CUMMINGTON — When annual Town Meeting is called to order on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Community House at 33 Main St., voters will be asked to approve a budget for next fiscal year that’s $500,000, or 17%, higher than the current year.

That increase means a $3.3 million budget for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1, up from $2.8 million in fiscal 2025.

Dennis Forgea, chair of the Finance Committee, is proud of next year’s budget.

“We have done very well,” he said Wednesday, and expects Town Meeting to be “quick and efficient.”

Items that will be brought to a vote and may impact the town’s tax rate include a new position of assistant treasurer collector and a 3% cost-of-living adjustment across the board for town employees.

The majority of line items have experienced slight upticks in costs next year, aside from health insurance and retirement costs, which have gone up more significantly.

The town expects health insurance costs to total over $67,000 next year, up $10,000 from the current year. Meanwhile, retirement costs are estimated to rise to $118,554, or a $21,000 increase from the current year.

The Police Department budget will drop by about 16% next year, from $414,000 to $348,321. The budget went up last year so the town could buy a new police cruiser.

Proposed education spending at $928,059 is up by $96,136. The increase is being driven by vocational school expenses, including tuition and transportation.

The budget for Public Works is projected to be $945,656, up considerably from the current year of $589,931. The big expense for public works includes $330,000 for a new highway department truck, which will be paid for out of stabilization funds.

Other capital items that voters will decide on include $16,000 for the fire department to match a grant for breathing apparatuses, and $10,000 to have a tree downed in the town’s cemetery.

Other matters include Article 16, which if voted in would allow the Select Board to apply for any federal, state, or other grants that may be available.

There is also an article which seeks to allocate more money for the town’s 250th year celebrations in 2029.

The full Town Meeting warrant is available on the town website.

Cummington’s town elections are slated to take place on Monday, May 12, from 1 to 8 p.m., also in the town’s Community House. There are no contested races.

Samuel Gelinas can be reached at sgelinas@gazettenet.com.