GRANBY — The first night of this year’s Granby Town Meeting took place on May 13 inside East Meadow Elementary School and saw all 23 articles presented passed.
Town Meeting will resume for a second night on Monday, June 10 to finish articles 24-32 on the warrant. The two nights divide the warrant from typical capital purchase proposals to bigger items like the school and operational budget of the town, and transfers of money to mitigate changes to the town’s tax levy.
Article 24 will begin night two with a $550,652 proposal to operate the municipal solid waste department. Town Administrator Chirs Martin explained at the Selectboard’s April 22 meeting and review of this year’s town meeting warrant that the town’s current contract expires June 30, 2025 and the town needs to begin exploring the current market.
“What they’re saying is the industry is getting away from the driver’s climbing out of the truck or having a helper load bags and containers into the hopper. They’re going to want it to be all automated,” Martin said.
Article 25 proposes $278,322 to operate the sewer department. Article 27 is also a funding proposal for another town department in the Ambulance department as they look for $568,919 to operate.
Article 26 proposes $75,000 from free cash to fund the purchase and installation of a generator at the Pleasant Street pump station. Martin explained that currently in the power goes out, the Pleasant Street pump station is without power unless a portable generator is brought in.
“This way we’ll have power to it all the time and not run the risk of the pump station overflowing and contaminating the streams,” Martin said.
In relation to the tax levy, article’s 29, 30 and 31 propose using $220,400 from the Capital Equipment Needs Stabilization Fund, $892,394.70 from free cash, and $11,470 from bond premiums in order to offset the $2,734,538 in capital items and projects listed on the warrant.
This does not include the additional $2,284,655 in expenditures on the warrant, including stabilization fund transfers, revolving fund transfers and payments to school districts.
The full draft warrant for this year’s Town Meeting can be found at granby-ma.gov. A recording of the first night of Town Meeting where articles 1-23 were passed can be viewed on the Granby Community Access & Media YouTube channel.
