By Ken Cleveland
Landmark Correspondent
PAXTON – Voters passed a town budget contingent on an override on May 6.
Now the May 13 election will decide if a $1.44 million override will provide additional funds for town spending.
The town approved the Wachusett Regional School District assessment for the town, which was not contingent on the override.
But the municipal budget was contingent. If the override fails at the election, voters will have to return to a town meeting and pass an adjusted budget.
A second, alternative budget on the warrant was available if the contingent budget failed. That was not voted on once the contingent budget passed.
Town meeting voters approved all articles, except for the alternative budget, which was passed over once the contingent budget was approved, and a new bylaw for the Recreation Commission, passed over at the Commission’s request.
The approved budget is funded by an $8,214,677 appropriation that included the override figure.
The budget with the override was passed by a vote of 91 in favor and 53 opposed, with 14 voters who signed in abstaining from the vote, according to Town Clerk Laurie Becker.
An amendment to the budget article was proposed that would have reduced the amount of the budget, with an override figure of $1,150,000. That amendment failed by a vote of 68 in favor to 71 against.
The 158 voters who attended the Town Meeting to make the decisions were 4.3% of the town’s 3,687 registered voters.
The town election is Monday, May 13, with voting at the Paxton Center School from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
