ASHFIELD — Voters will be presented with a citizen’s petition seeking to rename the Transfer Station & Recycling Center in memory of an attendant and a proposed bylaw outlining regulations for protected-use accessory dwelling units at Annual Town Meeting.
The meeting will take place on Saturday, May 2, beginning at 10 a.m. at Town Hall. Attendees will vote on the fiscal year 2027 budget, capital assessments, proposals for new bylaws and a pair of citizen’s petitions on the 29-article warrant.
The entire $7.24 million budget is broken up into several different articles. Education funding represents the largest portion (49.1%) of the town’s budget, with Ashfield’s assessment to the Mohawk Trail Regional School District coming in at $3.1 million, representing a $239,429, or 8.4%, increase. The cost for vocational education has stayed level, ending up at $450,000.
Town Administrator Paul McLatchy III said this year’s warrant is “pretty tame compared with some others we’ve had.” The school budget, he said, could generate some discussion among voters.
“I think once people are made aware that the only thing being voted on at this meeting is the budget and there are no decisions being made whether to close schools [or] consolidate, people will focus on the finances of the district,” McLatchy said, referencing long-term discussions about potentially consolidating the Mohawk Trail Regional School District to a single campus in Buckland. “That’s not to say the two subjects are exclusive and don’t affect each other, but I hope people understand that a discussion and decision about the future of Sanderson Academy and the Mohawk school district will take place in the future and will likely be the only item on the agenda.”
Article 27 asks voters to decide if the town will add regulations to its zoning bylaws regarding protected-use accessory dwelling units (ADUs). This article, being brought to voters following unanimous Planning Board approval, aims to add a definition for these ADUs, and detail the purpose of providing older homeowners with a “means of creating independent living spaces for family members, caregivers or renters,” while also providing “younger homeowners with a means of obtaining rental income,” according to the warrant.
The bylaw comes following the implementation of the state’s Affordable Homes Act, which allows ADUs of up to 900 square feet to be constructed by right in single-family residential zones throughout the state. Ashfield’s proposal, however, seeks to add greater leniency by allowing ADUs of up to 1,200 square feet by right, without the need for a special permit.
The proposed bylaw also includes provisions noting that protected-use ADUs must be built within 100 feet of the primary dwelling, though a property owner could build farther away from the primary residence by obtaining a special permit. Multiple ADUs on a single lot will not be permitted.
In addition, the town recently had its second biennial wage review, and some positions saw “a sizeable jump in pay,” according to McLatchy. The Police Department is asking for a full-time position to be funded, which increased the department’s wage line item from $56,813 in FY26 to $110,000 in FY27.
There are a few capital expenses on Ashfield’s warrant, including $75,000 for highway structural improvements, $42,000 for a pickup truck, $30,000 for a squad/utility pickup vehicle for the Fire Department and $20,000 for a police cruiser.
Two citizen’s petitions will seek to rename a holiday and the Transfer Station & Recycling Center. The first, Article 28, looks to rename the October holiday from Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. The second, Article 29, seeks to change the name of the Transfer Station in memory of Phil Nolan III, a longtime attendant who recently died.
“While I doubt this will be controversial,” McLatchy said of Article 29, “I believe it will generate discussion in a very positive way.”
Other articles on the warrant include:
- Article 23: To see if the town will appropriate $10,000 from the Fred Cross General Trust Fund for the purpose of painting the exterior of Ashfield Town Hall.
- Article 25: Allow for a cost-of-living adjustment for tax exemptions for seniors. As Ashfield has never adopted the law allowing for the cost-of-living increase, Ashfield’s current exemption for seniors has remained static at $24,758 for those who are filing as single and $37,137 for those who are filing jointly. This change is being proposed by the Board of Assessors.
- Article 26: To see if the town will vote to accept Massachusetts General Law Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 22I, which would allow for the tax exemption for veterans to be increased annually by a cost-of-living adjustment. Clause 22J allows for certain veterans who qualify for an exemption to receive an additional amount; in this case, the Board of Assessors is recommending 75%.
The full Annual Town Meeting warrant can be viewed at ashfield.org/DocumentCenter/View.
