NEW SALEM — Voters at Annual Town Meeting will be presented with a proposed budget roughly $200,000 higher than the one approved for the current fiscal year.

The $3.3 million figure for fiscal year 2024 includes $1.9 million for education and $1.4 million for all other government expenses. Voters are asked to convene at Town Hall at 7 p.m. on Tuesday to take action on 32 warrant articles.

The money proposed to be spent on schools consists of $946,201 on Swift River School, $188,642 on Swift River transportation, $646,900 on Ralph C. Mahar Regional School and $157,261 on Franklin County Technical School. Town Coordinator Kathy Neal explained the Swift River School budget’s increase from $828,956 can be attributed mostly to a special needs placement.

The largest expense in the proposed non-school budget is public safety, with 15 line items adding up to $408,880. If approved by voters, $93,844 will be spent on Police Department salaries while $34,990 will be used for the department’s expenses. The Fire Department has requested $61,500 for salaries and $53,590 for expenses.

“[Line items] are pretty much on par with what they normally are,” Neal said.

The proposed budget also includes a requested $206,898 for Highway Department salaries and $78,750 for expenses. The $246,274 general government subtotal includes $35,344 for the town coordinator, $31,430 for the town accountant, $25,587 for the tax collector, $27,492 for the town treasurer and $49,064 for the assessors.

Other articles

The only article this year connected to borrowing money pertains to replacing the primary response pumper truck for the Fire Department. The article asks voters to appropriate $616,000 and transfer $150,000 from the Vehicle Capital Stabilization Account.

Adoption of the article would also grant the town the authority to borrow any amount approved by residents in a Proposition 2½ vote. Fire Chief Joe Cuneo noted that should the article pass, a debt-exclusion vote would head to the ballot box in a few weeks.

Cuneo said the current primary response pumper truck is 37 years old and is in dire need of replacement.

“It’s having some serious maintenance issues, so it’s time to move on,” he said. “It’s the first piece of apparatus out the door. It goes to all calls that require a fire engine.”

The chief said a new truck comes with a life expectancy of 15 to 25 years. He does not yet know what will happen to the old truck.

Another article on the warrant has to do with transferring $115,900 from the Stabilization Fund to buy an excavator backhoe for the Highway Department.

The entire warrant can be reviewed at bit.ly/43zBbiy.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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