Upton Approved $17.6 Million Budget at Annual Town Meeting

Residents unanimously approved a $17.6 million budget  for town and school expenses at the Annual Town Meeting Thursday night at Nipmuc Regional High School auditorium.

Of the 35 articles presented to the people 34 were approved. Article 14 which requested the town join the Central Massaschusetts Mosquito Control Plan failed, for more details go here.

Five articles requesting Community Preservation Act Funds were approved;

• $10,000 was approved for administrative services
• $15,103 was approved to preserve the town’s historical cemetery records and allow them to be searchable through a digitalized database
• $4,000 was approved for materials to build a pavilion at Kiwanis Beach
• $78,500 was approved to upgrade the Veteran’s Memorial Playground located on Route 140
• $2,000,000 was approved as a down payment on the Town Hall Renovation Project as well as future funding of  part of a 20 year bond

Article 9 requesting the town approve the Town Hall renovation project was approved, more details here.

After some discussion the town approved Article 12 which changes the Town Clerk position from an elected position to an appointed position, this was not unanimous. The reasoning behind switching from elected to appointed was the position has become more than just issuing dog licenses and other clerical tasks. The position is an administrative one which requires  knowledge in election and open meeting laws. The Board of Selectmen presented keeping the position elected may result in having someone unqualified elected. The people expressed concerns of taking their vote away and expressed they would be able to elect a qualified person but ultimately voted in favor of making the switch.

For a copy of the warrant to review all the Articles which were approved go here.