Dudley Town Meeting passes $31M budget, gun exemption
Dudley Town Meeting approves $31 million budget, exempts town property from state gun law. Voters acted on all 17 warrant articles Monday, passing the $31,027,502 fiscal 2027 budget by a two-thirds vote under newly elected Temporary Moderator Christopher Starczewski, with 186 voters present.
Town Meeting · Meeting of May 18, 2026
Dudley Town Meeting approves $31 million budget, exempts town property from state gun law. Voters acted on all 17 warrant articles Monday, passing the $31,027,502 fiscal 2027 budget by a two-thirds vote under newly elected Temporary Moderator Christopher Starczewski, with 186 voters present. The budget zeroes out the town's stabilization and free cash accounts; Selectman Steven Sullivan noted "I wish 177 people showed up at the public hearing." Superintendent LaMarche said Dudley's regional school assessment was cut to $496,843 from a state-recommended $677,634.
After extended debate, voters backed Police Chief Karlowicz's Article 11 exempting municipal buildings and grounds from a 2024 state law barring firearms, with Chief Karlowicz saying residents currently "can't carry" even to pay a bill at town hall. Voters also approved borrowing $100,000 for a lead service line inventory after a procedural reconsideration, and dedicated 1.04 acres on West Main Street for a new playground under a state PARC grant.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 1,215 words
Source: the Town Meeting meeting of May 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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