Key Takeaways from Millville’s 2025 Town Meeting: Budget, Bylaws, and Big Debates
Millville Voters Weigh In: What Passed (and What Didn’t) at the 2025 Annual Town Meeting
Millville residents gathered at the Elementary School for the 2025 Annual Town Meeting, where they voted on 21 warrant articles and engaged in heartfelt debates about how to move the town forward—despite ongoing financial strain. The two-hour session covered everything from snow removal costs and zoning bylaws to school committee stipends and the role of the fire chief.
Here’s what passed, what changed, and why it matters.
Key Highlights and Votes from the 2025 Millville Annual Town Meeting
✅ Article 1: Guardrails for Budget Amendments
Any amendment to increase spending during Town Meeting now requires identifying a specific funding source. This procedural safeguard ensures that last-minute changes stay balanced.
✔ Passed unanimously
💵 Article 3: Snow & Ice Budget Deficit
Voters approved transferring $127,420 from free cash to cover this past winter’s snow and ice removal expenses—nearly $50,000 above the original budget.
✔ Passed unanimously
🛣️ Article 4: Chapter 90 State Road Funds
Routine but necessary approval allows Millville to access state reimbursement funds for infrastructure repair and road improvements.
✔ Passed unanimously
📺 Article 5: Cable Funds to Support School Programming
$7,500 will be allocated from the PEG Access fund to the Blackstone-Millville Regional School District for media and library services.
✔ Passed unanimously
🏛️ Article 10: FY2026 Town Budget Passed, with Adjustments
Millville approved a $7.7 million operating budget for FY2026, but the process leading up to that vote was far from routine. Finance Committee Chair Claudette Barrett laid out the significant challenges her board faced this year:
- A $775,000 override had been placed on the ballot but was rejected by voters, leaving the Finance Committee and Select Board to make hard decisions and deep cuts.
- Free cash certification was delayed until shortly before Town Meeting. Barrett noted it’s best practice for free cash to be certified in the fall to inform budgeting—but that hasn’t happened consistently in Millville.
- As a result, the Finance Committee had to recommend a budget without knowing that over $360,000 in free cash would later become available. “It would have been great knowing… prior to recommending our budget and making drastic cuts,” she said.
Despite these hurdles, the Finance Committee took several deliberate steps:
- Approved modest pay increases of 1% and 0.5% for non-union staff to help offset inflation.
- Accepted the Fire Chief’s “no override” budget but still added $100,000 to staffing, resulting in a 22% increase over last year’s fire department budget.
- Increased the Police Department budget by 5%, even though the guidance was 3%, citing the department’s critical role in public safety.
- Proposed contributing $35,375 to the town’s General Stabilization Fund using remaining free cash.
- Balanced the final budget using $18,544 from free cash and $40,000 from the Public Safety Stabilization Fund, while warning that this approach is not sustainable in future years.
Barrett concluded with a caution: if revenues don’t increase or expenses aren’t brought down by FY2027, the town could once again face major cuts—or a new override.
Some notable updates:
- A $22,089 transfer from free cash restored a part-time police administrative position, after the Police Chief explained its necessity for compliance and daily operations.
- $2,500 was reallocated from the Town Administrator’s budget to support underfunded departments including the Council on Aging, Library, and Town Clerk’s office.
The budget reflects both practical cuts following the failed $775,000 override, and targeted reinvestments in essential town functions.
✔ Budget passed with adjustments
🧯 Fire & EMS Staffing a Concern
A resident raised concerns about how the trimmed fire department budget would affect response times. Fire Chief Roy Liard clarified that weekday full-time coverage will continue, but that low pay and limited funding continue to make it difficult to reliably staff all shifts.
The approved budget does include a 22% increase over last year’s fire budget due to a $100,000 staffing bump, but town officials acknowledged it remains a “bare minimum” solution.
👮♂️ Police Admin Role Restored
In his first town meeting presentation, Police Chief William Coupe requested reinstating a part-time administrative assistant to help manage increased documentation and compliance. His request received support from voters and town leadership alike.
✔ $22,089 approved from free cash
🎓 School Stipend Debate — Divided Opinions, but Stipends Retained
Two proposed reductions in stipends—one for Blackstone Valley Tech (BVT) representative Jerry Finn, and the other for the Blackstone-Millville Regional (BMR) School Committee members—drew significant debate on both sides.
Selectwoman Jennifer Gill and Rachel Anderson advocated for eliminating the stipends to align with other town boards, many of which serve unpaid. She and others expressed concern about fairness and the town’s deficit, noting that in a tight financial year, even small cuts matter.
But many residents spoke strongly in support of keeping the stipends, offering several key points:
- These roles require extensive time commitments, including frequent meetings, subcommittees, and regional coordination—often during evenings and weekends.
- It was noted that the stipends are modest ($1,500 annually per member; $1,800 for the chair), and in some cases, representatives reinvest their stipends into school-related expenses or student support.
- Supporters emphasized that both school committees have historically been well-managed and fiscally responsible. In particular, BVT’s budget showed a 15% year-over-year reduction, attributed to strong leadership and cost-saving partnerships.
One voter pointed out that Millville benefits directly from the advocacy and presence of its BVT representative, who helps bring student-led projects and services into the community—such as building renovations and vehicle repairs at reduced cost.
In the end, both motions to reduce stipends were defeated, and current compensation levels remain in place.
✔ Motions to cut stipends did not pass
🔥 Strong Chief Law Debated, No Change Made
Article 16 sparked a thoughtful discussion about whether Millville should remain under the state’s “Strong Chief” law (Massachusetts General Law Chapter 48, Section 42), which gives the fire chief sole authority over operations, staffing, and scheduling—independent of Select Board direction.
Supporters of revisiting or changing the law raised concerns about budget oversight and transparency. They questioned whether the town has adequate checks and balances under the Strong Chief structure and suggested that aligning fire department operations more closely with the Select Board could help improve communication and accountability, particularly in tight fiscal years.
Those in favor of keeping the Strong Chief system included both residents and non-residents. They argued that the fire chief—by training and experience—is better equipped to make day-to-day and emergency decisions than elected officials. Several commenters warned that repealing the law could lead to political interference in critical public safety operations, potentially undermining efficiency and response readiness. The consistent message: professional leadership should remain in charge of life-saving services.
After the discussion, a vote was taken—and the motion to repeal the Strong Chief law did not pass.
✘ Motion failed — Millville remains under the Strong Chief law
📚 Library Bylaw Change Sparks Emotional Debate on Building Use
The final article of the night proposed changing the language in the Library’s bylaws to allow greater flexibility in how the building could be used in the future. Though the update does not enact any immediate changes, it would make it possible—for example—to repurpose or consolidate the library into another space if financial needs ever forced the town to reconsider how public buildings are used.
Supporters of the bylaw change said the update was a practical step. They emphasized that the new language simply gives the town options, not mandates. Some noted that, in the event of ongoing financial challenges, Millville might need to explore consolidating services—possibly relocating the library in order to save money. It was described as a forward-looking move that prepares the town for tough decisions, should they become necessary.
Opponents of the change—including a Library Trustee who spoke passionately—voiced deep concern that the revision could put the library’s future at risk. The trustee reminded voters that the library will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year and has long served as a community hub for early voting, Girl Scouts, cable committee meetings, the Cultural Council, and more. “We welcome everyone,” they said, noting that the building has always been a resource shared by many town groups.
The trustee also expressed frustration that the Board of Selectmen had not discussed the proposed change with the Library Trustees ahead of time, despite its potential impact. They emphasized that the library has long served the whole community and deserved to be part of any such conversations.
After several impassioned statements, voters rejected the proposed bylaw change. The current language protecting the library’s dedicated building use remains in place.
✘ Motion failed — No change made to Library bylaws
What It Means for Millville
This year’s Annual Town Meeting showed that residents are paying close attention—to the budget, town leadership, and long-term planning. While money remains tight, voters chose to preserve critical positions and services, update outmoded bylaws, and boost reserves where possible.
The discussions reflected a shared commitment to making Millville a stronger, more sustainable place—without losing sight of what makes it a connected and caring community.
Watch the Millville Annual Town Meeting
Editor’s Note: This recap is part of our series on Millville’s 2025 Annual Town Meeting. While the meeting was held on Monday, May 12, we’re publishing this on Friday, May 16 to give readers a more complete and accessible summary—drawing from the official results and the full meeting transcript.
