Newport board weighs major service cuts under default budget
Board of Selectmen · Meeting of May 18, 2026
NH NEWPORT — Newport selectmen outline major service cuts under default budget. The Board unanimously reelected Rachel Dilger as Chair and elected Jeffrey Kessler as Vice Chair. With the town operating under a default budget after a failed town meeting vote, Town Manager Kyle Harris proposed cutting approximately $134,000 from operations, including elimination of the assistant town clerk position, closure of the Town Office on Wednesdays, and approximately $17,000 in reductions to library and arts center funding.
The Board reached consensus to apply for a Safe Streets for All grant worth approximately $1.5 million for Main Street improvements, with a required 20 percent local match of $300,000.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 530 words
Source: the Board of Selectmen meeting of May 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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