Erving Special Town Meeting to consider senior property tax program, voting procedures

Erving Elementary School

Erving Elementary School STAFF FILE PHOTO

By ERIN-LEIGH HOFFMAN

Staff Writer

Published: 08-26-2024 12:25 PM

ERVING — Voters will consider updates to the town’s tax-work off program for seniors, easements for a bridge project and new voting procedures when a special Town Meeting convenes Wednesday.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the Erving Elementary School at 28 Northfield Road where 12 warrant articles are up for votes.

The third warrant article titled “Senior Citizen Property Tax Work-Off Program,” if approved, would offer senior citizens over 60 years an abatement of property taxes up to $2,000 annually for their work for the town. The town has had the program since 2015, but the warrant seeks to update the amount of benefits and policy. The maximum benefit is currently $750.

Town Administrator Bryan Smith explained that the inclusion of this warrant can bring awareness to the program and see it used to its full potential.

“I think the goal is to further clarify eligibility, how the program works, when it works and how things are signed off on,” Smith said.

Smith noted that the Erving Selectboard will be working to establish more specific policy on the program that will be included within the bylaw if the warrant article is approved by voters.

“They’re working on policy to further detail how the program operates, so the things go together,” Smith said.

Eligibility requirements include being over the age of 60 by July 1 of the fiscal year they are seeking work off taxes, as well as ownership and occupation of a residential property from the previous fiscal year. The town will pay the person’s FICA taxes, and the hourly work rate would be at the state’s minimum wage.

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The program would be overseen by Smith and would serve only 10 residents per fiscal year. A lottery system would be enacted if more people apply.

Articles five through 10 include procedures for easement of land for the Church Street Bridge Project expected to start in 2025. Smith explained that these warrants would allow the town to continue the process of legal land acquisition for temporary or permanent use for the project’s next steps.

Article 11 and the citizen petition both relate to Town Meeting voting procedures. Article 11 is a capital improvement seeking approval to spend $12,000 on an electronic voting system that would allow voters to vote from their seats with a clicker. The citizen petition relates to the current voting process of voice voting and the use of paper ballots when necessary.

Voters will also decide on an articles related to prior fiscal year expenses, the re-adoption of general bylaws and the relocation of Care Drive.

Town meeting information and policies are available on the town’s website and here: https://tinyurl.com/yc5xmyaw. The warrant for the Aug. 28 special Town Meeting is also available online at https://tinyurl.com/msv8fpfh.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.