Milton Special Town Meeting: 2012 Preview

The Town of Milton will hold a six article Special Town Meeting on Monday, October 22, 2012 at Milton High School.

Below are the articles to be considered by Town Meeting this evening.

ARTICLE 1 To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $198,278.00, representing the amount of unrestricted general government aid received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in excess of the amount of such aid previously estimated; to determine the purpose for such appropriation; and to act on anything relating thereto.

The Warrant Committee has recommended to accept the article’s suggested appropriation. The following is the Warrant Committee’s comment: 

“As described in Article 29 of the 2012 Annual Town Meeting Warrant, $95,000 was left un-appropriated at the time the warrant went to print in March, 2012. The $95,000 was the balance of an additional House appropriation made in April, 2012. Final fiscal year appropriations resulted in an additional $103,278 for a total of $198,278. The Warrant Committee voted to further enhance funds available to help the Town meet the expected operating expenses of FY2014. By including the $871,972 reported in the Comment section of Article 29, the new additional funds mean there is $1,070,250 available for use in FY2014.”

ARTICLE 2 To see what sum of money the town will vote to appropriate to provide capital needs for the Town’s sewer system, including costs incidental and related thereto, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen, on behalf of the Town, to apply for and use federal, state, MWRA, or other funds for this purpose, to see how such appropriation shall be raised; whether by borrowing under applicable provisions of law or otherwise; and to act on anything relating thereto.

The Warrant Committee has recommended “that the sum of $485,000 be appropriated for the purpose of financing the rehabilitation, replacement, or enhancement of the Town’s sewer system, including costs incidental and related thereto; that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, is authorized to borrow $485,000 under and pursuant to Chapter 44, Sections

7(1) and 8(15) of the General Laws, as amended, or any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds or notes of the Town therefor; and that the Board of Selectmen be and hereby is authorized to accept and expend in addition to the foregoing appropriation one or more grants or gifts from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority or any other public or private funding source.”

ARTICLE 3 To see if the Town will vote to reduce the appropriations for the following line items voted by the 2012 Annual Town Meeting under Article 16:

1. Water Enterprise MWRA Assessment
2. Sub-Total Water Enterprise
3. Sewer Enterprise MWRA Sewer Assessment
4. Sub-Total Sewer Enterprise
5. Total Public Works

The Warrant Committee made the following comment on its recommendation “When the 2012 warrant was closed the Water and Sewer budget was built on MWRA preliminary FY13 assessments. Subsequent to the 2012 Annual Town Meeting, the MWRA issued its final FY13 Water and Sewer assessments. The final assessments were less than the preliminary assessments. The changes in this article take advantage of the decreased assessment by lowering the Water and Sewer rates accordingly. The reduction would go towards reducing the tax levy by a total of $71,958. The decrease in the Water Enterprise appropriation was $17,577 and the decrease in the Sewer Enterprise appropriation was $54,381.”

ARTICLE 4 To see what sum of money the Town will vote to appropriate for the purpose of demolition of the building located on Town-owned property at Eliot Street and Central Avenue; to determine how said appropriation shall be raised, whether by transfer from available funds, borrowing or otherwise; and to act on anything relating thereto.

Because the cost of demolition was not available at the time the Warrant was printed, the Warrant Committee did not offer a recommendation on Article 4. 

ARTICLE 5 To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 10 of the General Bylaws, known as the Zoning Bylaws, by adding the following Subsection M to Section III: Landscaping/Residential Development.

The Warrant Committee recommended Article 5 be adopted with some changes. This article required a two-thirds vote.

ARTICLE 6 To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 10 of the General Bylaws, known as the Zoning Bylaws by adding the following subsection L to: Section III: Assisted Living Residence Development.

The Warrant Committee did not offer a recommendation at the time the warrant was printed, but included the following statement: “The purpose of this article is to facilitate the availability of assisted living residences and services. Assisted Living is a special combination of housing, ancillary support services and personalized care that is designed to respond to the individual needs of adults requiring help with activities of daily living, but who do not require the skilled medical care provided in a nursing facility. As the public hearing was held close to press time, the Warrant Committee will be considering the article further during the period between going to press and the Warrant being received in homes.”