ASHFIELD — Residents will be asked to consider a total $7.69 million budget for fiscal year 2026 that includes funding for the next steps toward meeting the town’s climate-resiliency goals during Annual Town Meeting.

The warrant for the Saturday, May 3 Town Meeting includes 30 articles, asking voters to approve a $6.25 million general operating budget, additional capital expenses, and town bylaw amendments that aim to make town government easier and more efficient for volunteers and staff.

Articles 11 through 21 break down the town’s budget. The town is seeking $721,470 for general government expenses, $521,830 for public safety, $974,933 for public works, $80,888 for health and human services, $139,631 for culture and recreation, $73,522 for debt services, $41,802 for Franklin Regional Council of Governments expenses and $359,990 for employee benefits.

Additionally, with Article 9, voters will be asked to approve more than $3.31 million in education costs, a 6.7% increase from the FY25 budget.

Town Administrator Paul McLatchy III said town officials worked to keep the budget as tight as possible, and they are always seeking grants and state aid to reduce the burden on taxpayers.

“Not all of this is from taxes — state aid, enterprise funds, existing funds, grants, etc. all play a role in reducing the amount that actually has to be raised in taxation,” he said.

“I think the budget we’ve got right now can cover a little extra, not a lot, but at least it covers everything we need it to,” Selectboard member Tom Carter said during a joint meeting of the Selectboard and Finance Committee earlier this month.

Articles 22 through 25 seek voter approval for additional appropriations: $12,750 for Ashfield Lake dam maintenance; $125,000 for repairs and upgrades to Town Hall, including replacing a chairlift and installing an outdoor drinking fountain; borrowing up to $500,000 to repair a failing retaining wall on Bronson Avenue; and $100,000 to match a state grant to install solar arrays at the Highway Garage and Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The town has applied to be designated as a Climate Leader Community, a new designation created by the state Department of Energy Resources. At last year’s Annual Town Meeting, voters approved taking steps necessary to be named a Climate Leader, such as adopting a Zero-Emission First Vehicle Policy.

The town is expecting to hear whether it has been named a Climate Leader and if it is eligible for the associated grant funding later this spring, and if so, the town will be pursuing grant funding for a $1 million solar project that could save the town $2 million in energy costs over the next 25 years. If approved by voters, the town’s share of the solar panels would be paid for from the Grant Match Stabilization Fund, which voters approved creating at last year’s Annual Town Meeting.

“The town could be eligible for up to $1 million in grants to transition our town buildings away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner, renewable energies,” the Selectboard wrote on the warrant. “The state program would cover 90% of the cost of the project, with the possibility of the federal government covering an additional 30% of the town’s portion.”

Articles 26 through 30 seek approval for bylaw changes seeking to make town government easier and more efficient for volunteers and staff.

■Article 26: Amending the Town Meeting bylaw so department heads and other municipal staff members who are not residents of the town may address the floor without a majority vote approval. Each year, the town has taken a vote to allow non-residents to speak. Amending this bylaw would remove the necessity to hold that vote each year.

■Article 27: Changing the role of tree warden from an elected position to an appointed one, so its duties can be merged with the role of highway superintendent.

■Article 28: Reducing the term of Planning Board members from five years to three years. The town hopes reducing the time commitment will encourage more residents to seek a seat on the board.

■Article 29: Amends the Flood Hazard District to adopt a revised flood map.

■Article 30: Changes the special permit bylaw to recommend applicants meet with the special permit granting authority for a pre-application conference to discuss the procedural steps of the permit process and answer any questions in a non-binding manner.

Special Town Meeting

Voters who attend a preceding Special Town Meeting will be asked to approve three monetary transfers. Both meetings will be held at Town Hall, with the Special Town Meeting starting at 9:30 a.m. and the Annual Town Meeting following at 10 a.m.

■Article 1: A $278,000 transfer from the broadband retained earnings account to the broadband operating budget to cover a deficit due to a FY24 grant ending and the balance on the unpaid broadband loan being higher than expected.

■Article 2: A $20,000 transfer from free cash to the accounting consulting budget line to cover an overage in expenses from a third-party review of the books.

■Article 3: Appropriating $225,000 from free cash to pay the remaining balance owed on a dump truck that voters approved purchasing for the Highway Department at last year’s Annual Town Meeting.

Visit ashfield.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=368 to view both the Annual Town Meeting and Special Town Meeting warrants in their entirety.

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.