Voters in the Hilltowns have a busy stretch over the next four days, with annual town meetings and elections occurring in six towns during that timeframe. The action kicks off Friday in Cummington, followed by Plainfield, Worthington and Goshen on Saturday, and Williamsburg and Chesterfield on Monday.
Details: Annual Town Meeting, Friday, 7 p.m. at the Cummington Community House
In addition to a $2.4 million budget for fiscal 2020, voters on Friday the purchase of a new pickup truck, cemetery stone restoration, bulletproof vests and firefighter turnout gear.
According to Finance Committee Chairman Dennis Forgea, the proposed budget represents an increase of $79,558 over the current year’s $2.35 million budget.
Capital requests include $38,500 for a Highway Department pickup, $10,000 for the restoration of cemetery stones, $3,000 for bullet-proof vests for the Police Department and $4,000 for two sets of turnout gear for the Fire Department.
The question of providing stipends for certain public safety positions will also be put to voters on Friday.
Forgea said the Finance Committee has “been working long and hard” on a way to provide stipends for the town’s police chief, fire chief, firefighters and emergency management director.
“We have been struggling with trying to come up with stipends that never existed before for these positions,” Forgea said. “We are trying to figure out what can be done with what we have to work with.”
As the town continues to try and withdraw from the Central Berkshire Regional School District, voters also will be asked if they want the officials to continue negotiations with the Hampshire Regional and Worthington school districts, to establish tuition agreements for Cummington students, once the town leaves Central Berkshire Regional. This is a nonbinding article.
Details: Annual Town Meeting, Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at R.H. Conwell School and Annual Town Election, Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Worthington Town Hall
Funding to bring high-speed internet to the last homes in town, and the purchase of a police cruiser and flatbed truck, will be considered at Worthington’s annual Town Meeting on Saturday.
The total proposed operating budget for fiscal 2020 is about $3.2 million, up from the current year’s budget of $3,079,712.
Voters will be asked to approve $179,000 to bring broadband to 14 homes that were left out of the final Comcast coverage agreement, which reached 98 percent of the town. The homes are located on Bashan Hill, Fisk, Parish, Rida, River and Sam Hill roads.
“These are the outliers, the homes that are the end of the line,” Peggy O’Neal, executive assistant to the Select Board, said. “We want to do our best to get 100 percent coverage for the town.”
The Highway Department is requesting $44,000 to replace a 2010 Ford F350 flatbed truck with a new F350. According to O’Neal, the Highway Department is also looking to fund a new, full-time road crew employee.
Voters will also be asked to consider $40,222 for the purchase of a 2019 Chevy Tahoe police cruiser to replace the town’s current 2009 cruiser of the same model.
There are no contested races in the town election.
Details: Annual Town Meeting, Saturday, 1 p.m. at Plainfield Congregational Church. Annual Town Election, Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. at Town Hall.
Broadband is on the warrant in Plainfield as voters will be asked to approve $149,876 to operate the town’s high-speed internet service. Voters also will consider changes to the town’s zoning bylaws.
As Plainfield begins signing up customers for its high-speed internet service, the town is beginning to fund its new town-owned broadband network.
Voters will be asked to consider a total of $149,876, of which $131,569 will come from departmental receipts while $18,307 will be raised from taxes.
A proposal to amend the town’s zoning bylaws also will be on the warrant.
“The change would amount to special permits being approved by Select Board rather than the Planning Board,” Select Board Chairman Howard Bronstein said.
The total purposed operating budget for fiscal 2020 is $1,929,910, up from the current year’s budget of $1,655,518.
There are no contested races in the town election.
Annual town elections are also scheduled in Goshen on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at John James Memorial Hall; in Williamsburg on Monday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and in Chesterfield on Monday from noon to 8 p.m. at Chesterfield Town Offices. There are no contested races in those towns.