Stoughton Finance Committee Opens Town Meeting Hearings, Projects $150.8 Million in FY27 Revenue

STOUGHTON -- February 26, 2026, Stoughton Finance Committee opens dual town meeting public hearings and projects $150.8 million in FY27 revenue. The committee voted unanimously Thursday to open concurrent public hearings for the May 4 Annual and Special Town Meetings, then received a detailed revenue breakdown from outgoing Finance Director Biz showing estimated FY27 receipts of $150,783,168, anchored by a $96,750,035 property tax levy and subject to revision when final state cherry sheet figures arrive, historically in August. Town Manager Mark Calder credited Finance Director Biz with driving certified free cash to $10,661,000, more than double the historical average, and introduced her successor, Heidi Chukran, who takes over at the end of March at a starting salary of $185,000 rising to $190,000 on January 1. Treasurer-Collector Paula Newton presented three local-option statute articles for Town Meeting, including a measure to allow real-time delinquency holds on business licenses and another to expand the town's investment options under the prudent investor rule through investment firm Bartholomew. Bond counsel also raised a new objection to the town's longtime practice of noticing borrowing articles outside a newspaper of general circulation, requiring all borrowing-related votes to be deferred to a re-noticed hearing at the end of March.