By Beth David, Editor
Acushnet Town Meeting will face 35 articles on Monday, 6/29/26, including a tight budget that features more than $340K in cuts to a variety of departments, and two citizens petitions pertaining to the state’s new restrictive gun law.
Mass. Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 changes the state’s gun laws in a number of places, including prohibition of firearms in all municipal buildings and in parks, not just schools and polling places. The law has an opt-out provision for individual municipalities to exempt their buildings and parks from the law.
Article 34 would allow citizens with a valid gun license to carry firearms on municipal property including town hall, the public library, and town parks.
“By adopting this exemption, the Town exercises its local authority to ensure that vetted citizens are not criminalized while conducting business at Town facilities,” reads the explanation in the TM warrant.
Article 35 would require the town to add signage to all buildings and properties that are not exempt from the gun law so that citizens are fairly warned that they are not allowed to carry firearms on the property.’
“This bylaw seeks to prevent the accidental criminalization of licensed citizens by requiring the Town to clearly mark these areas,” reads the explanation.
The new gun law is in effect, but voters will have a chance to repeal it in November’s election when a question will appear on the ballot.
TM will be asked to pass a
Acushnet’s budget includes a series of cuts from last years budget, some modest increases for a net increase in spending of $298,593.
Last year’s General Fund operating budget (not including expenditures from dedicated funds) was $37,154,765. This year’s budget is $38,156,351, and increase of $1,001,586, including the school department. The school department budget accounts for 54.49% of the budget at $20,793,269.
The final figure includes a from the Department of Public Works, with $110,562 coming from the Incinerator SEMASS budget (trash). The town went out for competitive bids and received lower pricing from new haulers. The DPW will also have $50K less for road paving this year.
The school department also took a it. Although the net amount is an increase from last year of $450,000, it is signficantly short of what they asked for. Their Level Service budget required an increase of $1,524,012 to have no reductions in staff, but also no additions. Their “Constraint-Drive” budget asked for an increase of $1,001,812, which would have required eight staff reductions and hits to operations, maintenance and professional development. The resulting cut will result in additional staff reductions and deeper cuts to operations, etc.
Other cuts include salary and/or expense reductions in the salary reserve fund, Selectboard’s office, Assessors, Town Clerk, Highway Department.
Increases include $410,102 for Old Colony Regional Voc-Tech; $92,039 for Fire/EMS; $239,795 for Police; $16,521 for Planning Board; $18,571 or elections and $13,636 for registrars due to having two state elections (primary and general) this year; $10,872 for Technology Department; $9,510 for Treasurer/Collector;
After it all shakes out, the final budget is $1001,586 more than last year.
In its letter to voters, the Finance Committee blamed the policies of the governor, “which have not prioritized the taxpayers or municipalities.”
“Going forward, sustainability will become more challenging in future years since the percentage of State Aid our town receives is not keeping pace with the increases in fixed mandated costs,” writes the FinCom.
The Selectboard, in it’s letter, said Town Meeting was postponed to give the town more time to work on the budget and to have updated information from the state.
“Nine (9) Town departments were cut below FY26 spending. Sixteen (16) Town departments had no increase in FY27. Fourteen (14) Town departments had modest increases. Two (2) Town departments, which are joint Town-School (Pension/Medicare and Benefits/Insurance), increased $242,657.00,” writes the Selectboard. “The total FY27 increase for the Town is $298,539.00. While Town management is presenting a conservative FY27 Operating Budget, factors beyond the control of the Town have increased the FY27 budget by $1,001,586.00. The Acushnet School District’s budget increased by $450,000.00 (2.70% increase) and the Old Colony Regional District’s budget increased by $410,102.00 (12.64% increase). The Public Education accounts plus benefits comprise 54.49% of the municipal operating budget for a total of $20,793,269.00.”
Other spending articles include expenditures from the enterprise funds, which are funds that can only be spent on certain things, such as the water fund, which is from water fees, being restricted to spending in the water department. Those funds include: Water, Sewer, and Golf Enterprise Funds and retained earnings..
Town Meeting will also be asked to approve $125,294 in Community Preservation Funds (CPC). That money comes from a surcharge on property taxes, and can only be used for Historic Preservation, Community/ Affordable Housing, Open Space/ Recreation.
CPC projects include $47,500 for the roof of the Town Hall and Parting Ways buildings; $49,794 for three repair projects at the Long Plain Museum; $10,000 for 250 National Anniversary Parade; $5,000 for Beatification Committee; $13,000 for administrative costs.
Article 30 would create a Beautification Donation Fund for town projects that would have to be approved by both the Beautification Committee and the Selectboard.
Acushnet has an open Town Meeting, which means any registered Acushnet voter can attend and vote on articles. It will be held on Monday, 6/29/26, at 7 p.m. at Ford Middle School, 708 Middle Road, Acushnet.
If you have any questions about your voting status, contact the town clerk’s office at 508-998-0215.
The Town Meeting Warrant (agenda with all articles) is available on the town’s website at https://www.acushnet.ma.us/1192/Town-Meeting
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