Athol voters to decide on $1.8M and $2.9M override questions

ATHOL – At the April 6 Town Election, voters will decide on two proposed Proposition 2 ½ override questions

At a special meeting held Thursday, Feb. 26, the Selectboard voted to place two override questions on the ballot – one for $1.8 million, the other for $2.9 million.

Town Manager Shaun Suhoski explained that the lesser of the two would fund essential current needs to avoid layoffs.

“And it would be across all departments,” he said. “We’re in a tough spot. What we see as an immediate need to maintain our staffing is the $1.8 million request.”

The $2.9 million figure, he said, funds current services as well as what are seen as hires to fill immediate needs. This includes a facilities manager to oversee all town-owned buildings, including Town Hall, the library, the police and fire stations and the wastewater treatment plant. The funds would also cover the hiring of a technology director and a human resources director for the town.

Principal Assessor Lisa Aldrich provided materials to the board pointing out that Athol currently has the 18th-lowest property tax bill in the Commonwealth – $3,924 for an average single-family home for the current fiscal year. Were voters to pass the $1.8 million override, tax bills would go up by $377.83. Passage of a $2.9 million override would result in an average annual tax bill increase of $610.10.

“If you look at the towns near us, we’re all in the same ballpark,” said board member Brian Dodge. “When you get into the nuts and bolts of it, we’re not an affluent community. I just want to point that out.”

Dodge added, “The management in the town has done an outstanding job, I think, in maintaining” a high level of services, particularly when compared to surrounding communities.

Board Chair Rebecca Bialecki suggested using half of the community impact fees paid to the town by cannabis-related businesses during the early years of legalized marijuana. According to Town Accountant Amy Craven, the town has $967,000 in a cannabis stabilization account. She pointed out, however, that the collection of those fees was ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Judicial Court and cannabis businesses could sue for the return of those monies.

Suhoski said issues behind municipal budget issues in Athol and across the state include increases in employee health insurance rates, retirement benefits, and other post-employment benefits. Board member Mitch Grosky added that the town, just like Athol residents, is paying more in inflation costs for electricity, fuel, natural gas and other utilities.

“An increased levy of just 2 1/2% every year just won’t cover what we need to cover as a town,” Grosky said.

After a motion from Dodge to place only the $1.8 million override question on the April 6 ballot failed to receive a second, board member Bill Chiasson moved to place both questions on the ballot “to let the voters decide.” Seconded by Grosky, Chiasson’s motion passed by a vote of 3-1. Board member Marc Maxwell was unable to attend the meeting.

Town Clerk Nancy Burnham said that, according to state law, in the event that both questions pass at the ballot box, the $2.9 million override must be enacted.

“We have a month in front of us to do a lot of voter education,” said Bialecki. “And we need a lot of transparency from every department. Every person who votes out there, we need to get them through the door to talk about what this all means.”

Following the Town Election, Bialecki said officials will have “a month and a half for budget clarification” in preparation for the June 8 Annual Town Meeting.