ms. Schutt stated her belief that the recommendation statement is redundant and it should be removed, with Ms. Mirliani agreeing. In response to a question, Chairperson Mauro confirmed to Mr. Leonetti that all Finance Committee discussions (majority and minority) on the Community Preservation motions will remain either way.
With no objections raised, Chairperson Mauro stated that the Finance Committee recommendations section for all Community Preservation Committee motions will be removed to reduce redundancy while preserving the Finance Committee’s votes and discussions.

VOTE MINUTES 
A question was raised regarding whether there still need to be minutes documented for the March 25th meeting, as it no longer counts as an official Finance Committee meeting. Mr. Scollins stated he would speak to Town Counsel and let the Committee know, but, given there was a great deal of discussion and deliberation on the 25th, there likely should be a record. Ms. Mirliani pointed out that there should be a record to document that the Finance Committee was not intentionally violating Open Meeting Law, with multiple Committee members agreeing, including the Chairperson. Mr. Scollins confirmed to the Recording Secretary that no votes taken on March 25th should be recorded, only the discussions.

NEXT MEETINGS
Chairperson Mauro reiterated that the April 6th meeting is not necessary, and the Committee will next convene on April 8th.

ADJOURNMENT
Ms. Schutt made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:46pm. Ms. Mirliani seconded the motion.
Discussion: There was no further discussion.
The motion passed with a vote of 8-0-0.


Minutes reviewed by: Helen Mancuso
Respectfully submitted,

Emilio E. Mauro, Jr.
Chair, Canton Finance Committee

REFERENCED DOCUMENTS:
FINCOM March 30th 2026 Agenda
CAASA Presentation 2026
EDC Committee Report26v1
Article 26 Motion Revision
SB FY27 Supported Municipal Budgets
Town Warrant - Proposed FY27 Budget Levels 1 - 3 by Voting Category (1)
Town Warrant - Proposed FY27 Budget Levels 1 - 3 by Voting Category (2)
FY27 Proposed School Budget
FinCom Qs from Mon March 16th Info Session