CHESTERFIELD — Residents approved every article at Monday’s annual Town Meeting, paving the way for discussions of what next year’s tax levy will be as the town approved a balanced $5.3 million budget.
The budget, featuring a 4% increase of funding in fiscal year 2027 compared to the current year, covers increased education and health insurance costs, while maintaining level services for other town departments.
Town employees will also receive an across-the-board 3% raise, and have a larger percentage of their health insurance costs covered.
Last year, the Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust announced 20% midyear increases, largely driven by the cost of GLP-1 weight loss medications. In response, the town decided to part ways with the trust and applied for the Group Insurance Commission (GIC), a state-administered health insurance group.
As part of this transition, the town will pay 65% of premiums, a 5% increase, while employees will pay 35% of premium costs as opposed to 40%.
Voters also approved two bylaw changes.
Article 29 revised language for accessory dwelling unit (ADU) requirements. Instead of saying “at least one” off-street parking space needs to accompany an ADU unit, the revised bylaw now states, “one additional.”
Article 30 mandates that developers seeking site-plan approval are obligated, if instructed by the Planning Board, to cover the costs of professional consultants and legal assistants. Failure to comply would be grounds for denying the application, according to the language of the bylaw change.
According to Town Clerk Sandy Wickland, 75 voters, or 7% of Chesterfield’s 1,010 voters, attended the meeting.
