Finance Committee Unanimously Backs Free Cash Transfer for FY27 Capital Plan

NAHANT -- March 19, 2026, Concord Finance Committee unanimously backs free cash over borrowing for $4.6 million capital plan. The 14-member committee voted 14-0 Thursday to recommend affirmative action on Article 11, funding the FY27 capital improvement and debt plan through $2,169,420 raised and appropriated, $909,000 from overlay surplus, and $1,550,000 from free cash, avoiding an estimated $426,000 in interest costs over 10 years. The panel also approved Article 48, the BD Center enterprise fund budget, unanimously after representatives confirmed certified retained earnings of $4,585,406. On the most contested item, Article 12, the committee voted 13-1 to recommend $600,000 in free cash for facilities planning covering a potential new West Concord fire station, public works relocation to the MCI Concord site, and municipal office consolidation; member John Garofalo cast the lone dissent, citing what he called an "arbitrary" basis for the dollar figure.