Cheshire Town Meeting to Decide Budgets, Police Chief Salary
CHESHIRE, Mass. — Voters at the annual town meeting on Monday will decide on 35 articles, including authorization for a number of spending articles that make up a budget of more than $8.3 million.
The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the Cheshire Community House. Town meeting documents can be found here.
Of that, there is a request for $1,642,431 for general government expenses in Article 8, an increase of $6,014 from fiscal year 2026.
The Hoosac Valley Regional School District is proposing an assessment of $3,402,983 in Article 9. This is an increase of $196,901 from fiscal year 2026.
In Article 30, voters will vote to approve an amended regional agreement with the district in an effort to make the assessment process a little bit more viable for people from year-to-year. More information here.
The Northern Berkshire Vocational Regional School District, McCann Technical School, assessment is $595,431, an increase of $9,218 from FY26.
The town is proposing a substantial jump for its Police Department budget of $403,000 in Article 12, an increase of $118,986.
Of that amount, $110,000 for the police chief salary. The town is currently searching for a new police chief following the arrest of its former chief, Michael Alibozek, for allegedly soliciting sex.
During an April meeting, the board indicated a salary range for the police chief of $95,000 to $110,000.
The department is currently staffed with one full-time officer and interim Chief Timothy Garner, who retired as chief in 2022.
Once the new chief is hired, the town can consider implementing a third full-time officer position, because of the lack of part-time officers.
The department has also budgeted for three full-time officer wages for a total of $190,506, an increase of $76,041 to align with the proposed new hire.
The town is budgeting $131,805 for the Fire Department and Emergency Management in Article 13, an increase of $17,210.
Most of the increase comes from a new line item for Emergency Radio Communications, budgeted at $18,776. Article 14 asks voters to approve transferring this amount from the radio stabilization account.
The town is requesting voters approve the appropriation from transfer station user fees $148,890 for the operation of the station (Article 18).
Total revenue is listed at $148,890, balancing out expenses — which include hauling and disposal, site maintenance, permits and tags, and attendance wages — at the same amount.
Article 19 is requesting voters raise and appropriate $243,101, to fund debt services expenses for FY27.
Of that there is a request for $48,729 to fund a police cruiser and $38,419 to save for a fire truck purchase in 2030, last year voters set aside $43,848 for the truck’s purchase.
Other debts include:
- $48,729 for a highway truck approved in 2022
- $26,764 for a highway truck approved in 2021
- Short term Debt interest for $5,000
- $108,101 for a fire engine approved in 2025
In Article 20, voters will approve the spending limits for the following revolving funds:
- Senior Center/Council on Aging with a proposed limit of $10,000
- Recreation with a proposed limit of $10,000
- Police Department with a proposed limit of $20,000 for cruiser expenses,
- the Board of Health with a proposed limit of $20,000 for Public Health Alliance inspection fees.
There is a request to establish a revolving fund for the cemetery department, in Article 21, with a limit of $10,000, for fees and programs, including rental fees for tents, chairs, and tables, authorized by the cemetery commission.
The town is requesting the transfer of $419,442 from the water department's retained earnings for the Water Enterprise Fund in Article 26.
Total revenue is listed at $149,442 balancing out expenses that equate to the same amount. Expenses include the water commissioner stipends, water operator salary, secondary water operator salary, water main replacements, water and department of public works laborer salary, water operating expenses, water maintenance expenses, water debt service, indirect costs, and water vehicle expenses.
Article 27 is requesting the appropriation and transfer of $386,513 from free cash to offset the FY27 tax rate, to balance the operating budget and stay within the limits of Proposition 2 ½.
Article 28 seeks the approval of a 6 percent room occupancy excise tax.
There is a request, in Article 29, to authorize the Selectmen to negotiate and enter into a structured tax agreement with Gore Brook, LLC Solar.
State law allows the town to work with developers to set up annual payments instead of personal property tax bills. The agreed-upon rate is based on the project’s assessed value and can include yearly increases.
This provides developers with a predictable cost model and provides the town with an agreed upon tax payment for a set duration. The developer is requesting a term of 20 years with an approximate annual revenue of $31,129, higher than standard state Department of Revenue methodology.
Article 31 requests that voters authorize amending the town’s Accessory Dwelling unit bylaws to create a performance standard for short term rentals and include parking schedule for the units.
Other fund transfer requests include:
- $14,137 from free cash for the McCann roof and window project (Article 23)
- $20,000 from capital stabilization for the Community House Old Section feasibility study (Article 24)
- $60,000 from the public safety complex account to conduct a Community House Old Section feasibility study (Article 25)
Other spending articles requesting the raise and appropriation of the following:
- $20,000 to be used as a reserve fund (Article 7)
- $42,488 for the building department budget (Article 11)
- $1,064,044 for highway operations and tree warden budget, a decrease of 14,494 (Article 15)
- $86,347 for the recreation and culture account, a decrease of $4,992 (Article 16)
- $101,812 for the health and human services account (Article 17)
- $10,00 for the capital stabilization fund (Article 22)
- $550 from the Highway Road Machinery Tool/Gas/Oil budget to pay invoices from FY25 (Article 32)
- $78.07 from the Town Administrator Expenses budget to pay invoices from FY25 (Article 33)
- $460 from the Board of Health Revolving Account to pay invoices from FY25 (Article 34)
Tags: cheshire_budget, town meeting 2026,
