Oakham Finance Committee Reviews Budget Data, Eyes Tighter Meeting Schedule for Spring

OAKHAM -- March 12, 2025, Oakham Finance Committee reviews mid-year finances and eyes FY2026 budget season. Chair Corey Packard led the roughly 21-minute March 12 session with members Brad Battersby and Amanda Tuchara, a prospective new member, in attendance. The committee reviewed a general ledger budget status report showing 44.76 percent of town appropriations still available through period eight of the fiscal year, with departmental spending described as "in good order." Packard highlighted that the Quabbin Regional School District's early FY2026 budget figure stands at approximately 4 percent growth, down sharply from a 17 percent initial request the prior year that was cut to roughly 8 percent, and noted that the school represents slightly over 60 percent of Oakham's total budget. He renewed a longstanding Finance Committee warning that using free cash to close recurring budget gaps violates state best-practice guidelines from the DLS and the Massachusetts Municipal Association, saying last year the town came within a late school cut of drawing on stabilization funds. The committee plans to increase its meeting cadence to every two to three weeks through April and May as FY2026 budget figures are finalized, and is actively recruiting volunteers to fill two of its five authorized seats.