Votes at a glance: Charlton annual meeting approves budget, capital items, water/sewer budgets and $1.1M borrowing for new engine

CHARLTON, Mass. — Voters at the Town of Charlton’s annual meeting on May 19 approved the FY2026 town budget, capital appropriations, enterprise budgets for water and sewer, and a $1.1 million borrowing authorization to replace Fire Engine 2.

The meeting is the legislative body for the town. Moderator Lorraine Smith presided and called voters through a sequence of motions, committee recommendations and electronic roll calls.

Key financial votes taken by the meeting included the main town budget (Article 8), which the Finance Committee recommended and voters approved by a majority (73 in the affirmative, 4 no). The budget motion included several transfers from reserved funds and a net amount to be raised by taxation noted in the warrant. Voters also approved the Water Department enterprise budget (Article 9) and the Sewer Department enterprise budget (Article 10); the moderator announced the water budget passed 73‑4 and the sewer budget passed 64‑7 with 2 abstentions.

Article 5 authorized an appropriation of $1,100,000 to…