CHARLEMONT — Faced with several bridge repairs, along with failing highway vehicles and a need to better staff a volunteer ambulance service, town officials are asking residents to approve the first recreation tax in the state, along with a meals tax and capital planning bylaw at Tuesday’s annual town meeting, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Hawlemont Regional School gym.
“We’ve had a lot of surprises coming at us and want to make sure that doesn’t happen again,” selectboard Chairwoman Beth Bandy told a crowd gathered for an information session on next week’s annual town meeting. Delayed infrastructure repairs have resulted in the closing or restricted use of at least five bridges so far this year, and the future of the town’s volunteer ambulance service depends on whether it can attract enough emergency medical technicians to staff it around the clock.
The Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee explained that the costs for most bridge repairs are not on this warrant, because town officials are still looking for grants and state revenues that might help lower the town’s share of cost. Selectman Sarah Reynolds has estimated at least $5 million worth of repairs are needed for the town’s priority bridges.
A spending request for $54,000 toward the design, engineering and construction of Mountain Road Bridge is on the warrant, with 75 percent of that bridge work to come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, due to damages suffered during Tropical Storm Irene five years ago.
Selectmen Sarah Reynolds and Bandy pointed out the Tower Road bridge closure meant that emergency responders going to the train derailment on Saturday had to take a 17-mile detour through Buckland. Selectmen said residents will see more bridge repairs at future annual and special town meetings, after town officials have better cost estimates. Although none of the derailed cars leaked in this incident, they said it indicates what a public safety issue the closed bridges can cause.
How to staff the ambulance service enough to meet state regulations has been another complicated issue and has led to the decision to ask voters to approve a 3 percent recreation tax, to be levied on those who come to Berkshire East, Crab Apple Whitewater Rafting, or Zoar Outdoor for skiing, rafting, zip lines and other outdoor activities.
Selectmen said they have met with the three outdoor adventure companies, which support the measure, as a way to generate money for the town to provide ambulance service and police river patrols. Because there is no recreation tax anywhere else in Massachusetts, the measure, if approved by annual town meeting voters, would have to be approved by the Legislature. Also, town officials don’t know how much revenue it would generate. However, it would be collected in the same manner as a sales tax, with the money going quarterly into the general fund. Selectmen said they couldn’t designate it specifically for the ambulance service, but that is their main objective.
Also, the warrant asks voters to support a meals tax of 0.75 percent to be levied on those in Charlemont restaurants. If approved, it would mean restaurant customers who spend $20 for a meal would pay a 15-cent tax.
If voters approve all proposed measures on the annual election ballot, residents will see an 8 percent tax increase for the coming fiscal year, with most of the increase coming as a result of school budget increases and an influx of students who want to attend the Franklin County Technical School, of which Charlemont is not a member.
The total town budget is for almost $3.3 million — an increase of $157,920 above this fiscal year’s budget. But school costs alone rose 9 percent — an increase of $159,216 — and town officials made cuts to other town departments to keep costs down.
Charlemont had budgeted $160,000 for Tech School tuition and transportation, but has to pay an additional $72,000 this budget year because of unexpected enrollment increases. The coming year, Charlemont will pay $90,000 more because of more students going to the Franklin County Technical School. Mohawk’s budget represents a $26,000 increase and Hawlemont’s operating request is about $45,000 above this year’s costs.
The town is also seeking a debt exclusion to borrow up to $376,150 to purchase the following items: a 2016 truck to replace the 2000 Mack, $170,000; new police cruiser to replace the 2005 Crown Victoria, $35,750; used rescue truck to replace the D30 rescue truck, $100,000; new fire hoses, $5,000; and six Scott air packs and air tanks, $65,400. A debt exclusion would allow the town to temporarily raise taxes above the 2½ percent tax levy limit until the debt is paid. In this case, the repayment wouldn’t start until fiscal year 2018, and would be paid off in three years.
Another article asks to exempt active military service men and women from the motor vehicle excise tax if they have been deployed or stationed outside of the state for at least 45 days, or if they have been wounded or killed in combat.
The Capital Planning Bylaw has been pitched by selectmen as a way to protect the town against unexpected and spiking infrastructure repair costs, by inventorying equipment and regular planning for maintenance and replacement. This year, the closure or decreased weight limits on four town-owned bridges was a lesson that better capital expenditure planning is needed. If approved, a five-member Capital Planning Committee will be formed to develop a five-year plan based on information by town departments and boards for anticipated capital expenditures and cost estimates. Each year, the plan would be updated and provided as supplemental information at the annual town meeting.
The town meeting warrant also includes a vote to revise the town’s zoning bylaws to clarify and simplify the town’s site plan review process.
Also, Charlemont will vote on the three regional district agreement amendments that have been proposed by the Mohawk Regional School District Committee:
An amendment to allow member towns to change Mohawk district agreements with a two-thirds majority vote instead of requiring unanimous consent by all towns.
An amendment eliminating obsolete language that includes preschool costs into town assessments.
An amendment that would make it possible for Rowe to rejoin Mohawk, as a grades 7 through 12 member, like Charlemont and Hawley.