With some slicing and a little dicing , the Millbury budget for Fiscal Year 2026 is readyto go for the May 6 annual town meeting.

Town manager Karyn Clark told the board of selectmen at a meeting in late March that the budget as first presented was $2.8 million out of balance. The budget total is just over $60 million.

The proposed spending changes include reducing $300k from the Millbury public schools budget leaving a few unfilled positions. 

• Changing the town’s insurance plans allowing for higher deductibles created a reduction of $375k.

• An agreement was reached with WS Development (responsible for the Blackstone Valley Shoppes) to finance a police officer postion for the next 10 years. This takes $75 k off the FY 26 budget.

• Applying solar credits to town-owned buildings resulted in a savings of $120k

• Taking $300k from free cash

WS Development also agreed to create a police substation at the Blackstone Valley Shoppes. This will allow police to question suspects in a private building, rather than from their police vehicles. More than one-third of town’s police calls are from the shopping center, Clarke said.

An increase in state aid as well as an increase in local receipts also combined to reduce the deficit.

Uncontrollable expenses such as an increase in employee health insurance, an increase in Medex costs for retired employees, an increase in the Worcester County Retirement System assessment and a 14.5 percent increase in costs associated with Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School.