GILL — Gill voters approved the town’s operating budget as well as its share of the regional school budget, plus several other spending measures at a continuation of town meeting Monday night.
Gill had previously continued the financial portion of its annual town meeting, because the finance committee meetings that set the budget had not taken place at the time of the annual town meeting.
The town passed all but three of the articles, which town officials requested the meeting “move over” rather than pass or fail. All three referred to a new type of account the state is requesting municipal governments create, but the state has delayed implementation for another year.
The voters approved the town budget of $1,580,839 and a 2 percent increase for all non-elected town employees that has been adjusted for the cost of living.
The town passed its portion of the Gill-Montague Regional School budget and debt service for a total of $1,630,737.
There was no discussion of next year’s budget, but Finance Committee member Tupper Brown expressed concerns about the ongoing financial situation of the district, and concerns about future budgets, as soon as 2019.
Brown said future budgets that the town can afford and that would keep the district adequately funded would require “major structural changes.” He said the district and the towns should start having that conversation now.
“There really aren’t anymore cuts that we can make that won’t damage the schools,” Brown said. “I’m simply warning the town of that problem.”
The town also passed all articles during a special town meeting that followed. Measures passed included spending for preservation of the town’s old records books, an upgrade to the electrical panels in Gill Elementary, flooring in the Gill elementary kitchen and a new wheelchair ramp at the Riverside municipal building.
Reach Miranda Davis
at 413-772-0261, ext. 280
or mdavis@recorder.com.