HEATH — Voters approved nearly all 22 warrant articles at Saturday’s Annual Town Meeting, becoming the third Mohawk Trail Regional School District member town to support the district’s proposed $28.9 million budget for the coming school year.

Heath’s share comes to a $995,297 operating assessment and a $15,730 capital request. Heath has 38 students enrolled in Mohawk Trail schools.

Before the budget vote, Superintendent Sheryl Stanton said the school district’s fixed costs rose by $1.8 million, while Chapter 70 state aid increased by less than 1%. Transportation costs for the 250-square-mile, eight-town district rose by almost $112,000.

School officials cut the budget by $1.7 million, which includes the equivalent of 6.5 teaching positions, 14 paraprofessionals and one other position.

School Committee member Budge Litchfield pointed out that the Special Commission on Rural School Districts recommended $60 million in rural school aid in 2022, but the Legislature only approved $12 million in fiscal year 2026. Although the governor proposed $20 million for fiscal year 2027, the Senate Ways and Means Committee budget is proposing reducing that figure to $16 million.

“Why doesn’t Beacon Hill pay attention to its own rural aid study?” Litchfield asked.

To get budget approval, Mohawk Trail’s spending request must be adopted by a majority of the eight member towns. So far, Buckland and Colrain have rejected their town assessments, while Ashfield, Shelburne and Heath have voted to approve them.

Stanton has explained that if the majority of the eight member towns do not pass the budget and Mohawk Trail is unable to present an alternative budget that gets sufficient member town approval, the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) would implement a one-twelfth budget, meaning the school district would budget month to month based on the previous fiscal year’s figures. Using fiscal year 2026 figures would require about $1.68 million in additional cuts to school programs and classes.

About 19 Heath students now go to Franklin County Technical School, an increase of six students, and the total assessment to Franklin Tech is $175,613. School expenses now make up 62% of Heath’s budget, according to the Finance Committee.

Heath’s $1.9 million town budget was also unanimously approved, representing an overall increase of $128,890.

The following transfers from the town’s free cash reserves were approved:

  • $30,500 to replace the overhead doors in the Fire Station/Highway Garage.
  • $3,709 for firefighting turnout gear.
  • $60,000 to be transferred to the Broadband Note Account to pay the loan that Heath took out for all the physical equipment related to its broadband network.

A resolution in support of “An Act Establishing Medicare for All” was approved by a majority of voters, which means the town will convey its support for House bill (H.1405) and Senate bill (S.860). 

The warrant article says Heath would save $251,276 per year in health insurance costs if the bill had been in effect this year, and that 98% of households would have reduced health care costs under a single-payer health care system, as is proposed.

The only defeated warrant article was a “housekeeping” issue outlined in Article 20, which asked voters to drop a bylaw requirement that all elections and Town Meetings be posted at Sawyer Hall (the old town hall building) as well as at the Jacobs Road Municipal Center, roughly 4 miles away. 

Town officials said the warrants and election notices are now posted on the town’s website, and it isn’t always convenient to drive over to Sawyer Hall with last-minute changes and postings. But several residents said the Sawyer Hall postings are more convenient for them to view, because the Post Office is also in that building.

Sawyer Hall was the traditional home of town government offices until those offices were relocated to the former Heath Elementary School on Jacobs Road.

Election results

Voters returned Elissa Viarengo to her Selectboard seat for a second term by a 124-61 vote against challenger Tucker Jenkins. And, in a three-way contest for two seats on the Municipal Light Board, incumbent David Gordon was elected with 124 votes and William Fontes with 117 votes. Candidate Dena Briggs received 58 votes.

The following uncontested candidates were also elected. All are for three-year terms unless otherwise noted:

  • Board of Assessors, Anne Emmet.
  • Planning Board, Peter Charow (five-year seat).
  • Finance Committee, Wendy Whalen.
  • Library trustee Emily Cross.
  • Constable William Emmet.
  • Moderator Eric Sumner.

No one ran for an open two-year term on the Planning Board, so the Selectboard will appoint someone to that post. Also, no one ran for a vacant two-year seat on the School Committee; however John Musacchio received the greatest number of write-in votes. Town Clerk Mary Sumner said it was not yet known if Musacchio will accept the position.

Out of Heath’s 571 registered voters, 185 voted in Friday’s town election, making for a 32.4% turnout.