HATFIELD — A special Town Meeting to address a $300,000 shortfall in the town’s current budget, originally scheduled for Tuesday, is being postponed a week due to the winter storm.
Moderator Robert Betsold issued the declaration of a recess of the session late Tuesday morning, using powers provided under state law, and in consultation with the Select Board and public safety officials.
The worry, he wrote in the declaration, centered on both current and forecasted weather conditions that would impact travel around town.
“We are concerned with the risk of having townspeople travel in storm conditions to attend the special Town Meeting, and feel it would be best for public safety to move the date of the meeting,” Betsold wrote.
The memo was received by Town Clerk Alaina Wilcox at 11:04 a.m. and was then posted at five public places in town.
The Town Meeting will now take place in the Hatfield Elementary School gymnasium Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. , with 75 registered voters needed to reach a quorum to take action on the warrant.
The budget cuts, totaling $172,313, and transfers of $135,103, are necessary to set the tax rate and show the state’s Department of Revenue that Hatfield has a balanced budget. Both would require majority support from voters to pass.
The fiscal year 2026 budget currently exceeds the Proposition 2 1/2 tax cap levy limit due to an $80,000 overestimation of state aid and a miscounting of $400,000 in state Chapter 90 road funds.