NEW SALEM — There are four articles on the warrant for the Feb. 1 Special Town Meeting to address three unpaid bills and a school bus contract.

The first article pertains to the proposed five-year contract with F.M. Kuzmeskus for school transportation services, while the second concerns a $57 Board of Health bill from a prior year. The remaining two articles have to do with unpaid Highway Department bills — one for $1,697.16 and one for $669.96.

“They’re not huge bills,” said Town Coordinator Kathy Neal.

The Special Town Meeting will start at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

An identical school transportation article will appear on the warrants of other Special Town Meetings, including Wendell and Erving, both on Jan. 31. The issue must go before voters in towns that pay for school transportation and the vote is required by early February at the latest.

Caitlin Sheridan, director of finance and operations at Erving School Union 28, has said the F.M. Kuzmeskus bid was the only one received. She said New Salem and Wendell will each have two buses transporting students to and from Swift River School, which is in New Salem. Each of the two towns will contribute $173,376.

Sheridan mentioned this bid is higher than the previous contract, also with F.M. Kuzmeskus, due mostly to a nationwide bus driver shortage and increased fuel costs.

Neal said New Salem’s quorum for a Special Town Meeting is nine or 10, and the town typically has no problem reaching that minimum.

The full warrant can be viewed at tinyurl.com/NewSalemSTM.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.