ASHFIELD — Voters have approved a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion for Ashfield Lake dam repair and maintenance — and all the articles at Saturday’s Annual Town Meeting.
Article 22 on the town warrant sought approval to authorize borrowing up $250,000 for if the town was to receive grants for funding the maintenance and repair work needed at the dam located on South River. Often, the town is required to match a portion of the grant total.
The Town Meeting vote, which required a two-thirds vote to pass, elicited no discussion or commentary from voters.
The question passed with 219 yes votes, compared to 26 no votes. A simple majority was needed on that front.
Selectboard member Tom Carter said the money would be used specifically in conjunction with grants from state and federal sources to fund the repair and maintenance of the dam and spillway.
“A portion of this money wouldn’t show up on a tax bill until at least a year after we spend it,” he said.
Voters passed all 23 articles — 12 of which were passed as a consent agenda item — on Saturday’s warrant in relatively quick succession.
The meeting, which took place on the town common next to the Town Hall at 10 a.m. , was intermittently interrupted to allow the passage of traffic on Main Street, which was stopped at Norton Hill Road and Baptist Corner Road to reduce the noise level during the discussion portion of each article.
Although seating was marked by lines on the grass, voters spilled into the parking lot of the Ashfield Fire Department.
Introducing the general government expenses, Carter said much of it was the result of “copying last year’s budget” with the exception of employee pay adjustments. He also noted raises that typically happen July 1 won’t occur until Jan. 1.
Ted Murray asked for an explanation on two line items: the collector salary/admin. support, which increased over last year, and the town clerk salary, which decreased.
Carter said the former was a result of combining two line items in last year’s budget to form one line item on the fiscal 2021 budget. The decrease in the town clerk’s salary was reflective of a drop in hours and an adjustment to pay.
The $445,166 general government expenses budget passed with unanimous support.
The $754,367 Department of Public Works budget saw an increase of $65,331, driven by a rise in recycling costs and additional laborer costs from making a part-time position into a full-time one.
The $30,000 increase in recycling costs would be primarily borne by the town, but with help from Hawley.
The proposed additional laborer costs for the Department of Public Works drew a short discussion.
“I don’t believe this is the time to be hiring a full-time employee,” said Kyle Taylor, the Finance Committee member who voted against the proposed department’s budget.
At least one other resident, David Newell, agreed, noting it was “one heck of a year” to be adding a position.
Ultimately, the Department of Public Works’ budget passed.
The overall budget, as presented, amounted to a roughly $5.4 million general operating budget, a 2 percent decrease over fiscal 2020.
The meeting adjourned, just minutes before the rain began to fall.
Ronald Coler, a former selectboard member, secured a seat on the Board of Assessors with 152 votes in Saturday’s election.
Coler had challenged incumbent Donna Sarro, who received 92 votes.
The annual election, which began 10 a.m. on Saturday at Town Hall, saw a voter turn-out of 18.5 percent, with 250 votes cast out of a possible 1,354 registered voters.
Other election results:
Moderator, one-year term — Stewart Eisenberg
Tree warden, one-year term — Thomas M. Poissant
Finance Committee, three-year term — Carol J. Lebold and Thomas J. Miner Jr. (two seats)
Board of Health, two-year term — Evelyn Resh
Board of Health, three-year term — Duncan B. Colter
Park Commission, three-year — John T. Nawrocki
Mohawk Trail Regional School District School Committee, three-year term — Gregory Alan Lilly
Sewer Commission, three-year term — Christopher Rawlins
Planning Board, five-year term — Alan D. Rice
Library trustee, five-year term — Sandra J. Carter
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 263. Twitter: @MaryEByrne