SWAMPSCOTT — The May 17 annual Town Meeting will vote on a proposed operating budget of $72.27 million for fiscal year 2022, a 3.48 percent increase from the previous year.
According to the Town Meeting warrant, released after the Select Board voted to close the warrant on Monday evening, the largest portions of that budget include the public schools budget of $29.37 million, a 2.6 percent increase; a public safety budget of $7.88 million, a 1.93 percent increase; a public services budget of $3.58 million, a 2.66 percent decrease; and an administrative and finance budget of $3.03 million, a 4.1 percent increase.
The Town Meeting warrant also includes 28 proposed capital projects. The largest proposed project involves repairs to the beach wall at King’s and Eisman’s beaches, for which the Finance Committee has recommended borrowing $1.14 million from the town’s General Fund.
Other major capital projects proposed in the warrant include the reconstruction of Johnson Park, energy efficiency upgrades at Swampscott Middle School and Clarke Elementary School, HVAC upgrades at the middle school, and a redesign and renovation of Windsor Avenue Park.
The Select Board will discuss and make recommendations on individual capital projects at its meeting next week.
In addition, Town Meeting members will vote on whether to approve a new collective bargaining agreement with the town’s police and fire unions. While the contracts have not yet been finalized, Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald said during Monday night’s Select Board meeting that the one-year contract will be ready by the May 17 meeting.
“It’s been a long and difficult negotiation,” Fitzgerald said. “I think it’ll put us in a position to negotiate a longer-term contract that builds upon a good foundation of a give-to-get philosophy for bargaining.”
The town administrator and Select Board plan to meet in an executive session before the town meeting to go over the final contracts.
The warrant also includes several zoning amendments for approval, including one that defines pools as accessory structures, which are subject to the same setback limitations as other accessory buildings.
