ORWELL — Orwell voters will gather for their annual town meeting on Tuesday, March 3, at 10 a.m. at the Town Hall.

At that meeting, voters will be asked from the floor to approve a proposed town budget of $1,877,297, a decrease of $223,612 from what was approved last year. If approved, $1,162,961 would be raised in taxes, up $166,488 from the current year.

Article 4 on the warning asks voters to appropriate $27,700 for several town projects, including:

• $16,500 for the operating expenses of the Ethan M. and Eliza T. Wright Memorial Library building.

• $4,000 for the Orwell Historical Society.

• $1,750 for the Orwell Youth Recreation Program.

Article 9 asks voters to accept a proposed sewer budget of $110,691, which would be supported by user rents and dumping fees. That’s $1,385 less than what was approved last year.

Voters will also be asked to OK a total of $13,620 in appropriations for local social services.

Voting by Australian ballot to elect town and school officers and approve the proposed school budget will take place on Tuesday, March 3, at the Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There are no contested races on Orwell’s March 3 ballot. Incumbents Mike Christian (three-year term) and Les Wood (two-year term) are running unopposed to keep their seats on the town’s selectboard.

Anna Golann, who is assistant clerk, is the sole candidate for a one-year term as town clerk, and Bryan S. Young is unopposed in a bid for one-year as town treasurer.

On Town Meeting Day, Orwell residents will join other voters in the Slate Valley Unified Union School District in electing candidates at-large to serve on the district’s school board.

There are nine seats on the ballot for spots representing the towns of Orwell, Benson, Castleton, Fair Haven, Hubbardton and West Haven on the board. No one is running for the Orwell seat.

Voters will also be asked to OK a proposed fiscal year 2027 SVUSD budget of $32,509,789. That’s a 2.8% increase ($886,800) compared to the current year and a 3.48% rise in the cost per student.

District officials estimate that, if approved, the spending plan would translate to a 5.34% increase in Orwell’s FY27 homestead tax rate, to $0.9818 per $100 of assessed property value.