ATHOL – Voters will be asked to decide on 49 articles when they gather for Athol’s Annual Town Meeting Monday. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in Memorial Hall at Town Hall.

Town Manager Shaun Suhoski has created a proposed FY26 operating budget of just over $26.4 million, a 5.3% increase over the $25.1 million approved for the current fiscal year. A number of factors account for the increase, including an 18% jump in health insurance for town employees, as well as significant increases in retirement and other post-employment benefits.

Athol’s FY26 assessment of $5.4 million for the Athol Royalston Regional School District reflects an increase of about 4.1% over the current year, which was set at just over $5.2 million. The town’s FY26 assessment for the Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District is $407,000, an increase of $33,000.

Voters will also consider nearly $1.3 million in funding for a variety of capital expenses recommended by the Capital Program Committee. Expenditures backed by the CPC include $88,000 for a new cruiser for the police department and $65,000 for the purchase of a new Ford F-150 pickup for North Quabbin Animal Control. CPC Chair Jim Smith recently told the Finance and Warrant Advisory Committee that the amount for the pickup could be amended the night of the meeting if a better price can be found.

The CCP also recommends a number of purchases for the Public Works Department. Among them is $60,000 to make the final payment on the lease for a front-end loader, $136,000 for the final lease payment for a dump truck, $60,000 for road improvements in local cemeteries, $115,000 for a Ford F-550 pickup and $225,000 for non-Chapter 90 road improvements.

The committee has also proposed spending $145,000 to make improvements to the downtown fire station on Exchange Street, mainly to the roof and exterior of the building, and $25,000 for panic alarms at Town Hall.

There is likely to be some debate regarding the CPC’s recommendation for $69,829 to cover the initial payment for a new tanker truck for the Fire Department. This will ultimately depend on the passage of Article 27, which asks voters to approve repurposing $400,000 in borrowing authority first approved at the 2022 Town Meeting for the purchase of a new pumper truck.

In 2022, voters approved borrowing $825,000 for the pumper. However, the town secured a federal grant of $437,000 to apply toward the pumper, leaving some $400,000 in unused borrowing authority. At a meeting earlier this year, FWAC Chair Ken Duffy emphasized that use of the borrowing authority would result in a slight increase in property tax rates.

Fire Chief Jeff Smith, in proposing the purchase, told the CPC that Athol has been without a tanker for approximately 15 years, making the town dependent on the availability of tankers from surrounding communities. He also noted that nearly half of the town’s land mass lies outside Athol’s system of fire hydrants.

Voters will also be asked to approve a tax increment financing plan “for the redevelopment of the former parking deck into a mixed-use property including 43 housing units over commercial space.”

Fitchburg developer Bill Krikorian has estimated the cost of building the structure at around $14 million, the first privately-funded development in downtown Athol in many years. The TIF would allow Krikorian to pay the town property taxes in steadily increasing increments over the cost of several years until eventually paying the full tax assessment. Such agreements generally cover a period of anywhere from 5 to 10 years.

Town officials are also seeking approval to acquire several pieces of property which will facilitate construction of the Rabbit Run Rail Trail, development of the municipal parking lot at Main and Exchange streets, and redevelopment of the property around Lord Pond Plaza.

Also on the warrant is an article to amend the zoning bylaws in order to bring them into compliance with the state’s Affordable Homes Act, passed by the Legislature last August. The change would allow for the construction by-right of accessory dwelling units in areas zoned residential. This would remove any restrictions that may require a special permit.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.