LEOMINSTER — On Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, the Leominster Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend transferring $250,000 from the city’s stabilization fund to the police department’s overtime account before the matter went to the full city council later that evening.
“This is as a result of the request of the chief to supplement his personnel budget,” said Mark Bodanza, the chairman of the finance committee. “We have done this pretty frequently in the past, and it is always a result of the overtime, injured-duty, military duty, etc. Nothing out of the ordinary, it is all about staffing and what they can do in the established budget.”
The finance committee voted unanimously, 2–0, to recommend the transfer, listed as C42 on its agenda, to the city council, which considered the matter during its meeting later that evening.
“Again, earlier this evening, we had a finance subcommittee meeting where the committee voted unanimously to recommend to the full council granting of C42,” Finance Committee Chair Bodanza said prior to the full city council vote. “We have a letter from the police chief dated the 21st of January to the mayor asking for these additional funds for overtime. The overtime budget was depleted relative to investigations, shift overtime, contractual obligations for time off, and this is nothing we are unfamiliar with. We run on a pretty tight overtime budget.”
With no questions raised, the council proceeded to a roll call vote and approved the order, 8–1, transferring $250,000 from the city’s stabilization fund to the police overtime account.