Town Meeting Warrant Preview

As the clock ticks down toward the May 14 Annual Town Meeting, members of the Mattapoisett Finance Committee got a preview of the warrant on April 25.

Town Administrator Michael Gagne presented a draft of the warrant articles and cautioned the board that the numbering sequence might change, but the titles are ready to go.

Articles 1 and 2 on the warrant may generate the most interest as voters will be asked to ban recreational marijuana retail and commercial establishments in Mattapoisett.

Written with assistance from the law group Koppelman & Paige, a citizen’s petition sponsored by George Randall and supported by the Planning Board, the Article 1 Recreational Marijuana Establishment Ban, Zoning Bylaw Amendment will ask voters to amend the zoning bylaws by adding a new bylaw titled Recreational Marijuana Establishments that would ban non-medical marijuana establishments including cultivators, testing laboratories, manufacturers, retailers, or any other type of licensed marijuana related business.

Article 2 fortifies Article 1 by asking voters to amend the Town’s General Bylaws in the same manner.

Article 8 may prove a hot button for some, as voters will be asked to spend $260,000 for the design, engineering, costing, and bidding for a new fire station.

Fire Chief Andrew Murray has met with both the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen, stating the case that “…Time is of the essence…” since the current fire station is inadequate for the demands of the 21st century as well as the health and well being of fire suppression personnel. Funding for the study would be split as $105,000 from the Tax Levy and $155,000 from Free Cash.

Article 25 Funding To Build A Dog Park comes from the Community Preservation Committee that received a grant application from Freemin Bauer. When Bauer presented his proposal to the Finance Committee, he was unable to provide a fully vetted set of expense documents to support his request for $75,000 to build the park on municipal property.

Finance Committee Chairman Pat Donoghue wasn’t convinced it was the right way to spend taxpayers’ money, saying, “There are places already where you can take dogs. I have concerns about the costs.”

The proposed location for the park is on Town property located next to the police station.

Donoghue pointed out, “That is buildable land with a value of $370,000.”

“A lot of things in town you have to raise funds yourself,” Donoghue told Bauer. She also commented on her concern for other town properties such as the wharves. She wondered at the high cost of a dog park that would benefit a small group of people.

“As a taxpayer, I’m not happy,” said Donoghue.

Regarding ongoing maintenance of a dog park, Bauer said that he had a group of volunteers that would handle cleaning and associated tasks on the property. But Donoghue doubted that would work long-term, stating “…volunteers go away after a while.”

Donoghue asked whether such a project would be reasonable in a climate where teachers were being cut and monies were needed for a new Fire Station.

But Finance Committee member Kevin Geraghty took a different viewpoint.

“A place for dogs to go isn’t a negative,” Geraghty said. “Dog parks tend to be self-regulating.… It’s a good committee benefit … I think it’s worthwhile.”

However, turning to Bauer, Geraghty said, “We’re a financial watchdog. You have to have costs for us. If this doesn’t infringe on (future) town buildings, I’m comfortable with it being on the CPA windshield.” He said the cost estimates had to be right to avoid a “half-done project.”

Gagne said Bauer would return with more information and that the CPA had asked that Bauer provide a construction timeline before funds would be dispersed.

Other grants on the CPA radar: Article 26, $144,900, for building repairs at the former Holy Ghost grounds on Park Street, now a Town-owned property; and Article 27, the American Legion Hall, $10,000 to study the current state of the building.

Article 3, Elected Officers’ Compensation, increases the following salaries: Moderator from $250 to $260; Board of Selectmen Chairman $4,912 to $5,508; Board of Selectmen members $4,424 to $5,020 each; Assessors from $4,424 to $5,020; Town Clerk submitted a salary up to $60,180 from $59,000; Board of Health $550 to $625; the Highway Surveyor is requesting a salary of $87,000 up from $81,000; Mattapoisett School Committee members (each) $550 to $625; Water/Sewer Commissioners from $550 to $625; Tree Warden $8,500 to $8,900; and Herring Inspector from $850 to $925.

Article 4 is to approve the General Operating Budget. The fiscal year 2019 general operating budget figure is pegged at $26,625,233. The FY18 operating budget was $25,692,355, according to Town Accountant Heidi Chuckran.

Article 5 appropriates money for OPEB liabilities, and high on Gagne’s to-do list is to continue to find ways to fund the growing post-employment benefits. For FY19, the article is requesting $405,000 from the tax levy, with $385,000 earmarked for the Town’s OPEB costs, $25,000 towards Mattapoisett’s share of the ORR school liability, and to transfer $4,082 from Sewer Retained Earnings and $35,066 from Water Retained Earnings towards the Water/Sewer Enterprise liability for a total of $444,148.

Article 11, Capital Plan Funding, if passed will appropriate $393,600 for such items as: Police Officer Bullet Proof Vests ($27,000); Police Station Roof Replacement ($41,000); Police Cruisers ($91,000); Highway Barn repairs and improvements ($100,000); Elementary School Technology Upgrades, ($60,000); Parking lot paving/Barstow Street for C.O.A. ($20,000); and a bundle of smaller items from various departments ($54,000).

Other highlights include: the Capital Planning Committee Report; Revolving Funds Authorization; Establishment of Capital Projects Debt Stabilization Fund; Road Improvement Funding ($50,000); Phase VIII Town Road Improvement Plan ($250,000); various water/sewer equipment needs ($45,000); water wells and water main construction ($460,000); new water/sewer truck ($60,000); Aquifer Protection Land Acquisition ($150,000); Fire Department and other departmental staffing schedules; General Bylaw change for C.O.A. board member minimums; and a new general bylaw – one that would prohibit placing snow from private property onto public ways with an enforceable $100 fine. One other highlight is an amendment to the General Bylaw Utility Schedule that would require utility companies to install and/or remove and fill holes in compliance with set schedules and that all utilities work cooperatively to minimize disruption.

Town Meeting is scheduled for May 14 at 6:30 pm in the auditorium at Old Rochester Regional High School.

Mattapoisett Finance Committee

By Marilou Newell

Leave A Comment...

*