Townsend Finance Committee Approves Hiring Freeze Exception for Transit Coordinator

TOWNSEND — April 14, 2026 — Townsend Finance Committee unanimously approves hiring freeze exception for a part-time transit coordinator. The five-member committee, chaired by Carol Knox, voted to allow hiring of a five-hour-per-week transportation coordinator to work Tuesdays, with the position funded entirely through the Lowell Regional Transit Authority budget at no cost to the general fund — part of a broader effort to restore scheduling coverage after the existing coordinator role was cut from 35 hours to 19. Town Treasurer-Collector Melissa disclosed she had identified approximately $998,000 in trust fund balances mislabeled as water department funds and a separate dormant $20,000 grant account, both now resolved; she moved roughly $750,000 back into the town's regular bank accounts after confirming with the town accountant that the water department had already spent the associated funds. Melissa also warned that the town's Omnibus budget spreadsheet does not fully match the general ledger chart of accounts, telling committee members that incorrect state expense codes can directly affect grant eligibility: "If you skewed your numbers, your funding might be affected."