ORANGE — A suggestion to postpone a budget vote at Monday’s Annual Town Meeting until after a scheduled Proposition 2½ override vote at the ballot box caused some to speak against the idea, arguing that it was taking the decision out of voters’ hands.

The 146 people who convened at Town Hall more than doubled the quorum of 70 that is needed to start the meeting, which lasted three hours. Voters ultimately adopted most of the 44 articles on the warrant, with the exception of the budget and three other financial articles totaling $135,000, which were all postponed and will be discussed again after more information becomes available later this month.

After talking with Town Administrator Matthew Fortier and Selectboard members, Moderator Steven Garrity made the decision to withhold a vote on the town’s budget until the day after the scheduled Proposition 2½ override vote. A few other articles were also postponed at Finance Committee member Kathy Reinig’s recommendation.

There was some pushback to the idea of postponing the budget vote to Tuesday, June 24 — the day after the override vote at the ballot boxes — but Garrity explained his position.

“It makes common sense to be able to move those articles to a time where they can be voted on properly,” he said. “We’re not tabling them. We’re just postponing them until we have more information.”

Polls will be open for the Proposition 2½ override vote from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 62 Cheney St. on Monday, June 23.

Orange faces a deficit of roughly $1.7 million heading into fiscal year 2026. Fortier has previously said that even if the town uses $300,000 in free cash, it will still need to find $1.4 million somewhere. The Mahar School Committee voted in April to approve a 4% budget increase for the next school year. But Orange Selectboard and Finance Committee members have repeatedly voiced frustration with the $673,611 assessment increase the school is requesting from Orange, as this constitutes a 12.8% increase.

State law requires voter approval before a municipality can increase its property tax levy more than 2.5%.

Mahar School Committee member Patricia Smith was one of those to voice dismay over the decision to postpone the budget vote.

“What this decision has done is take the matter entirely out of the hands of this body,” she said.

She added that Orange is on the hook for its education assessment to Mahar because New Salem, Wendell and Petersham — the other towns in the regional agreement reached in the 1950s — have adopted the figures.

“The budget is in place. The town is liable for those payments regardless of what [residents] vote on any ballot election,” Smith said.

Resident David Bardsley suggested voters roll up their sleeves and “try to find savings in the budget.”

“I really don’t think we should hold off,” he said. “We all came here to vote on this budget tonight.”

Garrity reiterated that the possibility of moving the budget vote was discussed at the June 11 Selectboard meeting. He allowed Superintendent Elizabeth Zielinski to deliver a short presentation on the budget but insisted the June 18 Selectboard meeting would be a better setting for “back-and-forth” discussion.

Like Smith, Town Counsel Donna MacNicol stressed that Orange voters have limited say in the Mahar budget at this point.

“You will be paying the assessment that Mahar sends to you,” she said. “If you vote it down, the budget will still exist and you will still be assessed the amount. That’s the law.”

In addition to the budget in Article 4, articles regarding $75,000 for building demolition, $10,000 to establish a Council on Aging van expense line and $50,000 to replace a culvert on Fairman Road were also postponed until June 24.

Fire Chief James Young addressed voters to ask them to support his department by approving three articles pertaining to equipment and safety. Residents gave their blessing to borrowing $2.3 million to buy two fire trucks, transferring $20,000 from free cash to buy protective clothing and gear for firefighters, and transferring $7,500 from free cash for seal-coating and surface maintenance at the secondary fire station at 50 Millyard Road.

Young said it is critical to replace his department’s 1988 pumper truck, the oldest of the vehicles being replaced.

“It is vital to have these two fire engines replaced as each has exceeded the life expectancy of 25 years set forth by national standards for fire service,” the chief told voters. “It is also vital we maintain our fleet with the minimum number of fire engines with pumps in order to provide the level of safety for both citizens and our firefighters you expect and deserve.

“Maintaining a fleet of three pumpers, two stationed downtown and one in the Tully district, is also vital in keeping insurance premiums as low as possible for both home and business owners in our town,” Young continued. “The ability to respond quickly and pump a sufficient amount of water with our apparatus is one of several key factors that make up our insurance safety office, also known as an ISO rating, which directly impacts the cost of insurance each of us pays.”

Voters then adopted Article 32, to appropriate $72,000 to buy a police cruiser and all related equipment, and Article 33, to authorize the borrowing of $157,000 so the Highway Department can purchase a Ford F-600 dump truck.

Much of the night’s discussion centered around the acceptance of a deed in lieu of foreclosure with regard to a property on Flagg Road. Amber Robidoux, the town’s treasurer and human resources director, said the property owners wish to deed the land to the town to resolve $34,000 in back taxes. She said they are “done with the property.”

The article’s language was altered to specify that the deed will be accepted pending satisfactory results of an environmental assessment. Fortier mentioned he studied environmental science in college and is a nationally registered sanitarian who is willing to offer his services.

Prior to the meeting, resident Ginette Richard was given the Shirley Page Community Pride Award, which recognizes people who make Orange a better place to live.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.