Dighton Finance Committee approves five fund transfers, elects Stebbins chair

Finance Committee · Meeting of July 7, 2026

Dighton Finance Committee reorganizes for fiscal year 2026 and clears five fund transfers totaling roughly $23,000. The committee unanimously elected Jake Stebbins as chair and Ron as secretary at its July 7 organizational meeting before approving all five transfer requests without dissent. The largest single action moved $8,072 from the Planning Department into the Zoning Board of Appeals to cover legal bills under a Chapter 53G project in which the applicant has not paid required fees; the town is pursuing collection.

Four additional transfers drew a combined $14,950 from a discretionary health insurance reserve holding approximately $150,000, covering $2,000 in Conservation legal invoices, $3,450 to replace 20 of 24 malfunctioning town panic buttons, $8,000 to process two years of tax takings in the tax title account, and $1,500 in a second round of Board of Appeals legal bills. A former committee member, Doug, appeared during public comment to seek reappointment after not being renewed at Town Meeting; Stebbins directed staff to post a public vacancy notice and set a follow-up meeting for September 23 before acting on the seat.

In the full story:

• Officer Elections
• Transfer 1, Planning to Board of Appeals, $8,072 (Chapter 53G Legal Fees)
• Transfer 2, Health Insurance Reserve to Conservation, $2,000
• Transfer 4, Health Insurance Reserve to Tax Title, $8,000
• Public Comment, Finance Committee Vacancy
• Who Was There
• The complete report, 1,429 words

Source: the Finance Committee meeting of July 7, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.