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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-04-28 Town Meeting WarrantCOMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, ss. Officer's Return, Reading: By virtue of this Warrant, I, on March 3 '2014 notified and warned the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote on Town affairs, to meet at the place and at the time specified by posting attested copies of this Town Meeting Warrant in the following public places within the Town of Reading: Precinct 1 J. Warren Killam School, 333 Charles Street Precinct 2 Reading Police Station, 15 Union Street Precinct 3 Reading Municipal Light Department, 230 Ash Street Precinct 4 Joshua Eaton School, 365 Summer Avenue Precinct 5 Reading Library, Local History Room, 64 Middlesex Avenue Precinct 6 Barrows School, 16 Edgemont Avenue Precinct 7 Birch Meadow School, 27 Arthur B Lord Drive Precinct 8 Wood End School, 85 Sunset Rock Lane Town Hall, 16 Lowell Street The date of posting being not less than fourteen (14) days prior to April 28, 2014, the date set for Town Meeting in this Warrant. I also caused a posting of this Warrant to be published on the Town of Reading website on March 3 .1 2014. III A true copy Attest: Laura Gemme, Town Clerk TOWN WARRANT Pq F �• COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Middlesex, as, To any of the Constables of the Town of Reading, Greetings: In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Reading, qualified to vote in the Local Elections and Town affairs, to meet in the following place designated for the eight precincts in said Town, namely: Precincts 1.2. 3.4. 6.6.7 and 8 Readina Memorial Hiah School, Hawkes Field House Oakland Road TUESDAY, the FIRST DAY OF APRIL, A.D., 2014 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to act on the following Articles, viz: ARTICLE 1 To elect by ballot the following Town Officers: A Moderator for one year; Two members of the Board of Selectmen for three years; One member of the Board of Assessors for three years; Two members of the Board of Library Trustees for three years; One member of the Board of Library Trustees for two years; One member of the Municipal Light Board for three years; One member of the Municipal Light Board for one year; Two members of the School Committee for three years; One member of the School Committee for one year; and Sixty Eight Town Meeting Members shall be elected to represent each of the following precincts: Precinct 1 Eight members for three years; Precinct 2 Eight members for three years; One member for two years; Two members for one year; Precinct 3 Eight members for three years; One member for one year; Precinct 4 Eight members for three years; Precinct 5 Eight members for three years; Precinct 6 Eight members for three years; Two members for two years; Precinct 7 Eight members for three years; Precinct 8 Eight members for three years; and One member for one year. and to vote on the following question: Question 1: Shall the Town of Reading be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition two and one-half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to renovate and expand the Reading Public Library? Yes No and to meet at the Reading Memorial High School, 62 Oakland Road, in said Reading on MONDAY, the TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY of APRIL A.D., 2014 at seven -thirty o'clock in the evening, at which time and place the following Articles are to be acted upon and determined exclusively by Town Meeting Members in accordance with the provisions of the Reading Home Rule Charter. ARTICLE 2 To hear and act on the reports of the Board of Selectmen, Town Accountant, Treasurer -Collector, Board of Assessors, Director of Public Works, Town Clerk, Tree Warden, Board of Health, School Committee, Contributory Retirement Board, Library Trustees, Municipal Light Board, Finance Committee, Cemetery Trustees, Community Planning & Development Commission, Town Manager and any other Official, Board or Special Committee. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 3 To choose all other necessary Town Officers and Special Committees and determine what instructions shall be given Town Officers and Special Committees, and to see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the purpose of funding Town Officers and Special Committees to carry out the instructions given to them, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 4 To see if the Town will vote to amend the FY 2014-23 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7-7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter and as previously amended, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 5 To see if the Town will vote to amend one or more of the votes taken under Article 11 of the April 22, 2013 Annual Town Meeting relating to the Fiscal Year 2014 Municipal Budget, as amended by Article 11 at Subsequent Town Meeting on November 12, 2013 and further amended by Article 5 at Special Town Meeting on February 13, 2014 and see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate as the result of any such amended votes for the operation of the Town and its government, or take any other action with respect thereto. By Petition ARTICLE 6 To see if the Town will vote to amend one or more of the votes taken under Article 11 of the April 22, 2013 Annual Town Meeting relating to the Fiscal Year 2014 Municipal Budget, as amended by Article 11 at Subsequent Town Meeting on November 12, 2013 and further amended both by Article 5 at Special Town Meeting on February 13, 2014 and by Article 5 at Annual Town Meeting on April 28, 2014 and see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate as the result of any such amended votes for the operation of the Town and its government, or take any other action with respect thereto. Finance Committee ARTICLE 7 To see ifthe Town will vote to transfer funds received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in payment for development within the Town's 40R Smart Growth Zoning Districts from Free Cash into the Smart Growth Stabilization Fund, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 8 To see what sum the Town will appropriate to the irrevocable trust for "Other Post -Employment Benefits Liabilities" or take any action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 9 To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate for the purpose of making extraordinary repairs and/or replacement of sanitary sewer collection systems, including the costs of consulting services, audits, plans, documents, cost estimates, bidding services and all related expenses incidental thereto and necessary in connection therewith, said sum to be expended by and under the direction of the Town Manager; and to see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, or any other agency of the Town, to apply for a grant or grants, to be used to defray the cost of all, or any part of, said sanitary sewer improvements; and to authorize the Town Manager to enter into any and all contracts and agreements as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 10 To see what sum the Town will raise by borrowing or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, and appropriate for the purpose of making roadway, pedestrian and similar improvements, including the costs of easements, consulting services, audits, plans, documents, cost estimates, bidding services and all related expenses incidental thereto and necessary in connection therewith, said sum to be expended by and under the direction of the Town Manager; and to see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen, Town Manager, or any other agency of the Town, to apply for a grant or grants, to be used to defray the cost of all, or any part of, said roadway, pedestrian and similar improvements; and to authorize the Town Manager to enter into any and all contracts and agreements as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Article, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 11 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire by purchase, gift, eminent domain or otherwise, permanent water easements upon and over the existing sewer and drain easements located on Assessors Map 28 Lots 112 and 113 which easements are shown on a plan entitled: "Water Sewer and Drain Easement located at 87 and 93 Belmont Street, Reading, MA" dated March 5, 2014, prepared by Bay State Surveying Associates", a copy of which is on file in the Town Clerk's Office, upon such terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen shall determine to be appropriate, for the purpose of constructing and maintaining water improvements; and, further, to see if the Town will vote to raise, appropriate, transfer from available funds, accept gifts or borrow a sum of money for this purpose and any expenses related thereto, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into all agreements and take all related actions necessary or appropriate to carry out this acquisition, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 12 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectman to release all of the Town's right, title and interest in approximately one hundred forty-one (141) square feet of the drain and sewer easement located upon the property at 63 Whittier Road, Assessors Map 33, Parcel 122, presently owned by Joseph A. and Marie A. Field, as shown on a plan entitled "Easement Adjustment Plan of Land, 63 Whittier Road, Reading, MA" prepared by Edward J. Farrell of 110 Winn Street, Suite 203, Woburn, MA dated November 25, 2013, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 13 To see K the Town will vote to approve the FY 2015-24 Capital Improvements Program as provided for in Section 7-7 of the Reading Home Rule Charter and as previously amended, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 14 To see K the Town will vote to determine how much money the Town will appropriate by borrowing, or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for the operation of the Town and its government for Fiscal Year 2015 - beginning July 1, 2014, or take any other action with respect thereto. Finance Committee ARTICLE 16 To see if the Town will vote to approve an Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation Plan pursuant to Chapter 140 of the Acts of 2001 entitled "AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF READING TO ESTABLISH AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND", or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 16 To see if the Town will vote to authorize revolving funds for certain Town Departments under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 53E % for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014 with the receipts, as specked, credited to each fund, the purposes, as listed, for which each fund may be spent, the maximum amount that may be spent from each fund for the fiscal year, and the disposition of the balance of each fund at fiscal year end. Revolving Spending Revenue Allowed Expenditure ExLimits Year End Account Authori Source Expenses Balance Fees as provided or in Reading Consulting and engineering Conservation General Bylaws services for the review of $25,000 Commission Section 5.7, designs and engineering Available for Consulting Conservation Wetlands work for the protection of expenditure Fees Commission Protection wetlands. next year Legal, oversight and inspection, plan review, Building, Plumbing, initial property appraisals �Nrfiring, Gas and and appeals, Community other permits for Services general $200,000 he Oald as management, curb ddison-Wesley/ sidewalks and pedestrian Inspection Pearson and safety improvements, Available for Revolving Town Johnson Woods records archiving and other expenditure Fund Manager developments project related costs. next year Public Health Clinic fees, charges Materials and costs Available for Clinics and Board of and third party associated with clinics and $25,000 expenditure Services Health reimbursements public health programs next year Library Library Charges for lost or Acquire Library materials to Available for Materials Director and damaged Library replace lost or damaged $15,000 expenditure Replacement Trustees materials items next year Utilities and all other Available for Matters Cabin Recreation maintenance and operating $10,000 expenditure Operating dministrator Rental Fees expenses next year Director of Public Works upon the recommendati n of the Sale of timber; fees Available for Town Forest for use of the Town Planning and Improvements $10,000 expenditure Town Forest Committee Forest o the Town Forest next year or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 17 To see what sum the Town will vote to appropriate by borrowing, whether in anticipation of reimbursement from the State under Chapter 44, Section 6, Massachusetts General Laws, or pursuant to any other enabling authority or from the tax levy, or transfer from available funds, or otherwise, for highway projects in accordance with Chapter 90, Massachusetts General Laws, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen ARTICLE 18 To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to Section 2-6 of the Reading Home Rule Charter, to declare the seats of certain Town Meeting Members to be vacant and remove certain described persons from their position as Town Meeting Members for failure to take the oath of office within 30 days following the notice of election or for failure to attend one half or more of the Town Meeting sessions during the previous year, or take any other action with respect thereto. Board of Selectmen and you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting an attested copy thereof in at least one (1) public place in each precinct of the Town not less than fourteen (14) days prior to April 28, 2014, or providing in a manner such as electronic submission, holding for pickup or mailing, an attested copy of said Warrant to each Town Meeting Member. Hereof fail not and make due return of this Warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at or before the time appointed for said meeting. Given under our hands this25' day of February , 2014, arsie,rWes, SELECTMEN OF READING Constable