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CANCELLED: Board of Commissioners Fiscal Year 2027-29 Budget Retreat

Town of Hillsborough · Board of Commissioners
Monday, January 26, 2026 at 7:00 pm

Cancelled Retreat or planning session Budget and appropriationsWater and sewerBroadband and technologyFaith and cultural communitiesGrants and outside fundingPolice and public safetyPublic facilitiesRoads and transportationStormwater and flooding

Agenda document Full packet Minutes Meeting page Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

The Board of Commissioners opens its first Fiscal Year 2027-29 budget retreat with a Black History Month proclamation and a routine batch of budget amendments and transfers on the consent agenda. The board then turns to a broader review of town finances, starting with a Fiscal Year 2027-33 Capital Improvement Plan that previews requests from every department, including a new N. Churton Street fire station, two fire trucks, garbage and leaf trucks, greenway and sidewalk projects, and water, sewer and stormwater upgrades. None of the requests has yet been matched to funding.

Staff also bring a list of "noteworthy" operating and personnel requests, warning of large deficits across the general, water and sewer funds for fiscal 2027 and beyond, and ask the board to weigh in on a 9% increase in employee health insurance premiums that would add a $200 monthly subsidy for GLP-1 medication. The rest of the agenda covers an information technology update, a review of the town's nonprofit funding process, and the board's annual refresher on how members request information from staff, before a wrap-up on decision points and items left for later meetings.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The retreat never happened. The town cancelled it Jan. 25 because of a winter storm, and nobody attended the scheduled hour: not Mayor Mark Bell, any of the five commissioners, or staff. The Town Clerk's minutes record the meeting as cancelled outright, with no business taken up.

None of the agenda's items were considered at this session, including the Black History Month proclamation, the budget amendments and transfers, and the capital and operating budget previews.

Speaking at this meeting

Town of Hillsborough's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Jump to an item (15 on this agenda)
  1. 1Opening of the work session
  2. 2Agenda changes and approval
  3. 3.AProclamation – Black History Month 2026
  4. 3.BMiscellaneous budget amendments and transfers
  5. 4.AFiscal Year 2027-29 Budget and Financial Plan – Framing and Overview
  6. 4.BFiscal Year 2027-33 Capital Improvement Plan
  7. 4.CFiscal Year 2027-29 Budget and Financial Plan (noteworthy requests, i…
  8. 4.DInformation Technology Operations Overview, Updates
  9. 4.ENonprofit Funding Process Review
  10. 4.FWorking Together (Board and Staff): Guides for requests, direction, l…
  11. 4.F.aBoard-staff (key guidelines)
  12. 4.F.bCommunications
  13. 4.GVerify Board Direction on Key Decision Points and Review Parking Lot…
  14. 4.HOther
  15. 5Adjournment

Agenda items (15)

Discussion item · 5Presentation · 4Procedural · 3Proclamation or recognition · 1Budget action · 1Other · 1
  1. 1 Opening of the work session
    Procedural
    The retreat's agenda opens the work session.
  2. 2 Agenda changes and approval
    Procedural
    The board would consider changes to the retreat agenda and approve it.
  3. 3.A Proclamation – Black History Month 2026
    Proclamation or recognition Faith and cultural communities
    A proclamation, drafted for Mayor Mark Bell's signature, would designate February 2026 as Black History Month in Hillsborough, marking the 100th anniversary of the first "Negro History Week."
  4. 3.B Miscellaneous budget amendments and transfers
    Budget action Budget and appropriationsPolice and public safetyWater and sewer
    A routine batch of budget amendments would adjust revenue and expenditure lines across the general and water/sewer funds, including a generator replacement for the police department and several engineering studies for water and sewer projects.
  5. 4.A Fiscal Year 2027-29 Budget and Financial Plan – Framing and Overview
    Presentation Budget and appropriations
    Town Manager Eric Peterson would open the retreat's budget discussion with a presentation on the town's overall finances, key projects and upcoming issues.
  6. 4.B Fiscal Year 2027-33 Capital Improvement Plan
    Presentation Budget and appropriationsPublic facilitiesRoads and transportationStormwater and floodingWater and sewer
    Budget Director Emily Bradford would preview a six-year capital plan built from department requests not yet matched to funding, covering park and greenway projects, a new fire station and two fire trucks, and water, sewer and stormwater work including the Bellevue Mill Interceptor upgrade.
  7. 4.C Fiscal Year 2027-29 Budget and Financial Plan (noteworthy requests, issues, challenges, and opportunities)
    Presentation Budget and appropriationsWater and sewer
    Staff would preview noteworthy capital, personnel and operating requests and warn the board that large deficits are expected in the general, water and sewer funds for fiscal 2027 and beyond. The board would also weigh a 9% health insurance premium increase that adds a $200 monthly subsidy for GLP-1 medication.
  8. 4.D Information Technology Operations Overview, Updates
    Presentation Broadband and technology
    The IT manager would brief the board on the state of the town's information technology and upcoming projects.
  9. 4.E Nonprofit Funding Process Review
    Discussion item Grants and outside funding
    Staff would update the board on changes to the town's Community Reinvestment Program, including a draft scoring guide and proposed audit and reporting requirements for nonprofits that receive town funding.
  10. 4.F Working Together (Board and Staff): Guides for requests, direction, lines of succession, and communications process – Annual Review and Discussion
    Discussion item
    The town manager and communications manager would give the board's annual refresher on how members should route requests and information to staff.
  11. 4.F.a Board-staff (key guidelines)
    Discussion item
    The refresher would cover the one-hour rule for staff requests, how board direction should go through the town manager, and lines of succession for the manager and mayor during emergencies.
  12. 4.F.b Communications
    Discussion item
    The refresher would also cover email signatures, social media, and how the town handles media contacts and VIP visits.
  13. 4.G Verify Board Direction on Key Decision Points and Review Parking Lot Items
    Discussion item
    The board would close the retreat by confirming its direction on the day's decision points and reviewing items set aside for a future meeting.
  14. 4.H Other
    Other
    The agenda leaves an open slot for any other business the board raises during the retreat.
  15. 5 Adjournment
    Procedural
    The retreat would close with adjournment.

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