Annual Town Budget Meeting Scheduled Tonight

Farmington residents get their first formal say on the town’s next budget Monday night, when the Annual Town Meeting opens at 7 p.m. at Farmington High School. (farmington-ct.org) The meeting is set for the high school auditorium at 10 Monteith Drive, and the town says public comment will be accepted in person only. A Zoom livestream is available for people who want to watch remotely. (farmington-ct.org) Town budget meetings in Farmington do not end with a final vote in the room. Monday’s session is scheduled to adjourn to a townwide referendum on April 30, when voters will cast ballots at their regular polling places from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. (farmington-ct.org) The package on the table is the Town Council’s recommended budget for fiscal year 2026-27. The town’s budget page shows that council proposal followed a March 10 public hearing on the town manager’s draft and an April 6 public hearing on the council’s version. (farmington-ct.org) Farmington’s budget process combines town government and school spending into one annual debate. The Farmington Public Schools budget calendar lists the April 20 town meeting as the step before voters decide the plan at referendum. (fpsct.org) Early in the budget season, Town Manager Kathleen A. Blonski proposed a $142.6 million general fund budget for 2026-27, up 4.25 percent from the current year. That March proposal included $86.9 million for education and $37.5 million for town operations, according to Patch’s report on the hearing. (patch.com) Residents used that March hearing to press officials on spending choices, including support for HOPE Partners, senior services, sidewalks and school air-conditioning projects. Patch reported that some speakers argued for preserving local service funding, while others questioned large capital items. (patch.com) The legal notice for Monday’s meeting shows the budget is not the only question moving to referendum. Voters are also being asked to weigh borrowing of up to $14.34 million for town projects listed in the warning. (courant.com) If the budget fails on April 30, the town has already posted a backup schedule: a special Town Council meeting on May 2, a second Annual Town Meeting on May 4 and a second referendum on May 14. For Monday night, though, the first decision is simply whether residents show up in person to speak before the question goes to the ballot. (farmington-ct.org)