SHELBURNE — In a two-night session that saw votes on 39 warrant articles, Annual Town Meeting voters adopted a nearly $6.24 million budget for fiscal year 2026, approved a new bylaw regulating short-term rentals, and set parameters for large-scale battery energy storage systems.

They also agreed to spend $100,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for Phase 1 of the Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School playground upgrade and $45,000 of CPA money for a new Arms Library elevator.

On the first night of Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday, 156 voters mostly cast “yes” votes for spending requests made by town officials. The overall budget represents a 9.2% increase, with $2.96 million of it going to the town’s assessment to the Mohawk Trail Regional School District, where 115 Shelburne students are enrolled. The Mohawk Trail assessment represents a 3% increase from FY25.

The Finance Committee had recommended a “no” vote on this line item, but School Committee member Jason Cusimano said the $27.2 million school district budget could have been $1.8 million higher “if we had done nothing” — because fixed costs had gone up that much. To reduce costs, the district eliminated hiring for new positions and replacements for retirees. The district also used federal grants and “rainy day” excess and deficiency funds to reduce town assessments.

Tuesday night’s votes from Shelburne and Colrain gave Mohawk Trail most of the town votes needed for the eight-town district’s budget approval. Heath, Charlemont and Hawley have yet to vote.

The town agreed to make the following purchases:

■$70,000 for a new Ford hybrid police utility vehicle (with $35,000 to come from Buckland). This replaces a 2014 cruiser.

■$9,000 for bulletproof vests for police (replacing expired vests, with $4,500 coming from Buckland).

■$326,000 for a 2025 Western Star six-wheel dump truck (replacing a 2005 dump truck).

■$7,520 for a stainless steel plow for the Highway Department.

Other approved allocations include:

■Transferring $20,000 from the Housing Trust Fund to pay part of the expenses for the West County Food Pantry.

■Appropriating $2,000 to support extending a grant-funded rural downtown coordinator pilot project from 12 months to 18 months. The project is a joint effort involving Shelburne Falls, Turners Falls and Northfield.

■Using $21,000 from Cowell Gymnasium fees for fixing the outdoor courts.

■Spending $6,207 to pay for the town’s share of a new water heater for Mohawk Trail Regional School.

A proposal to use $10,000 from the Housing Trust Fund to complete a predevelopment assessment of a town-owned property at 49 Mechanic St. was defeated by a 41-41 tie vote. The lot once had a house on it, which burned down, and the property was eventually taken for unpaid taxes.

Selectboard member Andrew Baker said the predevelopment assessment could be used to determine if the small lot meets zoning criteria for an affordable home that could be built by Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity.

However, some abutters objected, saying the land shouldn’t be offered to a specific entity. Some said they didn’t think the land had enough frontage to meet zoning requirements.

The Finance Committee had not recommended the playground expenditure, because the Mohawk Trail Regional School District is considering a future move to a single campus for all district students, to be located on the present high school grounds. But several residents spoke of how important the local playground is to their children.

“This is our first year spending any Community Preservation money,” said Will Flanders, a member of the Community Preservation Committee. “This is an important community place.”

Ben Russell said his three children go to the elementary school, use the playground and “love it to death.” Other parents pointed out that it is the only park area in the village for young children.

Shelburne will also spend $8,000 in CPA funds for the Hill Cemetery restoration project.

The Arms Library budget request had been reduced from $40,500 to $37,328 in the town budget, but voters restored the full amount after hearing that the library would risk losing state funding and support if its budget didn’t meet a certain minimum.

In a five-hour session Tuesday, 156 voters discussed and approved all financial articles, until 11:40 p.m.

On Wednesday, 67 voters returned to Town Meeting to discuss and vote on zoning changes.

Voters backed a short-term rental bylaw, which allows for short-term rentals while maintaining public safety, preventing nuisances for neighbors and minimizing the loss of long-term rental housing.

Planning Board Chair John Wheeler said the regulation was necessary because the business of corporate buying of houses and turning them into short-term rentals is growing.

“There are 37 short-term rental listings in Shelburne, with about two-thirds of them in the (Shelburne Falls) village,” Wheeler said. “Within Franklin County, listings seem to be increasing about 20% per year.”

Wheeler said a recent regional housing plan indicated a rental vacancy rate in Franklin County of “near zero.”

After the new regulations take effect, non-owner occupied short-term rentals will not be permitted in Shelburne, although existing ones will be “grandfathered” in and allowed to continue until the property is sold. Also, existing non-resident short-term rentals will have to meet other requirements of the bylaw within six months of when it goes into effect.

The bylaw requires that owners of short-term rentals register with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and submit an application for a special permit to the town clerk, which would include contact information for emergencies associated with the rental and proof of liability insurance. The rental also must be inspected by the town’s health agent, building inspector and fire chief.

The battery energy storage system bylaw will apply to systems greater than 250 kilowatts, not to systems that are smaller or coupled with residential solar arrays. There are no current applicants for land in Shelburne, but any future proposals will be vetted by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

The bylaw will require a special permit for a battery energy storage system to be constructed in the commercial, industrial and rural agricultural zones. Under no circumstances are battery energy storage systems allowed in the Village Residential or Village Commercial districts.