On a breezy spring evening and in spite of a low turn out, Mattapoisett voters came out in sufficient numbers to allow the town to move swiftly through its 32 Article Town Meeting Warrant. With a balanced and very conservative budget to go through, the voters were eager to keep up their record of one night Town Meeting.
All articles were carried with only a handful seeing one or two dissenting votes in the face of overwhelming approval.
Of the two articles brought to town meeting by citizen partition one passed and one was roundly shot down. Article #31 from Mrs. Shockro of Mattapoisett Neck requested connection to the sewer project currently underway. She had not previously requested inclusion having missed public notifications and had apparently not found her property within the scope of the original planned work. Nick Nicholson, Water/Sewer Superintendent spoke against granting her request noting that sufficient notification had been given and that the capacity of the system wouldn’t support additional tie-ins. However the voters found her petition worthy and found in her favor.
Mrs. Erma Nickelson, however of Brandt Island Road was requesting nearly $450,000 for road improvements on secondary or feeder roadways in the beach community. Citing that more than 50% of the homes in the area are now year around residences and the tremendous need for safe road surfaces, she requested the monies to come from the Stabilization Fund.
Selectman Collyer said, “If we take that money out of the fund we would be back to 2007.” He continued that it might impact balancing the budget. He said it might also negatively impact “our bond rating”. “I’m telling you right now I’m not voting for it,” he declared. “It was would be fiscally irresponsible.”
Ms. Pennington of the Finance Committee agreed, “I am strongly objecting to this article…..I have been waiting for years for my road to be repaired…..but the reality is we only have so many dollars each year so feeder roads don’t even compute in my world.” The motion was defeated.
Another article that generated some conversation was the article for spending money to upgrade the tennis courts at Center School. Some voters expressed concerned over vandalism and sufficient demand to actually warrant the need for the tennis court. After the voters learned that the courts at the high school are basically never available for public use and demand is there, it was decided to pass the article. It was planned that police will be notified to take action as necessary to ensure it is only used for tennis and not skate boarding and other damaging activities.
Ten articles covered various needs from the Water & Sewer Department. Some of those had to be re-worded during the delivery of the article to the voters. Although the sums being requested were all correct, the actual wording needed to be tweaked for accuracy and to be legally cogent. Nick Nicholson, Water/Sewer Superintended presented Articles 20 through 30.
Here is a summary of the articles and results:
•Special Town Meeting – Article #1: Free cash to reserve fund: $45,000 this would allow the town to close out the fiscal year in a balanced manner. There were cost overruns on line items associated with emergency services for storms and related recovery expenses. Unanimously carried
•Article #1: Elected officers’ Compensation (no funding required). Moderator $200; Board of Selectmen/Chairman 3700; Board of Selectmen/members 3300; Assessor/each 3300; Town Clerk 59,025; Board of Health/each 400; highway surveyor 71,205; Mattapoisett school committee/each 400; water/sewer commissioner/each 400; tree warden 7145; herring inspector 745… Motion was carried.
•Article #2: General Operating Budget $21,899,127 – unanimously carried
•Article #3: Appropriate for OPEB liabilities – $297,720 this is for the future expenses in retirement insurance obligations. Unanimously carried.
•Article #4: Departmental Revolving Fund Authorization. Unanimously carried.
•Article #5: Phase III town Road Improvement Plan Funding – $200,000. 123 for 1 against.
•Article #6: Appropriation to Capital Improvement Stabilization Fund $229,000. Unanimously carried.
•Article #7: Capital Improvement Plan – no funding required. Five year capital improvement plan. Report was accepted.
•Article #8: Capital Plan Funding – thermo imagining equipment/Fire department $10,000; Police cruiser $32,000; fire rescue tools and air bags $14,500; highway department vehicle wash system $45,000; highway department facility repair $35,000; local schools technology upgrade $30,000; town hall stair lift system $15,000; Town hall equipment replacement $31,870; fire boat pump and radio system $10,000; police storage facility $25,000; recreation equipment/replacement $8,300. 123 for, 2 against.
•Article #9: Highway Department Sander/Truck $150,000. 124 for, 1 against.
•Article #10: Cyclical Annual Property revaluation $30,000.00. Unanimously carried.
•Article #11: Allocation of Revenues Community Preservation Act – administrative expenses $1000; debt service expense #23,970; Transfer from FY 2014 Estimated Annual Revenues for the following reserve accounts: housing $17,380; historical preservation $17,380; open space $17,380; budgeted reserve $96,692. Unanimously carried
•Article #12: Hammond Street Tennis Courts $170,000 to rehabilitate the recreation area. 121 for, 4 against
•Article #13: Funding to remove discontinued fire alarm wiring – $15,000.00. Unanimously carried.
•Article #14: Stabilization Fund Vocational School. Unanimously carried.
•Article #15: Acceptance of General Ledger to defer excise tax payments for certain service personnel on active duty. Unanimously carried.
•Article #16: Facility Assessment Committee Formation. Unanimously carried.
•Article #17: Special Education Stabilization Fund Contribution – $65,000. Unanimously carried.
•Article #18: Funding for Electric Service Upgrades on town wharves – $100,000 for phase II of needed electrical upgrades to town wharves. Was carried to approval.
Article #19: Reserve for Future Appropriation – salaries and wages $189,890 from the Tax Levy as a reserve for future appropriation for salaries and wages. Unanimously carried
•Article #20: Water land Acquisition – $65,000 to borrow. 19.5 acres of land west of Acushnet Road for open space and held by the board of water/sewer commissioners to protect the land into the future. To authorize the department to purchase the land for passive recreating purposes and to preserve these spaces. This is part of the Mattapoisett River Valley and Mattapoisett River Aquifer. Unanimously carried
•Article #21: Well #2 Refurbishment – $250,000 – this would require the town to borrow some funds – this would be phase II of work that has been ongoing at this site. The well was originally built in 1920’s and has had not any significant improvement since the 1970’s. This well site has the potential for future water sources. Will increase water bills over the period of the loans only about $10.00 per years over the life of the loan. Unanimously carried.
•Article #22: Water Tank Mixers – $75,000 from the Water Retained Earnings to install submergible mixer into two of the standpipes. Unanimously carried.
•Article #23: Cove Street Water Main – $250,000 for installing municipal water on Cove Street to authorize the Treasurer with the approval of the Board of Selectmen to borrow money for this project. Unanimously carried.
•Article #24: Water Department Building Maintenance – $30,000 for Water Retained Earnings for repairs to building for the Water Department. Unanimously carried
•Article #25: Eel Pond Force Main Study – $30,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive analysis of the performance of the Eel Pond Force Main and formulation of recommendations for addressing the finding. Unanimously carried.
•Article #26: Sewer Vacuum System – $33,745 from Sewer Retained Earnings and $47,525 from Article #2 of the May 2010 Annual Town Meeting Sewer Extension Project, Mattapoisett Neck Area for the purpose of purchasing sewer cleaning equipment. 104 to 1 approved.
•Article #27: Sewer Reserve Account – $10,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings for unforeseen expenses of the Department in FY2014. For unforeseen expenses. Unanimously carried.
•Article #28: Water Reserve Account – $10,000 from water retained earnings for the purpose of establishing a reserve for unforeseen expenses for the Department in FY 2014. Unanimously carried.
•Article #29: Grinder Pump Maintenance and Repairs – $30,000 from Sewer Retained Earnings for the purpose of repairing and refurbishing of and making improvements to Sewer Grinder Pumps. Unanimously carried.
•Article #30: Water well infrastructures – for #5 pumping station $20,000. Unanimously carried.
•Article 31 – Mrs. Shokro – to allow her to tie-in to the new sewer construction project. In favor: 40, Opposed: 17.
•Article 32 –$447,096 from the Stabilization Fund for the purpose of reconstructing, repairing and resurfacing with permeable asphalt, (Brandt Island Area) Pinehurst Avenue from Highland Avenue to Ocean Avenue to Ocean View Avenue, and Oaklawn Avenue from Highland Avenue to Ocean View Avenue. Unanimously defeated
By Marilou Newell
Photo by Tim Smith