ORANGE — Residents will adopt an 8% budget increase for fiscal year 2024 if they give their blessing to the suggested figures with no edits at Annual Town Meeting.

Voters who convene at Town Hall on Tuesday will be presented with a proposed $26.9 million omnibus budget that is $2 million more than the one approved for the current fiscal year. The total figure includes a $1.45 million police budget that is $126,000 higher than the current one, as well as a proposed 64.2% increase in Fire Department expenses — from $1.08 million to $1.7 million. Annual Town Meeting will be preceded immediately by a six-article Special Town Meeting, which is set for 7 p.m.

Police Chief James Sullivan said much of his proposed increases can be attributed to inflation and general hikes in expenses. He said the price of everything, from electricity for his Police Station to the fuel for his cruisers, has increased considerably. Sullivan also mentioned he received $55,000 in seized funds from the Northwestern District Anti-Crime Task Force to outfit nine cruisers with new mobile data terminals — the computers officers use inside their vehicles — but the necessary monthly cellphone plans for each one must be paid for by the department.

“I think they support us very well,” Sullivan said of the townspeople. “I don’t have any concerns about how the public supports us. I think the Finance Committee and the Selectboard both treat the Police Department very fairly.”

Sullivan also said one of the warrant’s 37 articles asks voters if they agree to nearly $80,000 in cost-of-living adjustments, under the collective bargaining agreement between the Selectboard and the Police Department, for his officers. He believes this amounts to a 4% increase across the board.

Also, the chief hopes to dispel a rumor he read online. He said the department is not cutting the school resource officer at Ralph C. Mahar Regional School. He explained there had been plans to add another school resource officer to the renovated Fisher Hill Elementary School that is set to open in the fall, but this was scrapped due to the cost.

One article on the warrant pertains to paying $70,000 for another police cruiser. This article, like the one after it that asks voters if they agree to pay $400,000 for a new Fire Department ambulance, require a two-thirds majority vote for adoption.

Selectboard Chair Tom Smith said the warrant was well-thought-out and he does not feel any article is more important than any other.

The proposed total education budget is $13.9 million. This includes $7.9 million for Orange’s elementary schools, $5.3 million for Mahar and $647,648 for Franklin County Technical School, with $19,854.71 for that school’s capital expenses.

Other matters

One article pertains to amending the town’s zoning bylaw to add a section about “adult entertainment use establishments,” with the complete language of the bylaw on file with the town clerk and Planning Board. The subsequent article asks voters if they wish to amend the town’s zoning map, dated January 2021, to create a new Adult Entertainment Use Overlay District by adopting new district boundary lines on file with the town clerk and Planning Board. Both these articles require a two-thirds majority for adoption.

A separate article has to do with funding a roof-mounted solar array, and an energy storage station, at Fisher Hill Elementary School. The town would be on the hook for $860,000. The article also asks voters if they agree to using $200,000 from the owner’s contingency fund, accept a $160,000 commitment from National Grid, and accept all federal and state tax credits related to the projects, as well as any grants or other monies that are applied for.

There is one article that, if adopted, would authorize the Cemetery Commission to increase the weekend rates for interments from $250 to $350 for full burials and $125 to $200 for cremation burials.

Special Town Meeting

The Special Town Meeting immediately preceding Annual Town Meeting consists of six articles, the first of which asks voters to transfer $151,820.71 from free cash to the snow and ice account to cover a deficit. The other articles are related to an unpaid bill and transferring money to pay Water Department expenses.

The Annual Town Meeting warrant can be found at bit.ly/42JhFQ2. The Special Town Meeting warrant can be found at bit.ly/3PclnOU.

This article has been amended to accurately reflect the proposed police department budget increase.

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

]]>