SHUTESBURY — Residents narrowly rejected a citizen petition that sought to preserve and protect Native American historical sites and ceremonial stone landscapes by two votes at annual Town Meeting Saturday.

The petition, which failed by a 54-52 paper ballot, was aimed at better recognizing historic landscapes after concerns have been raised about a large-scale solar project on Pratt Corner Road possibly damaging a burial ground.

The petition, Article 22, aimed to add an extra layer of conservation and protection over about 60 Native American historical landscapes, which would total no more than 10 square miles. All of the sites are either in the Shutesbury State Forest or on the Quabbin Reservation and are already subject to a level of protection.

Support of the petition saw it as a means to protect a piece of history that predated Shutesbury itself. Opponents voiced concerns with the initial proposition, which was deemed by town officials as too “particular” and restrictive. Others said it was long and poorly worded, called for the involvement of too many agencies and did not rely enough on consultation with professional archaeologists.

An amendment addressing these issues was introduced to voters the morning of the vote, but voters agreed that it was rushed and though the petition could come back to next year’s annual Town Meeting.

Meanwhile, in other business, voters approved a budget of $6,247,051, an increase of $20,425 over the current fiscal year. The budget boosted salaries for elected officials, and approved necessary repairs to the school, fire station and Town Hall.

Though the budget changed little from year-to-year, there was a difference of opinion between the Select Board and Finance Committee over how the money should be spent.

Select Board member Mike Vinskey unsuccessfully sought to lower budgets for many departments.

“I’ve been a resident for years, and I wasn’t comfortable with what the budget was spent on. There is a feeling we still aren’t looking at the big picture with our finances, and we feel the Financial Committee isn’t handling it the way we want,” Vinskey said.

Finance Committee member Elaine Pako responded.

“This budget is like a house budget. You don’t plan on a broken toilet or window to fix. You plan on groceries or bills. So we want to save this money for a rainy day,” Pako said, referring to potential money that department’s may not spend.

Voters approved allocating money from free cash to help renovate the roof and four classroom floors at Shutesbury Elementary School, as well as repaving the Fire Department’s parking lot and fixing leaks in Town Hall.

Both the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District and the Shutesbury Elementary School District will receive budget increases as well.

Article 15, which calls for a swap of land between the town and a private landowner in order to build a new well, passed unanimously. Salt from the highway garage had contaminated the drinking water of the initial well, so the town aims to compensate the aggrieved landowner.

“The issue I care about most is Article 15,” resident Gordon Kimball said. “I have friends with an issue with their water, and they’ve been talking to the town for a long time. They live near Town Hall and now salt is in their water.”

Articles 7 and 21 were both skipped. Article 7 dealt with a Shutesbury right-to-farm bylaw, which was pushed off for next year’s vote as more members are joining the Farm and Forestry Committee.

Article 21, which was to approve a zoning bylaw proposition, was bypassed as the town had no upcoming projects that the bylaw could address.

School Committee election

School Committee incumbents Daniel Hayes and Stephen Sullivan retained their seats on the School Committee, fending off a challenge Jennifer Malcolm-Brown in a close three-way race.

Hayes received 175, followed by 161 for Sullivan and 146 for Malcolm-Brown, who said she plans to run again.

Other citizen petitions

Article 23, a resolution to limit the influence of money in politics, passed unanimously. The resolution calls for more transparency in political donations, a concern that has grown since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in 2010.

Voters also approved Article 24, a nonbinding resolution supporting a carbon fee and dividend on carbon-based fuels.

The Town Meeting concluded with a unanimous vote accepting Article 25, proclaiming Shutesbury a safe community. The article suggests that immigration status, ethnicity and race will have no influence on how a person will be treated by the Shutesbury Police Department.

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