SUNDERLAND — Voters approved all 23 articles on the Annual Town Meeting warrant on Friday night, including proposals to use Community Preservation Act funding for pickleball courts at Riverside Park and First Congregational Church repairs.
Allocating $60,000 for church fixes proved to be one of the most debated topics among residents who attended the meeting at Sunderland Elementary School.
The Rev. Randy Calvo previously explained the church is preparing for “standard repair work” that will entail restoring the steeple, bell tower and roof by replacing the shingles. The high cost is due to the height of the church and the equipment needed to undertake the repairs.
“I wonder if we would consider spending $60,000 if this was a synagogue or a mosque,” commented resident Nancy Pick.
Members of the Finance Committee, Selectboard and Community Preservation Committee said they all discussed whether the spending request was appropriate, considering a need for separation between church and state, before bringing the article before Town Meeting voters.
The majority of voters supported using the money for church repairs, saying the 91 South Main St. building is an iconic landmark for Sunderland that is worth preserving. The church will also contribute money toward the restoration project.
Following voter approval, another $115,000 in Community Preservation Act funding is being put toward new pickeball courts at Riverside Park, despite members of the Finance Committee voicing concerns about a lack of plans for the project.
“We’ve got some pickleball fans out there,” said Moderator David Pierce.
Voters also gave their seal of approval to the $10.24 million budget for fiscal year 2024, which is a roughly 9%, or $844,518, increase from the current year.
Voters also approved assessing an additional $275,000 in real estate and personal property taxes to fund the town’s Capital Stabilization Fund. The override must also pass at the Saturday, May 6, election. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sunderland Public Library.
Lorin Starr, who serves as the library trustees representative for the Capital Planning Committee, explained the committee made a list of capital projects that need to be executed in the next five to 10 years. The board hopes to use the Capital Stabilization Fund to do this work.
“We have to take care of what we have,” Starr told voters, “and we feel this is a reasonable number, so I hope you will support it.”
In a similar vein to the town’s Capital Stabilization Fund, voters also supported the creation of a Capital Stabilization Fund for Frontier Regional School.
Currently, Frontier has roughly $1.8 million in its School Choice account. The School Committee hopes to move that money, and appropriate more when needed, to a separate account devoted to capital projects. The School Committee did not ask Sunderland to contribute money for the account at this time, only to create the account.
Reach Bella Levavi at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.