DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board approved a number of departmental budgets for the coming fiscal year during its meeting on Monday night. 

 

The fiscal 2025 budget is projected at $22 million of which about $10 million is for the town's operations. The Select Board has sliced some lines that have since been endorsed by the Finance Committee.

 

The town manager budget was approved for $201,663, a $10,419 or 5.45 percent change from this year. It reflects more four hours for the interdepartmental assistant who currently works eight hours a week.

 

The original purpose of the post was to work as a floater between different town departments, Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson said. This will stay the same but the assistant will also be helping with the town report, newsletter, and aiding the Executive Assistant Alyssa Maschino. 

 

Since then the assistant has also taken on additional responsibilities because of Maschino's increased workload as she is now helping with procurement and some human resource tasks, website work, and other responsibilities. 

 

Hutcheson and Maschino provided the board with a document that demonstrated the daily work Maschino is responsible for on a quarterly basis. This work includes but is not limited to cover sheets, town licensing, budgets, town reports, website work, and more. 

 

Chair Joseph Diver expressed concerns surrounding the increase in hours for the interdepartmental assistant because he felt the overall justification was unclear. 

 

Board member John Boyle agreed with the increase in hours because it would improve efficiency and there are a number of rising issues that the executive assistant will need help with such as IT projects, the newsletter, and website. 

 

The board also approved the following budgets with little to no discussion. 

 

• The Board of Health budget was approved for $120,092, a $11,732 or 10.83 percent increase to cover more hours for the health agent and pay scale increases for the agent and the administrative assistant. The agent's responsibilities include representing the town in housing court, health and safety inspections, residential complaints, and more.

 

Diver asked for an update surrounding the program that aids residents facing condemnation. Hutcheson said he is working on that and will present it at a future meeting. 

 

In addition to that there will be technology updates. 

 

• The Green Committee budget was approved for $4,820, a $200 increase for committee education such as meetings and conferences. The tree warden budget was approved for $42,870, up $96 to cover the stipend. 

 

• The Highway Budget was approved for $627,106, a 4.63 percent or $27,763 increase. This is largely for wage increases and line painting.

 

• The snow and ice budget was approved for $162,670, a $1,123 or 0.70 percent increase from last year to ensure more overtime coverage.

 

• The transfer station budget was approved for $281,835, a $15,017 or 5.63 percent increase. The factors of this increase is funding tub grinding for brush piles, Northern Berkshire Solid Waste District dues, and funds for recycling services. 

 

• The sewer budget was approved for $137,649, a decrease of $1,377. The cemetery budget was approved for $99,987, a $3,116 or 3.22 increase. This is for pay and overtime increases, and more funds for concrete foundations. The town engineering budget was approved for $25,000, a $5,000 decrease. 

 

• The Council on Aging budget was approved for $184,734, a 6.01 percent or $10,477 increase. Factors for this are pay-scale increases and additional funding for alarm monitoring and heating fuel and gas. 

 

• The library budget was approved for $221,585, a $947 or 0.43 percent decrease because the new library director is being paid at a lower rate than the previous director. 

 

• The Parks and Recreation Department budget was approved for $63,240, up $1,240, for pay increases for a number of positions. The parks budget was approved for $58,357, a $1,407 increase also for pay.