Town Meeting Set for May 14
Voters to Decide Fate of Town, School Spending Plans
EASTFORD — Residents of Eastford will make their voices heard on Thursday, May 14, as the town is gearing up for its Annual Town Budget Meeting.
The Town Meeting was preceded by the Annual Budget Hearing, which was held Thursday, April 30, after the Eastford Communicator’s publishing deadline. The information presented in this article is based on information posted as of April 20, 2026.
The general town government budget proposal is currently set at $2,204,416, which represents an increase of $118,847 (5.7 percent) over fiscal 2025-26. The Board of Education has presented a budget proposal of $4,937,953, which represents an increase of $143,774 (3 percent). Combined, both budget proposals total $7,142,369, an increase of $262,621 (3.8 percent) over fiscal 2025-26. If passed, the budget would result in a new property tax rate of 22.2 mils, a 1-mil increase over fiscal 2025-26 (21.2).
Capital projects planned for 2026-27 (out of the Municipal Reserve Fund) include funding for Open Space acquisitions ($25,000); funding toward future purchases to replace Eastford Independent Fire Company’s ET 171 and ET 271 trucks ($60,000); funding to purchase a new EIFC pickup truck ($50,000); funding to purchase a new Public Works payloader ($50,000); funding toward a future Eastford Elementary School (EES) Gym HVAC upgrade project ($75,000); funding toward the future replacement of the elevator at EES; mandated funding for the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) ($10,000); funding toward the future Ivy Glenn upper-level floor replacement project ($20,000); and funding toward the future Ivy Glenn HVAC project ($25,000).
At the Annual Budget Hearing, there is typically a presentation of the budget where people can ask questions and make recommendations. At Town Meeting, the vote will be separated between the school and town budgets. Motion can be made to change a line item, but according state statutes, a motion can only reduce a line item, followed by a vote. Finally, voters in attendance can vote to approve or vote down the budget as it is presented.
The Annual Town Budget Meeting will be held Thursday, May 14, at 7 p.m., at Eastford Elementary School. For more information on the budget proposals, copies are available at the Town Office Building, or online at on the town website here.