LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town is looking at a proposed $4.3 percent budget increase for fiscal 2025.

The Finance Committee last month approved an $11,846,607 spending plan without changes and will vote on the annual town meeting warrant articles next week. It was accepted by the Select Board on Monday.

Town Administrator Gina Dario told the board that things are moving along quicker than last year in terms of the budget and the ATM warrant, which was helped by the absence of a special town meeting.

"We worked right through April, we did present the budget to the Finance Committee at their last meeting. They did approve the budget in its totality without changes," she said.

"We had a couple of department heads come to their meetings and we've certainly tried to be very transparent, accessible, and responsive to the Finance Committee when there have been questions about certain budget lines so they're very engaged."

The budget includes a Mount Greylock Regional School District assessment increase of 3.38 percent and a McCann Technical School increase of 7.33 percent. The net increase in education costs is $237,129 in FY25, less than the $271,478 increase in FY24.  

The Town Hall proposed a 3 percent cost-of-living increase for nonunion staff, which is said to be consistent with other towns. The budget also reflects updated union contracts with the Highway and Police departments.

"We have a full Town Hall staff at the moment which is which is great," Dario said. "I mean, I feel like it's kind of a quicksand at times with positions becoming vacant but we are with the collector position returned to full time really able to get ourselves, I think, grounded in the work that we have."

There were adjustments made to the library and Council on Aging because department heads were significantly below the median compared to other towns.

"We were looking very conservatively, is what I would say, in terms of what these departments are doing and where they where they are leading staff and budgets and grants processes compared to other department heads, and those two positions we're very much off the often median for their roles," Dario said.

There is a proposed $55,000 reduction in the law account to reflect reduced spending but technology costs continue to rise because of aged and obsolete systems which are "entirely out of our control," the town administrator said.

The software that the town uses for its budgeting has not been upgraded and while this version is not being discontinued, it is no longer supported in the same way as the newer version.

The state Department of Revenue has requested that the Baker Hill Road Department budget for police be reflected in the operating budget for transparency and analysis. It will be presented to the town through a warrant.

"It makes the budget look a little bit bigger but essentially the Baker Hill is covering that part of the budget," Dario explained.

"So I think it's important when we try to explain the numbers that people are looking to see where there are differences but that should make a little bit easier for apples-to-apples comparisons going forward."

The town received $878,786 in American Rescue Plan Act funds in FY22 and FY23 and the monies are "pretty much done," with $4,970 remaining that must be used in the next couple of years.

There is a total ask of about $459,400 in free cash articles, which the board decided to vote on at its next week. As of July 1, 2023, the balance was about $858,700 and if all are approved, the town will have about $399,200 in free cash remaining.

Free cash articles include:

• Other Post Employment Benefits contribution" $50,000
• Prior year invoices: $3,946.06
• Senior park committee expenses: $15,000
• Highway chipper: $65,000
• Highway dump truck replacement: $125,000
• Highway paver shared with Dalton: $40,000
• Community room video installation: $15,000
• Bridge Street temporary easements: $12,000
• Removal of outdated electrical wiring in Town Hall: $11,000
• Renovations of additional Lanesborough Police Department leased space: $40,000
• Transfer to the Stabilization Account: $50,000

There was a conversation about an article from the Police Department requesting a $70,000 increase for an additional officer. Chief Robert Derksen said a single officer was working 71 percent of the time last year and for the most part, there are only consistently two officers on the weekdays when he is on duty.

He said it is an "officer safety issue."

"I know that one of the things I've been hearing my whole career in public service is taxes are high enough," he said.

"I agree but I know I've rattled these numbers off before but Lanesborough on average, the taxpayers in Lanesborough are paying about half the national average. The national average is $340 per person for their local law enforcement coverage and we're paying about $165 per person."

Selectman Timothy Sorrell, the former police chief, pointed out that this will increase the police budget by 13.5 percent. He said police are looking for a new station and $40,000 to expand rental space along with other items.

"I just don't know if this is the year to ask people to come up with another $70,000," he said.

There was also a question of it should have been included in the budget rather than being presented as a warrant article.

"You're asking for a new building and the taxes aren't going down, they never will," Selectman John Goerlach said. "Obviously officer safety is important but we also have to consider our budgets too."

The board is staged to prove the final warrant this month and there will be an information session on May 28 or June 4 ahead of the June 11 ATM.

In other news, the Lanesborough Ambulance was awarded EMS Agency of the Year by the Western Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services Committee. Director Jen Weber accepted a plaque at the meeting.

Resident Bill Prendergast expressed his appreciation and support for the first responders for saving his life a couple of months ago.

"You saved my life on Feb. 23 and I will never ever forget it," he said. "And whatever you want in this town as far as I'm concerned, everybody hears this, you have it."

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