Swampscott Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald presented the first draft of the town’s fiscal year 2025 budget to the Select Board at its latest meeting.

The proposed $81,233,644 budget would represent a 2.9% increase from the FY24 budget. Its seven key funding areas are public education, general government, enterprise funds, public safety, public services, human services, and community development. Public education and general government received the larges shares of funding in the budget, at 40.2% and 33.4%, respectively.

“These percentages are in line with where our budget has consistently been the past few years,” Swampscott Director of Finance and Administration Amy Sarro said.

Town Treasurer Patrick Luddy said that more than $9 million of the budget was allocated to the four enterprise budgets of sewer, water, solid waste, and public, educational, and government access. Board member Peter Spellios singled out the solid waste enterprise budget as a new addition. Sarro revealed that most of the solid waste revenue is from a tax subsidy, however there are some direct revenue streams.

A notable $2,000 increase to the community development section of the budget is for the Historical Commission. Fitzgerald said that the change supports the town’s goal of preserving historic buildings in Swampscott.

“We’re looking at other historic properties that are worth preserving. We’re going to take a proactive approach to preserving some properties that the town has a right of first refusal on,” Fitzgerald said. “Might be interesting to see what happens if we get ahead of it.”

Sarro told the board that the school district’s portion of the budget was approximately $400,000 less than the budget the School Committee voted on. However, she added that Fitzgerald is recommending $200,000 to replenish the special education stabilization fund and an additional $200,000 from a utility stabilization fund.

“That actually brings up this budget to the superintendent’s recommended budget,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s a little bit of a different way to help address some of those additional concerns that have been presented.”

Board Chair David Grishman noted the omission of transportation funds in the school district’s portion of the budget, and Sarro said that it is currently being “ignored” but that conversations will continue between her, Fitzgerald, and Superintendent of Schools Pamela Angelakis.

The debt service portion of the budget saw an increase of $435,339, which Luddy attributed to the town taking on short-term debt to assist in the completion of the new elementary school.

The board discussed a potential departure from the Commonwealth’s Group Insurance Commission in favor of other state-level options. Sarro said that the town’s contract with the commission does not expire until after FY26.

The Select Board is scheduled to hold a final vote on the budget on April 17.