HEATH — A proposed fiscal year 2022 budget that represents an increase of 8 percent over this year’s budget and that includes money to maintain the former elementary school will be the key article at Annual Town Meeting on Saturday.
Town Meeting will start at 9 a.m. under a tent at the former Heath Elementary School building, at 18 Jacobs Road.
Outside the budget, there are notable items on revising the town’s zoning bylaws, and two non-binding articles on the use of the town’s office buildings.
The proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2022 is $1,444,770, compared to this year’s $1,339,912. On top of the town’s operating budget, payments to the Mohawk Trail Regional School District of $932,725 and to Franklin County Technical School of $66,235 would bring the town’s total expenses to $2,443,730.
For the most part, there are no notable increases in the town’s budget, and no new capital projects, according to Town Coordinator and Town Clerk Hilma Sumner.
That is, except for the elementary school. Since the closure of Heath Elementary School in 2017, Mohawk Trail Regional School District had supported the maintenance of the building. By this summer, that money will be almost gone, Sumner said.
“Now the expense of maintaining that building will fall entirely on the town,” Sumner said. “I anticipate that line will be questioned, and there will be some discussion about it.”
In the proposed budget, maintenance of the building is set at $40,000, up from $500 last year. That number was approved by the Selectboard, but there are various opinions among the Finance Committee, Sumner said.
In the zoning bylaws, four Town Meeting articles would clarify the town’s policies in places where there hadn’t been clear criteria, or would change definitions on certain terms. Specifically, these would address accessory apartments, buildings on private roads and mobile homes.
The two non-binding articles were both placed on the warrant by citizen’s petition. Sumner said they are essentially symbolic, as they address issues that are not within Town Meeting’s legal purview, but they will likely be valuable for establishing voters’ views on the two questions.
One article would require town offices to be located in Heath Center — although, legally, the use of the town’s buildings is determined by the Selectboard, not Town Meeting voters, Sumner said. She guessed that the petition may have been motivated by discussion of potentially moving certain town offices to the former school building.
The other article would formally request that the Selectboard prioritize compliance with accessibility codes at the town’s buildings. Code compliance is determined by state law, Sumner noted.
“It’s an opportunity for people to express their opinions in the Town Meeting forum,” she said. “However, the Selectboard is not bound to adhere to the outcome.”
To view the full 25-article warrant, visit bit.ly/3o5gM1z.
Reach Max Marcus at
mmarcus@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.