DALTON, Mass. — Voters will reconvene on Monday to vote on 12 warrant articles, including a proposed purchase of a parcel on West Housatonic Street, funding for the Grange Hall Road bridge replacement, a sewer system evaluation survey, and funding for electronic voting devices. 

 

The meeting will take place on Monday, Oct.19, at 7 p.m., at Wahconah Regional High School. The town's motions and explanations here. 

 

One of the articles anticipated to be the most contentious is Article 2, a proposal to purchase a property on West Housatonic Street for $69,700 with funding to be raised and appropriated, borrowed, or transferred from the General Stabilization Fund.

 

The 3.9-acre parcel is currently owned by Crane & Co. and was initially presented at a Public Safety Facility Advisory Committee meeting in September following the town's April request for proposals for land acquisitions. 

 

The town's request stems from ongoing dispute between where it could house a public safety facility, with many residents expressing apprehension to the previous town owned recommendation next to the Senior Center. More information here.

 

The town recently received a $1,000,000 grant from the state to fund the reconstruction of the town's lowest-rated bridge on Grange Hall Road. However, the town needs to cover the remaining expenses of the project and Article 3 is requesting voters do just that. 

 

Article 3 is requesting voters transfer $1,000,000 from the Capital Stabilization Fund to pay for part of the bridge's reconstruction that will cost approximately $2.5 million. The remaining expenses for the project will come from Chapter 90 state public works funding.

 

If the town were to decide to delay the project, which would revoke its eligibility for the state grant, then it would be on the hook for the total cost.

 

The project is slated to go out to bid this winter for the 2027 construction season. More information here. 

 

A hot topic in town has been the recent spike in sewer rates, which has more than doubled and Article 5 attempts to combat the increase with a proposed sewer system evaluation survey. 

 

For fiscal year 2027, with an annual bill of $1,217.08, which is billed biannually. The total bill for the town is $1,777,728.50. 

 

The cause of this spike is related to the town's 2026 Intermunicipal Agreement with Pittsfield and infiltration in the town's system. More information on this here. 

 

The article requests voters authorize the transfer of $200,000 from the Sewer Stabilization Fund to conduct the study, aimed at reducing the amount of wastewater that Dalton produces. 

 

This study builds on previous studies and work to r identify ways to reduce groundwater infiltration and stormwater inflow. 

 

Town Manager Eric Anderson previously told iBerkshires.com that the town sends an average of roughly 350 million gallons of water into Pittsfield's wastewater system annually. This is significantly more than what a town of Dalton's size should be sending. 

 

Approximately 33 percent of this volume is the result of inflow from direct connections and infiltration of groundwater into the sewer system.

 

The warrant also includes Article 4, a request to transfer $4,800 from the General Stabilization Fund to rent electronic voting devices to be used at future Town Meetings. 

 

Officials previously said that electronic voting devices, also referred to as “clickers” will help ensure privacy, efficiency, or even to increase participation at town meetings. 

 

The funding would cover the use of the devices at the 2027 Annual Town Meeting. Following that, the town would revisit whether to purchase the system for continued use, which will require a vote at a future town meeting.  

 

Other articles to be voted on at the meeting include: 

 

Article 1: to amend the Vocational Education budget amount that was approved at town meeting by $137,004.00. Since the initial vote, the number of students enrolled in vocational education programs has changed.

 

Article 6: to increase the town's sewer and wastewater treatment budget by $866,800 to cover costs exceeding the original appropriation approved at the May 4 annual town meeting. The costs for treating the wastewater exceed what was budgeted and has been revised based on engineering evaluation of the contract. The increase would not affect property taxes, as the expenses are funded through sewer user fees.

 

Article 7: to transfer $524.00 from the General Stabilization Fund to pay an invoice from WJ BluePrint & Digital Graphics. This is to satisfy a prior year's invoice.

 

Article 8: to transfer $880.48 from the General Stabilization Fund to pay an invoice from Revolution IT Inc. from Fiscal Year 2026. This is to satisfy a prior year's invoice.

 

Article 9: to transfer the sum of $3,006.00 from the General Stabilization Fund to pay an invoice from Kelly & Ryan Associates, Inc. from Fiscal Year 2026.This is to satisfy a prior year's invoice.

 

Article 10: to transfer $126.22 from the General Stabilization Fund to pay an invoice from ORKIN from Fiscal Year 2026. This is to satisfy a prior year's invoice.

 

Article 11: to transfer the sum of $4,000 from the Sewer Stabilization Fund to satisfy the Settlement Agreement between the Town and Cheryl Nelsen. This is a proposed settlement in lieu of litigation with a resident on Old Windsor Road related to issues with sewer overflow at the residence.

 

Article 12: to reduce the number of Conservation Commission members from seven to five.