In a move to ensure the orderly administration of the upcoming November 4th special election, Town Meeting approved Article 1, which allocates $60,000 from the town's free cash reserves. Warrant Committee Chair Jay Funling explained during a recent preview that the funds are necessary to cover the costs of materials and personnel time for the one-time event.

During the discussion, Funling clarified the nature of free cash for residents, describing it as money resulting from the town spending less than budgeted or bringing in more revenue than anticipated by the end of the fiscal year. It's usually not a good idea to take that money and use it to hire new employees because you don't know if that money is going to be around the next year, but you can use it to buy equipment or pay for one-time expenses like this, Funling said. The appropriation was designed to avoid a situation where the town would have to scramble to cover costs after the election has already occurred.

The Warrant Committee and the Select Board both recommended the move, noting that the $60,000 figure is based on the cost of the town's most recent special election. The funding will support the special election required to fill a vacancy on the Select Board following a period of significant administrative transition in Milton.

Motion: J. Funling moved that the Town appropriate the sum of $60,000 from free cash for the purpose of funding the November 4, 2025, special election budget.

Vote: Passed 204-1-0