WILLIAMSBURG — Voters at the annual Town Meeting on Monday will be asked to approve a $6.9 million budget for the year beginning July 1.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Anne T. Dunphy School.
The proposed $6,903,363 budget would increase by $275,124, or 4.15 percent, over this year’s figure of $6,628,239.
Next year’s expenses include a total education cost of $3,614,761, with $2,035,133 for the local school, $1,347,573 for the Hampshire Regional School District, $191,688 for Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School in Northampton and $38,767 for vocational school transportation.
The Finance Committee is recommending that the town use $130,000 from free cash to pay down debt toward the bond on the local school.
Finance Committee co-chairman Paul Wetzel said this would reduce the tax burden, and bring the budget increase down from 4.15 percent to 2.19 percent.
There are no big-ticket items being purchased this year.
“The largest request on the warrant is for $40,000 for the restoration of walls and a stairway at the original Meekins Library entryway,” Wetzel said. “There may also be grant money available to offset that cost.”
Voters also will be asked to consider spending $4,000 for the Historic Dam Flood and Forest Trail. Using a new pedestrian trail from Ashfield Road to the dam ruins, the trail will tell the story of the 1874 Mill River flood.
It will also focus on the 250-year history of family farm and forest management in the Hilltowns.