SUNDERLAND — Town Administrator Sherri Patch said the 2016 annual town warrant contains “pretty standard articles” and she does not expect much controversy generated at Town Meeting.
The warrant of 27 articles will be voted on at 7 p.m. Friday in the Sunderland Elementary School at 1 Swampfield Drive.
The proposed budget is $7,222,574 for the fiscal year beginning July 1. This is up $118,314, or 1.7 percent, from this year. The total general government budget would increase by $16,469, to $551,012, if passed as proposed.
Most departments have higher recommended figures than the current fiscal year, with a notable exception the Fire Department. Patch said the decrease of $42,366, or 13.4 percent, to $274,764 is the result of a drop in Sunderland’s assessment for South County Emergency Medical Services.
Patch said Deerfield, the fiscal agent for the regional medical services, used some retained earnings to lower Sunderland’s assessment. The regional service also includes Whately.
In other items, there is an increase of $5,260, or 81.4 percent, under the “elections & registrar” category. Patch said this money will be used to pay poll workers and additional expenses stemming from the Nov. 8 presidential election. She said an increase in spending for this category happens every four years because of presidential elections.
The proposed budget for the Police Department is $418,228, an increase of $28,251, or 7.2 percent. Patch said this increase stems mostly from an additional $11,627 in part-time police wages. She said this covers additional shifts that need to be filled.
In other business, an article on the town warrant asks residents if they agree to transfer $103,752 from free cash to the stabilization fund that Patch said holds money for capital projects. This article requires a two-thirds vote for adoption.
Another article aims to transfer from available funds $28,266 to cover the tuition and transportation for a Sunderland student enrolled in a criminal justice program at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in the current fiscal year. Patch explained this is out-of-district placement/tuition because no criminal justice program is offered at Franklin County Technical School, which serves Sunderland.