I’m not going to get into the details now on all that happened during the first session of Annual Town Meeting. I will tell you that no Articles were voted down.
Two amendments passed, but only those by Town officials to “fix” their Articles:
- Article 7 was amended to change a mistake referring to an annual salary as an hourly wage.
- Article 13 was amended to include the updated figures as I detailed in yesterday’s post.
Don’t let that fool you into thinking everything was easily passed.
I was right about controversies over an employee stipend, Kallander Field capital item, and the Library CPA Article. (I was wrong about a hold on the Open Space Preservation Commision Budget. That passed without an issue.)
There were some failed amendments by residents, and multiple debates, including one really long one. But more on that on Monday.
What’s still up for vote tonight are Articles 24-35. Those include the seven citizen petitions. You can read more about those here.
The meeting resumes at 7:00 pm tonight.
Updated (3/23/19 7:07 pm): I forgot to note that Article 10 Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Transfers was “indefinitely postponed” at request of selectmen. It wasn’t needed this year.
Does anybody have a back bone any longer to stand up and say no to some of these things? Has everybody gone quiet because you’re afraid of offending others? You’re sinking further into the abyss of unaffordable spending. I really don’t care, I will be here three or four years from now but perhaps our houses will not be able to sell, or sell for as much, because of the upward tax levy on the average citizen.
Why are you placing the blame on others for not objecting to Articles or budgets that you oppose? If there was a reason that you were unable to attend and voice your concerns directly, you haven’t explained it.
You sound so angry Beth, But like I said Beth, I really don’t care, I’ll be gone in a better place than Southborough. My concern is the ever-growing debt and the ever-growing tax burden in every place around us, not just in Southborough but everywhere. All for social services. I’ve attended your meetings, I’ve stood up and spoke, I’ve said no to certain things, but yet it does nothing because the cowards Who want to be late, and special interests that will not say no to their spoiled children called the budget. Even present people on the school and town selectmen committees, who sounded like they may stand up and say no, once they get power, they forget where they came from. It’s classic Politics at all levels.
I’m not angry. I was puzzled as to why you sounded upset with the voters who went along with budgets and/or people who didn’t show to object. It’s one thing to attend Town Meeting, make a case and be upset at others for not supporting it. But you appear to be blaming people for not doing something that you didn’t do either.
Your answer further confuses me because I don’t know what you mean by “cowards Who want to be late”.
My apologies Beth, it should have said, “want to be liked” , it’s not easy to stand up and speak against the majority, that’s why we have a republic and not a democracy. Otherwise mobs rule.