RICHMOND — Residents have approved the $9,281,000 town budget, including education costs for the Richmond Consolidated School .

The spending package reflects an overall 4.7 percent increase for fiscal 2026, which begins this July 1. For the average single-family property valued at $664,400, the real estate tax will rise by $270 to $6,633, a 4.5 percent increase.

Attorney William Martin, the town moderator in Richmond, told annual town meeting voters to “relish our time together, this is democracy in in its finest and purest form.” It took only 45 minutes for residents attending the meeting to approve all spending articles, with only a handful of questions and comments.

At a fast-paced 45-minute annual town meeting Wednesday evening, Town Moderator William Martin urged voters to “relish our time together, this is democracy in its finest and purest form.”

The turnout of 83 voters was 8 percent of the town’s 1,037 registered voters.

The line-item budgets for general government, protection, health and human services, highways, cultural and recreation. employee benefits, town insurance and unclassified expenses all were approved by unanimous voice vote — a grand total of $2,739,000. All had been endorsed by the Finance Committee.

• $4,592,000 to support the Richmond Consolidated School, a 4.2 percent increase. The pre-K through grade eight school has 157 students; just under half are school choice transfers from surrounding communities, including Pittsfield.

• $390,000 in debt service for the Town Hall and Library building, plus $39,699 from the sale of the old Town Hall.

• $100,000 from free cash for ambulance service salaries, plus $100,000 from ambulance receipts for operational ambulance costs.

An article seeking a $400,000 transfer from free cash reserves for partial funding of a new fire truck aroused the most lively discussion.

At Richmond's annual town meeting, town leaders ready to answer voters' questions were Town Administrator Danielle Fillio and, from left, Select Board members Roger Manzolini, Neal Pilson (the board chairman), and Alan Hanson. Only a handful of comments came up during the speedy 45-minute meeting on Wednesday evening.

Town Administrator Danielle Fillio confirmed that the town’s new firehouse is being used, responding to a question from resident Dick Stover.

After resident Jay Phelps asked why the town needed a new fire truck, interim Fire Chief Gerry Cahalan pointed out that the department’s existing trucks are in poor shape, one of them “an electrical nightmare.”

Cahalan, the former Dalton fire chief, explained that the total $800,000 cost of a new truck for Richmond may cause “sticker shock.” But Sheffield recently paid $1.4 million for a new pumper, while Lee and Dalton forked over $950,000 to $1 million for new trucks, he noted. Voters then approved the purchase unanimously.

Also approved: $6,000 for a fuel emergency assistance program that served 37 needy households last year.

Resident Holly Stover acknowledged support from the community and donations of $7,277 raised by the Congregational Church, which no longer holds services, Its building adjacent to the former Town Hall on State Road (Route 41) is for sale with an asking price of $475,000.

The voters green-lit $6,500 for temporary repairs on private ways, including roads serving Richmond Shores and Whitewood Association.

They also voted in favor of a citizens petition clearing the way for the town to cover the costs of permanent road improvements at Richmond Shores without requiring matching funds from that neighborhood's taxpayers.