Adams Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Spending Articles
ADAMS, Mass. — Town meeting members will see 29 articles Monday night at the annual town meeting that will be held at Bowe Field at 6 p.m.
The first three articles are annual articles that appear on the warrant every year.
Article 4 sets the salaries for elected officials. More information can be found on the actual warrant.
Article 5 represents the town's fiscal 2022 budget. This breaks down into a $6,490,080 personnel budget and a $2,322,484 operating budget. More information can be found in the town meeting documents.
Article 6 is the capital budget of $631,761. This includes $27,500 in technology upgrades and $636,950 in debt service.
Article 7 will ask town meeting to appropriate $83,050 in free cash for various capital purchases and infrastructure projects.
The biggest expenditure is a new police cruiser for $55,000. The rest will be used for maintenance projects in the library and purchases within the DPW department.
Article 8 is the Hoosac Valley Regional School District assessment of $6,137,745. This is just over a $200,000 increase from last fiscal year.
Article 9 is the McCann Technical School assessment of $1,055,418. This assessment is down around $16,000.
Article 10 will use $250,000 to offset the tax rate.
Article 11 will move $135,000 from the reserve fund to the stabilization fund.
Article 12 will place $175,000 in the reserve fund, and Article 13 will allow the town to pay unpaid bills. There are no outstanding bills.
Article 14 will allow the town to participate in the Community Development Block Grant program and Article 15 will allow the town to participate in the Community Facilities Grant program.
Article 16 will allow the town to accept $2,300 in cemetery perpetual care funds from last year.
Article 17 will allow the treasurer to borrow in the event of a revenue shortfall. Any borrowing would have to be approved by the selectmen.
Article 18 sets revolving fund spending limits and article 19 amends compensation plans. A full read-out for both of these articles can be found on the warrant.
Article 20 will allow marijuana manufacturing and cultivation in the Industrial Park.
Article 21 is the second and final payment to the Hoosac Valley Regional Shcool District of $17,879. This stems from an assessment miscalculation from a few budget cycles ago that the town has agreed to pay back using free cash.
Article 22 will allow the town to appropriate $86,391 from free cash to pay a court judgment from an incident that took place in the 1970s.
Article 23 will allow the town to pull $89,000 from the Economic Development Fund. $45,000 of this will be used to hire an economic/community development consultant. This fund is replenished annually through meal and lodging taxes. The rest will be used within the Community development Department and for downtown marketing.
Article 24 allows the town to approve a payment in lieu of tax agreement with Grove Street Solar LLC who is currently installing a solar array at Dukes Sand and Gravel.
Articles 25 and 26 will set up funding to make critical improvements to the Wastewater treatment plant.
Article 25 will allow the town to temporarily reappropriate $310,000 of the unused portion of the $2.5 million 2018 Storm Damage funds for the purpose of engineering on the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The town needs to show a commitment towards the project in order to retain its position with the state revolving fund.
American Rescue Plan funds will be used to replenish the storm damage funds.
Article 26 will allow the town to raise and appropriate, borrow or transfer a sum of money to be used to complete improvements to the wastewater treatment plant. The anticipated project cost is $5,049,500.
Both of these articles allow the town to meet state deadlines that would allow the ton to receive lower interest rates, an extended loan payout, and a portion of the principal forgiven upfront.
Debt service would likely begin in the summer of 2023
This article needs to pass with a ⅔ vote
Article 27 will see if the town will appropriate $100,000 to develop an asset management plan for the wastewater and stormwater systems. $60,000 of this is will be transferred from town funds provided the town first receives grant reimbursement. The remaining $40,000 will be made up of in-kind services and remaining community development funds ($12,000).
This article also allows the town to submit grant applications and reimbursements.
Article 28 would allow the town to solicit the state to increase the number of liquor licenses in town.
Article 29 closes the meeting
The Finance Committee recommended all applicable articles. Here is their report.
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