SOUTHAMPTON – Town Meeting voters Tuesday will consider a $15.63 million budget, a 20-year solar net-metering contract, a green energy stretch code and the purchase of land to protect the Barnes Aquifer.

Town Meeting will convene at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the William E. Norris School.

The budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 represents an overall increase of 3.14 percent from this year’s $15.16 million modified budget. Most salaries are up 2 percent from this year, according to Town Administrator Heather Budrewicz.

The proposed Norris School budget is $3.95 million, up 4.5 percent from this year’s $3.78 million modified budget. That figure represents 100 percent of state-required net school spending, though it’s some $30,000 less than what the school requested for level-services, Budrewicz said.

There are no overrides on the Town Meeting warrant.

Article 3 will consider implementing a new rule – allowing speakers to face both the moderator and Town Meeting voters. Traditionally speakers address the moderator with their backs toward voters. The measure was put on the warrant by Budrewicz, who said that residents have complained about being unable to see who is speaking.

Article 6 will ask voters to approve a proposed solar net-metering contract that the Select Board is completing. The 20-year deal would save the town an estimated $11,000 annually in energy costs, Budrewicz said.

Article 7 asks voters to allow $175,000 approved at an earlier Town Meeting for the Glendale Well to be used for any water supply purposes.

Article 8 concerns an update to a solar bylaw approved by several years ago Town Meeting. “It’s making it a better bylaw,” Budrewicz said.

If approved, Article 9 would adopt a stretch code regulating the design and construction of buildings in regard to energy efficiency. Adoption of such a code is one of five requirements to earn a Green Community designation, which would allow the town to receive preferential grant funding for future green projects. 

“It won’t make anything more strict for the most part,” Budrewicz said.

Article 12 concerns funding of the transfer station. If approved as written, it would reduce the number of days the station is open from three to two in an effort to make the enterprise profitable. For the past several years the station has been in the red, Budrewicz said.

Article 17 asks voters to transfer $25,000 from the ambulance receipts to the ambulance stabilization account in order to save for the future purchase of a new ambulance. Voters since 2014 have approved the annual $25,000 savings.

Article 18 asks voters to pay for half the amount of the purchase price for 13 bulletproof vests for the Police Department – $5,451. The other half would be funded by a U.S. Department of Justice grant.

If approved, Article 19 would transfer $53,196 from the Capital Stabilization fund to the Police Department to purchase a new cruiser.

Other proposed transfers from the stabilization account include $9,000 for Fire Department gear, representing the second year in a three-year plan to purchase new turnout gear; $22,000 for purchase of 11 laptops for teachers  the Norris School; $6,400 to purchase four classroom projectors for the school; and $9,925 to perform a “crucially important” security upgrade to the now-malfunctioning elementary school door, Budrewicz said.

Residents will consider four Community Preservation Act projects in four separate votes. These funds would be taken out of CPA accounts: $5,000 to purchase 10 flat markers for veterans’ graves; $2,000 to fund the restoration of the Revolutionary War and Civil War veterans’ monuments; $15,000 to the Southampton Historical Society to fund climate control needs at the Clark Chapman House to fix flooding of the basement; and $20,000 to the Conservation Commission to stabilize the Historic Red Barn on Szczypta conservation land.

Article 30 asks voters to approve a joint project with Easthampton and the Kestrel Land Trust to purchase and protect property above the Barnes Aquifer; $386,862.50 would be taken from the CPA undesignated account, with the remaining $313,137.50 to come from grants.

The Cook/County Road property is adjacent to existing conservation land.

Chris Lindahl can be reached at clindahl@gazettenet.com.