Ashburnham voters spent over $1 million in free cash at annual Town Meeting
Ashburnham voters took over two hours to pass 24 articles at annual Town Meeting on Tuesday night in the Oakmont Regional High gymnasium.
Among the 24 articles passed was the fiscal 2025 town budget, which totaled $19,977,709 million, an increase of $664,994 over FY24. The budget includes $1.935 million for police, $1.1 million for fire, $1.290 million for the Department of Public Works, and $8.27 million for the Ashburnham Westminster Regional School District.
Articles 12 to 19 were requests for free cash, and all eight were approved, for a total of $1,057,001. The town has $370,295 in free cash left after the articles were approved.
School Superintendent Todd Stewart clarified at Town Meeting what Article 15 will pay for. Stewart said that the transfer of $110,501 from the free cash balance requested in the article would pay for several improvement projects and equipment replacement.
He said some of the money would pay for new instruments for the Oakmont High School marching band; the ones they currently have are approaching 30 years old. Also covered by this article are a new lawnmower for the district, a new security system with key lock access at the John R. Briggs Elementary School, and improvements to the Overlook Middle School student bathrooms.
Article 19 requested $49,000 to go to the capital account for the Whitney Pond Dam removal project. Town Administrator Brian Doheny said if the town receives all the grants it applied for to pay for this project, then the $49,000 will go back into free cash. The estimated cost for the dam removal project is over $1 million.
Three articles sparked debate among voters
Article 22, which changes the town's dog control bylaws to match the Massachusetts state laws, fees and fines, was approved. As a result, residents will see an increase in nuisance dog bylaw violation fees and new requirements on how dogs can be tethered and for how long they can remain outside alone.
A handful of voters had concerns about how the changes affect working farm dogs, who are consistently in the open to protect livestock and cattle from predators. Police Chief Chris Conrad and Town Counsel Deborah Phillips said the changes made to the town's dog control bylaws are only to comply with state law for domestic dogs and pets. Phillips said farm and working dogs are referred to under a different bylaw, and they are not referred to in the laws changed by Article 22.
Articles 23 and 24 were citizens' petitions submitted by Ashburnham voter Bill Johnson. Article 23 sought validation of the town's plan for the installation of tribute benches and trees on town-owned land. Article 24 sought validation from the town of the “Reimagining of Winchester Park and River Street Park Landscape Plan." Doheny declined to provide comment on these articles.
When these articles were presented, many voters expressed confusion about why Johnson decided to submit them, what the term "validate" meant in both articles, and what they represented. Johnson said he thought both articles were important to bring forward during this Town Meeting so town officials can hear what voters say about the two projects referenced in the articles.
"I'm very pleased with the reaction that we got from the Town Meeting," Johnson said. "I thought bringing this up during the annual Town Meeting would send a message to the Select Board on whether the townspeople believe we are going in the right direction with these projects."
The articles took an estimated 45 minutes of debate until the question was moved, cutting off further questions and debate on both articles. Both articles passed, but they are non-binding so the town does not have to take any action.
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Ashburnham MA Town Meeting results on budget, free cash, dog bylaws
