By Carol Britton Meyer

The proposed $47.5 million Fiscal 2024 budget, presented by Town Manager Philip Lemnios to the select board Wednesday night, includes $130,000 for a new assistant town manager position “to more effectively manage the community” and a continuing commitment to the Council on Aging by increasing staff hours to reflect the growing demand for services and programming.

The overall budget proposal, crafted by Lemnios and Town Accountant Michael Buckley, represents a $1,997,348 increase over FY23’s $45.5 million figure, or a 4.39% total increase. Lemnios discussed the budget during a joint meeting of the select board and the advisory board, which reviews the spending plan and other articles in preparation for the May town meeting, when voters will make final decisions.

The Council on Aging’s budget has increased by 112% in six years, from $157,414 in FY19 to a proposed $334,224 for FY24, Lemnios said.

Of the $30.1 million operating budget, $12.8 million – or 42.5% – is for general government expenses, while the school department operating budget totals $17.3 million, representing 57.5% of the operating budget. For FY24, the department budget proposed increase is $1.1 million, or 3.88%, while the school department’s budget would increase by $504,895, or 3%.

Click here for Town Manager Philip Lemnios’s FY24 presentation from 2/15/23

“We have to be conservative and tight with our budget because of the town’s size and its small commercial base,” Lemnios said. “We don’t have a big safety net.”

The proposed budget also funds recurring capital projects, such as school technology and police cruisers, at $540,000 and adds $1.5 million to the stabilization (“rainy day”) fund, bringing the total fund balance to $2.15 million.

Lemnios noted that the fire and police departments have achieved full staffing for two consecutive years – a goal that was set several years ago – so no new fire or police positions are included in the budget.

During the presentation, Lemnios explained that 73% of town revenue comes from property taxes, 14% from state aid, and 13% from local receipts such as excise taxes and revenue from building and other permits.

Expenditure components include the operational budget, insurance and pensions, debt, capital projects, snow removal costs, intergovernmental charges (including county and charter school and MBTA assessments) and the overlay, an account established annually to fund anticipated property tax abatements, exemptions, and uncollected taxes in that year.

Department budgets comprise 64% of the overall budget total; pensions, 9%; debt/capital, 9%; various insurances (mainly health), 17%; and townwide expenses, 1%.

At the end of the budget discussion, Advisory Board Chair David Clinton offered Lemnios “our deep appreciation for what you have been able to do to right Hull’s financial ship. That was no small feat.”

In turn, Lemnios noted that Hull’s Advisory Board has “always been a central player in the development of the town budget – contemplative, collegial, and always keeping their eye on the ball,” he said. “We’re all here to provide the best services we can to our citizens while working within [certain] constraints.”

The budget presentation will be posted on the town website, and the advisory board will hold meetings on all town meeting proposals in the weeks leading up to the May 1 annual town meeting.