Marion Annual Town Meeting
May 15-16, 2006

ARTICLE 1 - to set the following compensation for Elected Officials: Board
of Selectmen ($4,806 each); Board of Assessors ($4,605 each); Board of
Health ($1,776 each); Town Clerk ($19,111 a year); Treasurer ($28,529 a
year); Collector ($28,529 a year); and Town Moderator ($233 for Annual Town
Meeting and $77 for Special Town Meetings).
Article 1 passed via majority vote, 230 to 10.

ARTICLE 2 - to approve a total $16.030 million General Operating Budget for
Fiscal Year 2007.
Article 2 passed via majority vote, 225 to 5.

ARTICLE 3 - to transfer $24,343.02 to the Marion Planning Board budget to
fund a 30-hour-per-week clerical position.
Article 3 was defeated, 220 to 10.

ARTICLE 4 - to appropriate a total $1,177,876 to be used to operate the
Water Enterprise Fund ($662,551 for salaries and expenses; $387,060 for
debt; and $128,265 for indirect costs).
Article 4 carried via majority vote, 195 to 5.

ARTICLE 5 - to appropriate a total $2,014,529 to be used to operate the
Sewer Enterprise Fund ($479,538 for salaries and expenses; $1,392,024 for
debt; and $143,030 for indirect costs).
Article 5 carried unanimously, 200 to 0.

ARTICLE 6 - to appropriate $3.416 million to fund the final design,
construction and equipping of a new Police Station to be located on a parcel
of land donated to the town by Tabor Academy.
Article 6 passed via the required two-thirds vote, 190 to 5.

ARTICLE 7 - to appropriate $35,000 for the Department of Public Works (DPW)
to purchase and equip a one-ton, four-wheel-drive heavy duty dump truck with
plow.
Article 7 carried unanimously, 150 to 0.

ARTICLE 8 - to transfer $25,000 to be used by the Marion DPW to make repairs
to the roof of the Elizabeth Taber Library.
Article 8 carried unanimously, 150 to 0.

ARTICLE 9 voters were asked to appropriate $125,000 for gas well
installations, environmental monitoring, engineering and related costs for
the ongoing closure of the Benson Brook Landfill.
Article 9 carried unanimously, 150 to 0.

ARTICLE 10 - to transfer $10,000 from Free Cash to be used by the Sippican
School Major Maintenance Committee to make repairs to and alignment of the
water pumps at Sippican School.
Article 10 carried unanimously, 150 to 0.

ARTICLE 11 - to transfer $100,000 into the Stabilization Fund.
Article 11 carried unanimously, 150 to 0.

The second night of Town Meeting convened at 7:03 pm on Tuesday, May 16 with the initial consideration of a two-article Special Town Meeting warrant.
Under ARTICLE S1 voters were asked to transfer $80,000 from Free Cash to supplement the Department of Public Works' (DPW) Utilities budget ($35,000) and the DPW's Snow and Ice Removal budget ($45,000).

Article S1 passed unanimously, 120 to 0.
Under ARTICLE S2 voters were asked to transfer $26,000 from Free Cash to be added to money already appropriated under Article S4 of the April 26, 2005 Special Town Meeting to fund the closure of the Benson Brook Landfill.

Article S2 passed unanimously, 120 to 0.
Resuming with the Annual Town Meeting warrant, under ARTICLE 12 voters were asked to raise and appropriate $3.8 million for the design, permitting, construction and related costs for water distribution improvements, specifically including new water mains in the "village loop" and a water transmission line connecting the Marion water system to the Mattapoisett River Valley Water District System.
Article 12 passed via the required two-thirds vote, 115 to 5.

Town Meeting voters also:
* Passed ARTICLE 13 to set the interest rate on sewer betterment assessments at two percent above the rate of interest chargeable to the Town of Marion, thereby setting the rate at 2.33 percent (116 to 4).
* Passed ARTICLE 14 to accept the provisions of MGL, Chapter 44, Section 55C to establish a Municipal Affordable Housing Trust Fund (110 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 15 to authorize the Board of Health's Health Director to enter into an agreement with one or more other governmental units to provide public health services in accordance with an Intermunicipal Mutual Aid Agreement (100 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 16 to amend Article III, Section 2 of the town's by-laws to redefine the make-up of the Finance Committee (FinCom) to consist of five regular members and up to three associate members (100 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 17 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to grant a conservation restriction to the Sippican Lands Trust, Inc. on a two-acre parcel of land to be used as a launching site for canoes and kayaks (100 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 18 to approve the Open Space Acquisition Commission's purchase of a 250-acre parcel of property known as the White Eagle Bog for $195,000 -- with the town paying $80,000 of that amount out of the Marion Land Bank (85 to 5).
* Tabled ARTICLE 19 to amend the town's Zoning By-Laws to define a "Village Commercial (Overlay) District" (80 to 0).
* Defeated ARTICLE 20 to amend the Zoning By-Laws to better define requirements for residential accessory piers (failed to garner required two-thirds vote, 48 to 32).
* Passed ARTICLE 21 to amend the Zoning By-Laws to include notification to the Tree Warden, Building Commissioner and Building Inspector prior to any plan submissions (80 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 22 to amend the Zoning By-Laws to rezone a section off Route 6 to put all property owned by the Washburn family under a commercial zone (75 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 23 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to apply for state and federal grants on behalf of the town (75 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 24 to transfer $9,000 from the Chester A. Vose Fund to reduce the tax rate (75 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 25 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to defend suits of law (75 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 26 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell any article belonging to the town provided the town has no further use for same (75 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 27 to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sell or transfer any taxation possession property held by the town pursuant to MGL Chapter 60, Section 77 (75 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 28 to consider the reports of all town officers and committees (75 to 0).
* Passed ARTICLE 29 to approve the Annual Town Election ballot to be held on Tuesday, May 30 (75 to 0).