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 replace Engine 2 and allowed the treasurer, with Select Board approval, to borrow under G.L. c.44 §7. The article passed after floor questions about whether the engine would be new or used; Town Administrator Andrew Golis (referred by the moderator) stated it would be a new custom‑built engine. The moderator read the final tally as 65 yes and 12 no, meeting the two‑thirds vote requirement for debt exclusion.

Other financial and administrative articles passed by majority votes: acceptance of prior‑year unpaid bills (Article 4) passed (69‑1, 4 abstain); interdepartmental transfers for FY2025 (Article 6) passed (67‑9); capital items and related contracts (Article 7) passed (69‑7); cemetery perpetual care trust acceptances (Article 12) passed (73‑2); establishment/reestablishment of revolving funds (Article 13) passed (69‑2). The finance committee recommended these items where indicated in the warrant and the select board supported them.

Article 3 authorized the town counsel to prosecute and defend suits on behalf of the town; that motion passed (60‑3). Article 11, a motion to postpone indefinitely consideration of transfers to and from the stabilization fund, carried on a majority vote (62‑12‑1) and therefore that transfer was not acted on.

During the capital article discussion, a resident observed that lead times for new fire apparatus can extend several years; the moderator and town officials confirmed the replacement will be a custom‑built new engine and noted the estimated price in the warrant. Other votes on Capital Items (Article 7) included appropriations for Fire Station 1 improvements, landfill monitoring, library HVAC repairs and miscellaneous grant matches.

Several procedural reminders were given at the start of the meeting about voter devices, how to address the moderator, and the town’s parliamentary procedures; the moderator also noted that Article 1 (election results) had been held earlier and results posted on the town website.

Votes (selected) — counts read aloud by moderator: - Article 2 (Accept town reports): 66 yes, 5 no — approved - Article 3 (Authorize town counsel to prosecute/defend suits): 60 yes, 3 no — approved - Article 4 (Payment of prior year unpaid bills): 69 yes, 1 no, 4 abstain — approved - Article 5 (Replace Engine 2 — $1,100,000 borrowing): 65 yes, 12 no — approved (two‑thirds required and achieved) - Article 6 (Interdepartmental transfers, FY2025): 67 yes, 9 no — approved - Article 7 (Capital items & contracts): 69 yes, 7 no — approved - Article 8 (Town budget, FY2026): 73 yes, 4 no — approved - Article 9 (Water enterprise budget): 73 yes, 4 no — approved - Article 10 (Sewer enterprise budget): 64 yes, 7 no, 2 abstain — approved - Article 11 (Postpone stabilization fund transfers): 62 yes, 12 no, 1 abstain — motion to postpone approved - Article 12 (Cemetery perpetual care trusts — $23,500): 73 yes, 2 no — approved - Article 13 (Revolving funds): 69 yes, 2 no — approved

The meeting adjourned after a motion to adjourn carried; the moderator reminded voters about a door prize and announced she will not seek re‑election as moderator next year.