Belmont town warrant up for deliberation Saturday

BELMONT – Voters will have a chance to propose, debate and amend articles on the town warrant – including an $8.2 million operating budget for 2021 – when the deliberative session of the annual Town Meeting takes place Saturday morning at Belmont High School.

The $8.2 million operating budget proposed by selectmen and endorsed by the town budget committee is $321,162 higher than the current budget of $7.94 million.

The total appropriation the town is seeking is $10,519,148, compared to last year's total appropriation of $13,660,202, the biggest difference being that last year the town bonded $3.5 million for a new police station.

The amount to be raised by taxes is $6.3 million, an increase of $471,345 over what the current budget required.

"We only anticipate about a 30-cent increase" in the town's share of the tax rate," Town Administrator Jeanne Beaudin said.

She said budget increases are driven by wage increases called for in three union contracts that were approved by voters last year, the town having to shoulder a bigger share of retirement costs across the board, and increases in health insurance costs.

If voters reject the budget during balloting on March 9, the default budget that would automatically take effect would be $8.4 million.

The warrant also asks voters to change the zoning on four lots adjacent to Church Street and Hurricane Road from "rural" to "multi-family residential." The board of selectmen and planning board both oppose the proposal, which was submitted by petition.

Another article would raise the number of library trustees from three to five.

The meeting starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at Belmont High School, and attendees are asked to wear cloth masks  covering their noses and mouths. A separate seating area will be established for those people who medically cannot do so, or who refuse to do so.

The meeting will also be available via teleconference for those not wishing to attend in-person. They may listen  via Zoom. This option is listening only and there will be no option to participate in discussion or vote on any matter to come before the meeting. All participants will be muted.

To join the Zoom meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86454333038?pwd=SEhoVWJPRlJralk0RzVQWjhzTFlSdz09

Meeting ID: 864 5433 3038

Passcode: 754002

Or call 1-929-205-6099 using same meeting ID and passcode

The warrant and budget are available on the town website at bit.ly/Belmont21Budget