Hampden Appoints Probationary Firefighter, Launches Difficult FY27 Budget Season

Select Board · Meeting of January 12, 2026

Hampden opens its fiscal year 2027 budget season with warnings of the toughest spending cycle in more than a decade. Advisory Committee Chair Doug called on all departments to submit level-service budgets at the January 12 joint Select Board and Board of Health meeting, citing preliminary school district numbers he described as "already quite large." Police Chief Dan reported the department is on track for FY26 while flagging two capital needs — a replacement cruiser and duty handguns — and Highway Superintendent Mark Langone said he may seek a modest increase in road machinery maintenance while cutting the catch basin cleaning account. The Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District superintendent reported the district made the National AP Honor Roll and saved $100,000 through a three-tier transportation restructuring, but warned that personnel costs drive 75 percent of the district budget, health insurance is expected to rise four to seven percent, and Hampden's share of the regional assessment has increased by roughly one percentage point.

The board unanimously appointed Evan Burnash of Wilbraham as a probationary firefighter on the recommendation of Fire Chief Ed, and directed the newly forming Old Town Hall Repurposing Committee to finalize its membership — capped at seven to nine people — at the January 20 meeting.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of January 12, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.