Virtually everything on Thursday’s town meeting warrant in Hadley, Massachusetts, passed easily – save for an item pulled that will likely resurface this year. Voters supported everything from preserving a local landmark to senior housing reform.
No item was voted down Thursday night as registered voters made short work of the warrant – passing budget items, Community Preservation Act-related business, and a revamp of a local senior housing district overlay.
An estimated 165 registered voters gathered at Hopkins Academy for the town meeting. Few items saw any resistance – largely requests for clarifications, while a number of warrant items were passed unanimously.
That included one approving $22.7 million for the town’s FY26 operating budget. As heard on Hadley Media, Finance Committee Chair Amy Fyden said putting together the plan was tough.
“This year was not pretty, it’s probably been the most difficult budget we've had to deal with,” she said. “We did meet with all the department heads and review their budget requests. I can say, unfortunately, we did not grant any ‘wants.’ We even did not meet the needs of all the departments completely. This is really a Band-Aid of a budget, but it is balanced at this time.”
It’s a nearly $800,000 increase compared to the current year’s budget and maintains staffing levels across the town – though the Daily Hampshire Gazette reports a Proposition 2 ½ tax cap override vote could be on the horizon to avoid cuts.
Other items of interest involved article 13, new district overlay rules that would allow for larger senior housing developments in part of the town.
Officials said a need has emerged to reform rules governing one of the town’s senior overlay districts, by Coolidge Bridge and the town’s bike path.
According to planning board member Bill Dwyer, the town adopted its original senior housing by-law some 17 years ago but has only seen one significant project come to fruition – the East Street Commons and the 40 units it produced.
"The idea is we're trying to create options for denser development, still on a Hadley-scale - we're not talking about 20-story buildings, of course” he said of several changes to the town’s zoning bylaws. “It's going to top out at three stories - but allow for slightly-denser construction."
Without issue, voters also passed a slew of CPA-related items – including article 18, involving $2,200 requested for the preservation of two historic documents.
“The 1663 Quanquan Deed of Mortgage to Zachariah Field is for land in North Hadley ... Quanquan was a Native American chieftain who controlled this land,” explained Alan Weinberg, president of the Hadley Historical Society. “The second document is a 1676 deed/estate conveyance of John Crowe, one of the first settlers of the town to his grandchildren. John Crowe was also the son-in-law of William Goodwin, was one of the leaders of the new Hadley settlement. The estate deed is for the original Goodwin homestead on West Street.”
There was also article 20 - $6,500 for an enclosure at the North Hadley Fire Station to preserve several historic bells dating back to the 1860s. Also passed: article 21 - $150,000 for the replacement of 80 front and rear exterior doors at Golden Court – a contribution to a $750,000 project that’s being covered mostly by the state.
Article 22 was also approved: $350,000 to help preserve one of the town’s most iconic buildings – the First Congregational Church of Hadley on Middle Street.
According to Kurt Betchick, the money would go toward the preservation or rehabilitation of the church’s steeple, building on a previously voter-approved request of $100,000 for repairs.
“… however, like most other things, construction costs have skyrocketed since that appropriation, and some of the structural elements of the steeple have deteriorated beyond simple repairs,” Betchick said. “We are now asking for an additional $350,000 in order to ensure our ability to cover the cost of the project. The church will provide another $50,000 toward the project.”
The church was built in 1808 and moved to its current location from West Street in 1841, sitting by town hall.
Several people spoke in favor of the effort, including Allan Zuchowski, who said no one wants to see the steeple potentially fall apart.
“I'll give you one point - and I really mean this - I've thought about it umpteen times - that we all have a stake in securing [the steeple]. In due time, it's going to fall - pay attention to the lean: it's going to hit the town hall,” he said to laughter. “You know, I've been to the town hall on business. On very windy days, I go in and I get out quick. I wouldn't want to work there if a thunderstorm came through with a shear wind.”
All other business passed, save for Article 28, entitled “New DPW Building.” The item was skipped Thursday, as it dealt with potentially appropriating money to cover demolition and construction costs for a new Department of Public Works building.
According to the Gazette, the select board voted a week prior to delay a town meeting vote on the project that could fetch $18.7 million.
