SUNDERLAND — A new firetruck and increased real estate and property taxes are on the way for residents.
Saturday’s town election saw both ballot questions get “yes” votes; none of the races for various positions in town government was contested, and all listed candidates won their respective seats.
On April 27, during the annual Town Meeting, voters approved spending $500,000 on a new “all-wheel drive pumper tanker firetruck.”
However, going forward with the purchase required an affirming vote at the town election on a debt-exclusion, Proposition 2½ override vote.
The item passed, 324-250.
Fire Chief Steven Benjamin has been a proponent for the purchase, which will replace the department’s second firetruck, purchased in 1988 with no upgrades since.
According to Benjamin, it took three years of planning to get a bid he felt comfortable with. The truck — costing $536,868 — will be able to get to rural areas of town more easily, he said.
In addition to the firetruck, residents voted to allow the town to assess an additional $200,000 in real estate and personal property taxes, beginning July 1.
The plan is to fund the operating budgets of the town and public schools,
The town’s budget this year is approximately $8 million, and Sunderland is in the bottom third in Franklin County in terms of lowest taxes.
As a result of the votes, the tax rate will increase from $15 to $15.57 — around a $159 increase in the annual amount of taxes for the average homeowner, according to the Selectmen’s office.
School costs have been cited as the reason for the increase in the budget — $115,000 more for the elementary school, $70,000 to run the Franklin County Technical School and $58,000 to run Frontier Regional School.
No elected positions were contested this year.
Michael A. Wissemann, of 171 Old Amherst Road, was elected to a one-year term as moderator.
Scott A. Bergeron, of 7 Old Amherst Road, was re-elected to a three-year term on the Selectboard. Bergeron was also re-elected as a Riverside Cemetery trustee for three years.
Kenneth L. Kushi, of 361 Montague Road, was re-elected to a three-year term on the Board of Health.
Michael R. Skibiski, of 147 North Main St., was re-elected to a three-year term as an assessor.
Peter Gagarin, of 300 North Main St., was elected, and Maisie J. Shaw, of 88 Reservation Road, was re-elected to the Sunderland Elementary School Committee, each for three years.
Sara Snyder, of 114 North Silver Lane, was re-elected to the Planning Board for five years.
Hollis Graves, of 28 South Main St., John Henry Sackrey, of 83 South Main St., and Lorin Starr, of 71 South Main St., were all re-elected as Sunderland Public Library trustees for three years.
Reach David McLellan at dmclellan@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 268.