ROYALSTON — Two capital purchases that received a near-unanimous vote at the June Town Meeting will go before voters for a final approval in a few weeks.

A Special Town Election has been set for Tuesday, Sept. 12, asking voters to approve a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion to purchase $135,000 in new equipment. If approved, this would result in a small and temporary tax increase for the life of the bond used to make the purchase.

The request to borrow $135,000 was endorsed by voters at the June 10 Annual Town Meeting with only two dissenting votes. The money will be used for the purchase of a hydraulic heavy-duty lift system for the town garage and a vibratory roller and trailer with dust control. The cost of the lift is estimated at $55,000, while the roller and trailer will cost the town $80,000.

At the June meeting, Public Works Director Jaret Thiem said the lift will be used for repairs to the department’s heavy vehicles and could also be used by the Fire Department. The roller, he explained, will be used for compacting Royalston’s many gravel roads.

The original Town Meeting article sought approval of a debt exclusion totaling $196,000. This included a third proposal for the purchase of a hybrid police cruiser at a cost of $61,000.

During deliberations, some residents voiced concerns that the new cruiser would require the town to pay for the installation of an electrical vehicle charging station. Town officials pointed out that hybrid vehicles don’t require charging stations, as they run on both gas and battery.

“The way we’ve been doing this, this is a capital planning appropriation on the Town Meeting floor,” Capital Planning Committee Chair Phil Rabinowitz said in June. “Voters are free to approve some of it, but not all of it.”

Separate votes were then taken on each proposed purchase. While the purchase of the two pieces of DPW equipment was easily passed, the vote on the hybrid cruiser received a vote of 32-21. However, the last vote failed because it required approval of two-thirds of those in attendance.

Polls for the Sept. 12 election will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Royalston Town Hall, 13 On the Common.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.

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