The Marion Finance Committee met on Wednesday, April 30 to discuss Marion Town Meeting Warrant Article 17, to be voted on by the people on May 12. By the end of the meeting, the Finance Committee would all find themselves on the same page and vote accordingly.
Article 17 goes as follows:
To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $3,276,722 to be used for the renovation of the Marion Town House to provide accessibility, fire suppression, building code and HVAC compliance, including final design and all other costs incidental and related thereto; and to meet this appropriation to see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds in the Treasury (Free Cash) the sum of $300,000 and to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Select Board, to borrow $2,976,722 under the provisions of M.G.L. c.44, §7(1) or any other appropriate enabling authority, and to issue bonds and notes of the Town therefor; provided, however, that the appropriation authorized hereunder shall be contingent upon approval by the voters of a ballot question to exclude the amounts to pay for the bonds or notes authorized for this purpose from the provisions of Proposition 2½, so called; and further that the Select Board be authorized to enter into such contracts and agreements as shall in its judgement be necessary to effectuate the intent of this article; or take any other action thereon.
The Finance Committee, helmed by Chair Shay Assad, felt the different proposed works on the Town House should be split into multiple articles and not be lumped into one. That being, separate votes on accessibility and compliance versus HVAC instillation. At the end of the meeting, the Finance Committee voted unanimously to not support Article 17 as shown and push to make an amendment.
Most Finance Committee members would be at the Select Board meeting the following Tuesday to plead their case.
The next Marion Finance Committee meeting was not scheduled at adjournment but will take place after Town Meeting and the election.
Marion Finance Committee
By Sam Bishop