Great Barrington Town Meeting Approves $16.3 Million Budget, Tables Ambulance Funding
Town Meeting · Meeting of May 2, 2026
Great Barrington town meeting passes a $16.3 million budget but leaves discretionary spending riding on a May 12 override. Voters approved the $16,345,834 fiscal 2027 operating budget and transferred $5,026,008.44 from free cash to settle litigation with four marijuana retailers, including $4,161,257.03 to Theory Wellness, after Select Board members said the move was purely an accounting reconciliation with "no impact on the tax rate." Southern Berkshire Ambulance Squad board president Jim Santos told voters the nonprofit provided free service "for 50 years" before costs forced it to bill towns; voters approved $327,777 for operations but indefinitely postponed $240,000 toward two new ambulances pending a signed contract. The Berkshire Hills Regional School District's $23,873,781 assessment, up 7.8 percent, passed on a divided 3-2 finance committee recommendation.
The meeting adjourned after 18 of 30 articles and resumes Monday, May 4.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 1,137 words
Source: the Town Meeting meeting of May 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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