Voters nix three of four override articles at Erving Special Town Meeting

ERVING — The roughly 100 residents who attended Wednesday’s Special Town Meeting rejected all but one of the warrant articles pertaining to a $1.83 million tax levy limit override, forcing the Selectboard to reconfigure a new dollar amount for a potential future override.

Articles 3 through 6 of the 11-item meeting warrant pertained to the Proposition 2½ override for various departmental budget increases. There were eight budget categories that would have seen increases with the override: general government ($240,000), public safety ($125,000), public works ($92,000), wastewater enterprise fund ($39,000), health and human services ($5,000), culture and recreation ($25,000), benefits ($350,000) and capital improvement ($955,000).

The override would have translated to a collective estimated residential and open space tax increase of 17.75% from fiscal year 23 to fiscal year 2024, compared to the increase of 2.63% that would occur without the override. For a property assessed at $225,000, for example, this would have translated to a property tax increase of $272.25 from FY23 to FY24, compared to the increase of $47.25 that would occur without the override.

Article 4 — a $39,000 appropriation for the Wastewater Department Enterprise Budget — was the sole article approved out of the four relative to the override, with voters voting 54-39 in favor.

Among the rejected articles were $687,000 for the general operating budget to fund five town departments and employee benefits; $150,000 for assessor and finance committee expenses; and $955,000 for the capital stabilization account. Votes relative to the override were all relatively close, with both hand count and paper ballot systems employed to ensure accuracy.

For each article’s corresponding override amount to be approved, the article must pass at a Town Meeting and special election, which is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 23, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Town Hall. Should the associated ballot question pass on Oct. 23, only Article 4 would be approved for override funding. For the other items to receive approval, their corresponding articles would need to be passed at another Special Town Meeting, while also needing approval at another special election, where voters would decide on a revised dollar amount that reflects the sum of remaining articles. The Selectboard would need to schedule this second special election for a date at least 35 days from Wednesday.

Town Administrator Bryan Smith explained that having the election hypothetically come before another Town Meeting is “just as permissible” as having the Town Meeting first. He reasoned, however, that having a Town Meeting vote first allows for discussion that may help better inform voters prior to them making any decisions.

“I don’t think there is any rhyme or reason except giving the voters a better understanding of what is being proposed,” he said.

Alternatively, the Selectboard may consider alternative means of funding the associated budget categories, should they not proceed with another attempt at a comprehensive override.

Other articles

Six of the other seven articles on Wednesday’s warrant were approved. The articles were $55,000 from the capital stabilization fund to be used for bridge repairs and highway improvements, establishing a special education reserve fund, another $22,717 to the opioid settlement stabilization fund and appropriating $100,000 to the general stabilization fund to replenish some of what was used to construct the Erving Public Library.

Article 2, which involved appropriating $14,515.80 that was previously allocated at May’s Annual Town Meeting toward wage increases for the town clerk, treasurer and tax collector, did not pass after a 49-48 majority vote in favor. The article required a two-thirds majority vote to pass.

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.