Above: At the opening night of Town Meeting, voters watched retiring Board of Health Chair Louis Fazen III receive the Town’s Doctor Timothy Stone Public Health Award. (Photo by Beth Melo)
Planning to attend tonight’s Town Meeting. Here’s a reminder of what’s on the Warrant. You can find the full Warrant here.
As I posted last night, a recent decision to pull one article was reversed. The Historical Commission shares on its website:
Because of new information, the Southborough Historical Commission Votes to Move Forward at this Year’s Town Meeting
April 13, 2015 – The commission voted to move forward with the demolition delay bylaw at this year’s Town meeting. The original vote was based on information that a 2/3 vote was needed to pass the bylaw and that if the bylaw failed to pass, the Commission would need to wait two years before returning to Town meeting. However, that information was incorrect. The commission felt it was prudent to move forward in light of the events surrounding 84 Main Street. The citizens of Southborough asked the Historical Commission why more was not being done to protect historic buildings in our town. The Commission believes the By-law is good legislation and this is the right time to let the Southborough residents vote on this measure.
Also still up for vote are articles which include the Solar Bylaw and recreation projects for tennis courts and fields:
17: Community Preservation Act Setasides – Annual request to authorize setting aside CPA Funds for Open Space, Historic Preservation, Community Housing, and undesignated discretionary reserve. (Estimated – $299,022 surcharge receipts with a projected state match of $58,346.)
18: Chestnut Hill Farm Bond Payment – Authorize annual bond payment on Chestnut Hill Farm using $196,100 from Community Preservation Act funds.
19: Tennis Court Restoration – Authorize using $62,000 from Community Preservation Act funds to restore town tennis courts located near Finn and Neary schools.
21 & 22: Cleanup of unused CPA Funds – Reallocation of funds from projects never implemented.
23: Code on boards, committees, and commissions – Amend town code to regulate member requirements. Would restrict voting membership to residents.
24: Political Sign restrictions bylaw – To be withdrawn on floor.
25: 9-11 Field home rule petition – To ask the state for a long-term lease on 9-11 field (necessary to finance returfing with repayment through user fees)
26: Solar Bylaw – Provides a permitting process and standards for commercial solar energy systems 250 kW or greater.
27-28: Street Acceptances – Metcalf Lane (27) and Thayer Lane (28)
29: Demolition Delay Bylaw – To allow an up to 9 month delay for demolition of historic structures built before 1925 (Decision to pull the article has been reversed.)
30: Choate Field lights – To raise/borrow/appropriate funds to replace lights at the town’s recreational area in front of Woodward School. (For more background, click here. But note, this article doesn’t include Mooney field – which at the time was proposed as a linked project.)
31: Citizen’s Petition – Clifford Street drainage – To be withdrawn on floor.
32: Citizen’s Petition – Recycling sticker – Asks for a special $25 per year sticker Transfer Station for access only to recycling & swap shop.
33: Citizen’s Petition – Stony Brook Market Alcohol license – Asks the State House to provide the town with another alcohol license.
(Confused by the order? Butler’s petition for Article 34 was last on the Warrant, but jumped the line. Voters supported the motion when Butler explained the Treasurer’s preference to keep fiscal items related to the Levy together.)
