Chicopee City Council Tentatively Approves More Than 20 FY2026 Department Budgets

CHICOPEE -- June 23, 2025, Chicopee City Council tentatively approves more than 20 FY2026 departmental budgets in first night of hearings. The council voted unanimously on all but one item at its June 23 session, with Councilor Shumsky abstaining from the Recreation Department vote due to a family member's employment in the Parks Department. City Solicitor Kevin Corridan reported a flat $250,000 special services budget, saying "this will be the third year now where we've managed to use the $250,000 adequately." The Police Department budget includes a new two-motorcycle lease at $13,088 per year and places sworn officer strength at 112 of 120 authorized patrolmen. The Fire Department's gross overtime line of $1.75 million was offset by the chief's accounting of $800,000 in expected salary turnbacks, $336,990 in ambulance billing recoupment, and $41,000 in full state reimbursement for the hazmat team. The most consequential disclosure came from the Sewer and Public Utilities director, who revealed the wastewater fund balance had dropped to roughly $56,000 last fiscal year, forcing a hiring freeze and requiring her to personally fill the chief operator role to save over $100,000; a $264,000 admin local share line, waived in FY2025, returns to the sewer budget in FY2026.