A pivotal discussion took place at the Norwell Select Board and School Committee joint meeting, where officials confronted the town’s looming financial challenges. The meeting, held at Town Hall, focused on Norwell’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget and the possible need for a tax override to maintain essential municipal and educational services. With rising fixed costs, including a 14.28% increase in health insurance costs and escalating pension obligations under the Plymouth County Retirement System, town leaders emphasized that without an override, significant cuts to public services and education would be unavoidable.
"The purpose of tonight was for us, the Select Board and the School Committee, to get together and discuss the challenges we're facing with the Fiscal 2026 budget," said Andrew Reardon, Select Board Vice Chair, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Select Board Chair Jason Brown. "How we're going to come out on the other side is going to be dependent on our leadership at both these meetings and Town Meeting moving forward."
At the core of the discussion was the growing gap between the town’s ability to raise revenue and its increasing expenses. Darleen Sullivan, Town Administrator, a key financial administrator, provided a thorough explanation of why a tax override was necessary.
"An override is a permanent ask," they stated. "So if we ask for a certain dollar amount, that is now part of your new number that you'll continue to move and work with the two and a half percent the following year on."
The town’s revenue growth is legally capped at 2.5% per year, but expenses—particularly in health insurance, pension obligations, and public safety—are outpacing this growth. Without additional funds, officials said, Norwell would face deep cuts to essential services, including education, emergency services, and public works.
"Right now, we are projecting a $4.1 million deficit, with $2.5 million impacting school operations and $1.6 million affecting town departments," said Darleen Sullivan.
Among the most pressing financial burdens:
A $900,000 increase in health insurance costs driven by rising claims and pharmaceutical expenses
Pension obligations totaling over $7 million by 2031
A 14% rise in costs for regional vocational education
Increased municipal service costs due to inflation and supply chain constraints
Superintendent Matthew Keegan, Superintendent of Schools outlined the significant consequences for Norwell Public Schools if an override is not approved. The district could face 22 layoffs, impacting both teaching and support staff, in addition to cuts to academic and extracurricular programs.
"We have known that this was a year that was coming and that we were going to need an override just to maintain our costs and our level service as best we could," said Matthew Keegan. "The biggest concern... health insurance increase and the Plymouth County pension... those two numbers combined pretty much remove the entire levy."
In addition to staffing reductions, the district would likely be forced to:
Increase class sizes across all grade levels, potentially leading to fewer individualized learning opportunities and larger student-teacher ratios.
Reduce special education services, leading to more costly out-of-district placements that could strain the budget further.
Cut extracurricular programs, including athletics, arts, and music programs, reducing opportunities for students to engage in well-rounded education.
Eliminate key student support roles, including math specialists, literacy coaches, and interventionists who help struggling students meet learning standards.
Reduce library and technology resources, potentially impacting digital literacy and access to modern learning tools.
Scale back mental health and counseling services, limiting the school’s ability to address the growing need for student emotional and psychological support.
Delay necessary facility maintenance, increasing long-term repair costs and potentially leading to deteriorating conditions in school buildings.
"If we take those at-risk students and we can support them and keep them here, it saves us an enormous amount of money," said Christina Kane, Chair of the School Committee, emphasizing the financial risks of cutting special education resources and interventions.
Public safety, public works, and town services would also feel the strain, with potential reductions in police and fire staffing, public works, and trash collection. Officials warned that without additional funding, Norwell’s ability to provide essential services at current levels would be severely impacted.
While much of the discussion centered on the immediate FY26 budget crisis, officials also stressed the need for a long-term strategy to stabilize Norwell’s finances. Several board members suggested that smaller, more frequent overrides might be a better approach than waiting until a budget crisis necessitates a large increase.
"If we want to change that, then the way to do that is to invite and incentivize businesses to come to town and increase our commercial tax base," said Brian Greenberg, Select Board Member. "It’s a question of what you value more—higher taxes or more development?"
Other officials echoed the need for alternative revenue sources, including increasing Norwell’s commercial tax base and exploring regional cost-sharing agreements for municipal services.
The Select Board and School Committee have until March 5 to finalize the override request and ballot question. Over the coming weeks, town officials will engage in a public education campaign to ensure that Norwell residents fully understand the financial stakes before Town Meeting and a subsequent ballot vote.
"We will continue to have an open dialogue with the School Committee and the school administration, and hopefully we can do what needs to be done," said Andrew Reardon.
Community members will have multiple opportunities to ask questions and provide input through public forums and online resources, including an override tax impact calculator that will allow homeowners to estimate how their property taxes would change under different scenarios.
"We need to be transparent and clear about what this override means," said Sullivan. "It’s not just about balancing the budget—it’s about ensuring that Norwell remains a town where people want to live, work, and raise a family."
To watch the full video of the meeting, visit Norwell Spotlight TV.
For more Norwell news from South Shore Times, be sure to check out our Norwell homepage.