NEW SALEM — Residents voted unanimously Monday to adopt a $2,848,778 budget after having their specific questions answered by town officials.
The budget approved at Town Hall during the annual town meeting is $68,888 higher than this year’s budget and the non-school portion is $1,136,334.
Town Treasurer Gabriele Voelker explained the $63,750 in highway expenses is specific to equipment maintenance and the $7,600 for cell phone and air cards is for the communication of town employees on the job.
When a resident asked questions about the $81,148 in Police Department salaries, Voelker said Police Chief Joseph P. Camden earns a salary “in the low $20,000 range.” Selectman Wayne Hachey said Camden uses a police cruiser to commute home to Belchertown, but that the drive is only 10 minutes. This comment generated groans from audience members who said it was at least 20 minutes. When asked, Hachey said Camden is likely nearing retirement.
Voelker also explained the $28,814 for ambulance service is continued progress toward offsetting years of underpaying for it. The town gets its ambulance service from Orange Fire Rescue EMS. Orange Chief James Young previously explained the towns in the ambulance service’s jurisdiction have historically paid on a per-capita basis. Last year, residents agreed to double how much they were paying to help offset the underbilling.
The budget for Swift River School is $865,009. Eric Hamm asked why this figure increased $87,732 and Jennifer Haggerty, superintendent of Erving School Union 28, said Swift River School is in the rare position of having an uptick in enrollment while most schools are declining in population. Since school year 2012-2013, enrollment has increased from 137 to 172. This has also affected the number of School Choice students accepted from towns like Orange, Athol or Petersham, which cover the students’ costs.
Principal Kelley Sullivan also said increases in medical insurance and contractually-obligated 1.5-percent raises for teachers contribute to the budget hike.
Residents also adopted an article appropriating $300,000 for a new tanker truck for the Fire Department and transferring $75,000 from the Vehicle Capital Stabilization Account for the truck. The appropriation now goes to a special election slated for next month for a Proposition 2½ override vote. Fire Chief Joe Cuneo said the current 45-year-old vehicle is “well beyond any standard of service life” and “definitely unsafe.” He said it is a “conversion truck,” meaning it was manufactured for a different purpose and converted into a tanker truck. He said he hopes the new one will last 25 years.
The town also voted 37 to 32 to designate Columbus Day, the second Monday of October, as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in New Salem.