HEATH — Residents passed most of the 31-article Annual Town Meeting warrant on Saturday, with the exception of the Mohawk Trail Regional School District regional agreement amendments and the purchase of a new truck for the Highway Department.
During the process of crafting the fiscal year 2024 budget, the Selectboard reduced the Highway Department’s staff from four to three. While eliminating the laborer/operator position held by Mike Shattuck saves the town an estimated $70,000, meeting attendees made points on several occasions in an attempt to get Shattuck’s position back.
During the line item discussion about Highway Department salaries, many people spoke up about the layoff. Attorney Mark Reich explained to the voters several times that if they were to vote down the highway budget, it would not affect the layoff decision that has already been made.
“The Selectboard makes decisions on executive functions regardless of the dollar amount,” he said. “The decision has already been made.”
This didn’t stop Shattuck from vocally opposing the cut, saying that providing Highway Department services will be increasingly difficult.
“This is Heath,” Shattuck said. “We are going to have a really hard time with three [employees].”
Highway Superintendent Jeffrey Johnston also spoke during this discussion. He explained he openly opposed the cuts to the department when the decision was made, but said that he will continue to develop a plan that works economically and efficiently.
The Highway Department salary line item ultimately passed with about one-third of the room voting against it.
The town also attempted to cut the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for all employees by debating the line item for the town coordinator’s salary. They argued that if the highway position is being cut, the rest of the town employees should also bear the burden of reducing the budget.
In defending the COLA, Selectboard member Sue Lively said, “No matter what we do, to me, it is unreasonable to ask our employees to bear the burden of more expenses. We need to acknowledge that things are getting more expensive and support them.”
With 38 “yes” votes and 31 “no” votes, the COLA for the town coordinator ultimately passed, thus eliminating discussion of the COLA for other employees.
Also citing concerns about the Highway Department cut, as well as concerns about the $1.53 million operating budget in general, people opposed the purchase of a new truck for the Highway Department costing $195,000. This vote required a two-thirds majority and narrowly failed.
One of the Highway Department’s large trucks is 21 years old, and the purchase of a smaller truck was scheduled to replace it. Two of the trucks in the Highway Department had broken down during the past snow season, according to Selectboard member Brian DeVriese. The department requested two new trucks, and the town decided to bring the vote for one to the voters.
One line item the town did cut was the budget for legal fees. The town used more than $20,000 in fiscal year 2023, but argued the fee will likely go down now that Heath isn’t dealing with a lawsuit with AT&T over building a cell tower and negotiating with Mohawk Trail Regional School District over paying a $44,410 assessment error.
The town voted to reduce the legal fees line item from $20,000 to $15,000, despite concern from Selectboard members and Town Coordinator Hilma Sumner that they may need guidance from town counsel regarding a business on Bellor Road that does not comply with zoning laws and host community agreements, which will require considerable effort in the coming year.
Voters also shot down three articles pertaining to Mohawk Trail Regional School District regional agreement amendments that would revise the funding formula for town assessments. Should the town assessment formula change, it would better align with the state’s funding formula by factoring in School Choice students and residents who opt to attend a charter school. These articles came to the town last minute, and were several pages long.
The town also hosted its election on Friday, with a 23% voter turnout rate.
Steven Thane won the two-year term on the Planning Board with 75 votes, beating competitor Robert Dane, who received 50. Incumbent William won the three-year term as constable with 75 votes, over competitor Stephen Bigelow’s 39. New Selectboard member Elissa Viarengo won the uncontested position with a three-year term, a seat being vacated by longtime member Brian DeVriese, with 118 votes.
The other results, all for uncontested races, are as follows:
â Assessor, three-year term — Anne Emmet, 95 votes.
â Planning Board, five-year term — Douglas Mason, 90 votes.
â Finance Committee, three-year term — William Emmet, 91 votes
â Library trustee, three-year term — Emily Cross, 116 votes.
â Municipal Light Board, two seats with three-year terms — David Gordon, 100 votes, and Anne Emmet, 95 votes.
â Moderator, three-year term — Eric Sumner, 123 votes.
A School Committee seat remains open after a successful write-in candidate declined to accept the position.
Bella Levavi can be reached at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.