SUNDERLAND — All articles on the warrant at the Annual Town Meeting Saturday passed with minimal discussion, including a $8.8 million budget and a level-funded elementary school budget.
The meeting took place outdoors, with voters seated roughly 6 feet apart on the field behind the Town Offices. Each voter was handed green, red and white cards. Green cards were to signify yes, red were for no, and white were for comment or question.
The 26-article warrant included an $8.8 million budget, which passed with just a few comments from voters.
Noting a roughly $11,000 increase in the inspection budget, one resident asked how the money was being spent.
Town Administrator Geoffrey Kravitz explained that the majority of that increase is to cover inspection expenses, as well as expenses to update the code book and to cover training-related travel.
Another voter noted the elementary school budget saw no increase, and wanted to know how that was possible.
Superintendent Darius Modestow said the School Committee was tasked with approving a budget despite a number of unknowns in the upcoming fiscal year. He said with a level-funded budget, they were forced to make cuts to adjust for normal increases in the budget that are out of their control.
A number of Community Preservation Act projects received approval, including a vote to appropriate $64,000 from the CPA Open Space Reserve to the town’s Conservation Trust for the acquisition of a parcel of land for drinking water protection. This is a project that is happening in partnership with the state, as well as Kestrel Land Trust, a conservation nonprofit.
The annual town election was also held on Saturday. Town Clerk Wendy Houle said 140 voters turned out to vote out of a possible 2,435 registered voters.
As there were no contested races, all candidates won their individual races.
Reach Mary Byrne at 413-772-0261, ext. 263 or mbyrne@recorder.com.