Three articles on Marion’s Annual Town Meeting Warrant drew substantial discussion from the floor. One of those articles carried, one carried with an amendment authored from the floor, and one was voted down on May 10 at Sippican Elementary School.
Developer Sherman Briggs, whose 28-unit housing project planned off Spring and Mill Streets is currently in the vetting process, spoke twice from the floor to state that passage of Article 43 would take the incentive away from developers to build residential housing in Marion.
The article, a proposed amendment of Chapter 230-5.3 that would halve the density limit of multi-family residential housing from 12 units per-acre to six per-acre, did not pass. Its purpose was to encourage a limited amount of low-density, affordable housing multi-family rental or ownership housing compatible with its neighborhood.
Planning Board Chairman Will Saltonstall gave village housing as a frame of reference for what six units per-acre looks like, but the mere mention of the village stirred up attendees who feel like town government looks after the village disproportionately to the rest of the town.
Briggs further suggested that such an amendment would leverage developers toward 40B affordable housing, which brings more government control and offers less to the town in the way of revenue via water and sewer ratepayers.
Article 43 was the only one among 50 in the Annual Town Meeting and two more in the Special Town Meeting to be rejected.
Another article related to major development proposals in town was Article 45, a residential classification zoning change sought by a developer for land off Route 6 near the Heron Cove project. That article was withdrawn as a new strategy potentially involving town sewer is planned. A motion to pass over the article carried.
Sewer remains the hottest topic in Marion, which sought in Article 4 to appropriate $3,392,767 to operate the sewer enterprise fund, including $1,791,545 for debt service and a $220,000 boost from free cash.
Asked from the floor by Board of Assessors member Patricia DeCosta the purpose of drawing from free cash, Town Administrator Jay McGrail said the appropriation will help offset rate increases. Not everyone in attendance agreed with the logic.
“Some of the biggest users are tax-exempt,” argued DeCosta.
Board of Selectmen Chair Randy Parker clarified that water and sewer rates rise together and that Tabor Academy, contrary to implications made from the floor, pays for water and sewer.
William Washburn expressed concern that the strategy will become a trend. He called the cost of required denitrification technology in septic upgrades a “burden,” and suggested an enterprise fund be established to support homeowners against the steep cost of the harbor-friendly upgrade.
Margaret Malkoski said that the town needs to fund the sewer system to everyone’s benefit. Planning Board member Chris Collings also applauded Washburn’s suggestion.
Collings, who said he cannot hook up to town sewer from his River Road residence, said the 20-year-old strategy to take water and sewer out of Marion’s operating budget and establish enterprise funds has not succeeded in its intention to properly fund the system.
McGrail noted that the $220,000 (free cash) subsidy would have to be voted upon annually.
Article 20, which carried without substantial comment from the floor, authorized the town to borrow $2,740,000 for the lining to complete the lagoon cleanup project at the wastewater treatment plant.
Article 3 also carried, authorizing a $2,463,476 appropriation to the water enterprise fund, 0.37 percent less than the FY21 appropriation of $2,472,642.
From the floor, resident Sharon Matzek proposed an amendment to Article 39 addressing Animal Control that quelled the concern of some dog owners who found the language “at heel” to be too restrictive. Chief of Police Richard Nighelli explained that the wording was not as important as the intent and that being under the owner’s control was the point.
The purpose of Article 39 was to address the attorney general’s rejection of existing language that contradicts state regulations.
Noting that she does not own a dog, Matzek suggested adding to the “at heel” phrase “or obedient to the command.” Her solution was embraced, and her amendment and the amended article both carried.
After Article 8 carried, Annual Town Meeting adjourned so the 7:30 pm Special Town Meeting could take place. Articles S1 and S2 both carried, S2 appropriating $255,000 in free cash for the installation of air conditioning on the first floor of the Town House.
From the meeting floor, Jonathan Henry and Bob Raymond made technical suggestions based on their knowledge of the building, and McGrail and Parker said they would follow up on their ideas. Energy Management Committee Chair Christian Ingerslev urged the town to consider energy efficiency and financial impact not only for FY22 but over the long term.
The Special Town Meeting adjourned at 7:37 pm, and the Annual Town Meeting resumed with Article 9. In all, Annual Town Meeting Articles 1-42 carried, along with Articles 44 and Articles 46-51.
Article 46, brought by citizens petition, authorized the Board of Selectmen or its designee to apply for federal, state, or foundation grants to help Marion address a wide variety of long-term infrastructural challenges.
The meeting, held in two rooms at Sippican Elementary School, easily established a quorum. Full COVID-19 vaccination was the basis for attendance in the Sippican auditorium, and the basis of the second room was overflow and for anyone not fully vaccinated.
The main meeting room communicated with the second room via Zoom as projected onto a movie screen set up on the side of the auditorium. Moderator Brad Gordon checked in on all voter actions with Vin Malkoski, who acted from the second room as deputy moderator until deep into the meeting when only five attendees remained in the second room. Those attendees joined the main room for the duration.
Marion Town Meeting
By Mick Colageo