Marlborough Finance Committee cuts $70,934 from union, fire transfers

MARLBOROUGH -- November 10, 2025, Marlborough Finance Committee trims $70,934 in overtime from union transfers before backing $1.7 million package. The committee voted 5-0 on four free-cash transfers from Mayor J. Christian Dumas to close out fiscal 2026 collective bargaining costs, but cut the Public Works Equipment Operators transfer by $21,187.03 to $316,158.95 and the Local 1714 firefighters transfer by $49,746.89 to $562,643.67. Council President Michael Ossing said affected departments were already underspending salary lines because "they just can't find people to hire," and noted citywide salary accounts were underspent by $688,000 through October. Comptroller Brian Doney won approval of a full $500,000 transfer to the workers' compensation trust, which holds just $156,000 against a projected $900,000 run rate this year. Doney said he will likely seek $700,000 next year to rebuild the fund toward its $1 million deductible threshold.