SOUTH HADLEY — Town Administrator Lisa Wong presented her first budget proposal since taking the job in November at Tuesday’s Select Board meeting, a $55,826,773 fiscal year 2023 budget request that’s up 4.2% from the current budget.
In a detailed presentation, Wong explained the spending plan, which calls for a 5.12% increase in school funding, a 4.27% increase in general spending — which includes new health insurance and benefit increases for school and town jobs — and a 3.29% increase in wastewater treatment plant funding.
Wong said that in addition to the core services the town provides, the budget includes significant investments in conservation, culture and public health, funding for a human rights commission, diversity and equity work, free transportation for seniors to and from the senior center, a commitment to sustainability, increased preventive maintenance, a large increase in training funding for the Police Department and more.
The budget includes $10,000 for boards and commission expenses, along with funding for a receptionist job for the Council on Aging, restoring staff to the Department of Public Works, added flexible hours for the library, professional development in resources, a restored assistant town clerk position, 12 new positions in the schools, and a $174,000 increase for health insurance and benefits.
The budget would add $200,000 to the Mosier Elementary School stabilization fund, $122,000 to the capital stabilization account, $500,000 for post-retirement benefits, $31,000 for elections, $37,000 for technology hardware and software maintenance, an additional $10,000 for conservation land stewardship, budget increases for the library and senior center, and $112,000 for operations and maintenance at the Ledges Golf Course.
Veterans’ services would be cut by $21,319 under the budget, representing a 7.11% reduction from the current budget.
The Select Board is expected to vote on the budget on March 22, and the School Committee will be holding a public hearing and vote on Thursday, Wong said. There will be Appropriation Committee and Bylaw Review Committee meetings in the coming weeks, after which a warrant will be sent to Town Meeting members.
South Hadley’s Town Meeting will take place on May 11.
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.