Funding for the South Hadley Schools was approved at $19,636,976, as amended by the Appropriations Committee.
SOUTH HADLEY — Town Meeting kept its collective eye on the bottom line on Saturday, for the most part voting down amendments that sought to increase proposed funding and approving those that decreased it.
The surprise exception was the Gaylord Memorial Library, which appeared on the warrant for $12,230 from the town and got more than double that amount after eloquent support from some of the most distinguished people in town, including Rep. John W. Scibak.
The unscheduled Gaylord amendment, read at the microphone by Gaylord Trustees president Charles Viens, was approved for $31,753 for fiscal year 2013. The Gaylord, which is two years older than the South Hadley Public Library, is a public library with a private endowment that is fast diminishing in this economy.
Funding for the South Hadley Schools was approved at $19,636,976, as amended by the Appropriations Committee. That was $21,346 less than the sum that had appeared on the warrant.
The Health Department put up a valiant fight to raise its proposed funding to $155,421 so it could add another health inspector, but the Appropriations Committee objected, in part because the arguments, though impressive, had not been put in writing.
Town Meeting agreed, and decided to fund the Health Department for $115,321.
Another proposal that drew a great deal of commentary was the “general government” request for $1,707,469 put forward by the Selectboard. The discussion mainly revolved around the creation of a new position of Assistant Town Administrator.
While some were strongly in favor of the measure, citing the void that was left when the most recent Town Administrator resigned, others wanted to wait until a new town administrator was appointed. In the end, Town Meeting opted for the amendment to the proposal, which cut the request to $1,653,045.
The Appropriations Committee also amended the request of the municipal golf course, The Ledges, from $909,720 to $895,853, and Town Meeting accepted the latter number.
Town Meeting approved $316,961 for the Council on Aging, $215,300 for Veterans Affairs, $515,020 for the South Hadley Public Library and the sum of $900 to the Canal Park Committee.