Town Meeting
May 3, 2008
Pelham Elementary School
Call to order by Moderator Joan Temkin at 9:16 a.m.
Article 1 : To see if the Town will vote the accept the reports of the Town Officers and Committees or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Article 2: To see if the Town will authorize the Town treasurer, with the approval of the Selectmen, to borrow money from time to time in anticipation of the revenue of the financial year beginning July 1, 2008, in accordance with the provisions of General Laws, Capter 44 s. 44, and to issue a note or notes as mat be given for a period of less than one year in accordance with General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 17 or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed all but 1 Nay.
Article 3: To see if the Town will name the salaries and wages for all elected officers for the ensuing year, which payments shall not be made in advance of performance, and to determine when and how they shall be paid, or take any other action relative thereto.
FY 08 App. FY 09 Rec FY 09 App.
Moderator 0 0 0
Town Clerk 6750 6750 6750
Selectmen (3) 1200 1200 1200
Assessors (CH) 1000 1000 1000
(others) 500 500 500
Bd of Health (Ch) 200 200 200
(others) 150 150 150
School Comm 0 0 0
Tree Warden 400 400 400
Auditor 0 0 0
Library Trustees 0 0 0
Planning Bd 0 0 0
Cemetery Commissioners (each 3) 7.15/hr
Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Announcement by Tom Lederle of the establishment of the Angie K Lederle and John W Lederle Scholarships for students of the Pelham Public Schools. This year’s recipients Elizabeth Duda and Brian Fuller each received a check for $1000 for education expenses. Also from Tom Lederle, a gift of $500 to the Pelham Elementary School for the Dan H Allen Memorial Fund.
Article 4: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate, transfer available funds, including Stabilization, or to borrow a sum of money necessary to defray the expenses of the Town for the ensuing fiscal year, or take any other action relative thereto. - The vote on Article 4 is to be deferred until the June 19, 2008 Town Meeting at the Pelham Elementary School beginning at 7:00 p.m.
Article 5: To see if the own will authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into contracts with the Massachusetts Highway Department for construction and/or maintenance of public highways for the fiscal year 2009 and further to authorize the Board of Selectmen on behalf of the Town to accept and expend any money from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for highway construction and/or maintenance, provided that no funds shall be expended to widen, or enter into a contract to widen, any town road unless the Board of Selectmen has held a public hearing advertised at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the proposed contract hearing, and further provided that such policy is consistent with state requirements or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Article 6: To see if the Town will vote to accept the provision of Section 4 of Chapter 73 of the Acts of 1986, as amended by Chapter 126 of the Acts of 1988, and in accordance therewith authorize a maximum additional exemption of up to 50 percent for taxpayers qualifying for exemption under Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 17D, 22, 37A, or 41C of the Massachusetts General Laws, or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Some discussion about the nature and mechanisms of such tax assistance for persons in need. Passed all but 1.
Article 7: To see if the Town will vote pursuant to G.L. c. 59 sec. 5, Clause 41A to reduce from 8% to 4% the rate of interest that accrues on property taxes deferred by eligible seniors under G.L. c. 59 s. 5, Clause 41A with such reduced rate to apply to taxes assessed for any fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2007, or take any other action relative thereto. Withdrawn- approved last year and no subsequent vote is needed.
Article 8: To see if the Town will authorize revolving funds for certain town departments pursuant to MGL 44, s. E ½ for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008 or take any other action relative thereto
Revolving Fund Authorization Revenue Source Use of Fund FY09
Fire Department Fire Chief Fire Inspection Inspections, $7,500
Permit Fees/fines supplies,
and required
professional
courses
Plumbing Inspector Plumbing Plumbing Inspections, $1,500
Inspector Inspection fees supplies, &
required
professional courses
Gas Inspector Gas Inspector Gas Inspection Fees Inspections, $1,500
supplies &
required
professional
courses
Wiring Inspector Wiring Inspector Wiring Inspection Inspections, $3,000
Fees supplies &
required
professional
courses
Building Inspector Building Inspector Building Inspections, $18,227
Inspection fees supplies&
and fines required
professional
courses
Zoning Board of Zoning Board of Application Administrative $1,000
Appeals Appeals & consultation costs including
Fees mailings and supplies
Moved and seconded. Brief discussion as to the nature of a revolving account. Passed unanimously.
Article 9: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Library Trustees to expend such monies as they may receive from the sale of discarded books, gifts, and bequests, and from the State and Federal governments or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Article 10: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Pelham Cultural Council to expend such monies as it may receive from the State and Federal governments, and from gifts and bequests or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Article 11: To see if the Town will vote pursuant to G.L> c.44, s5B to establish a special purpose stabilization fund to be known as the “Capital Equipment and Expenditures Stabilization Fund,” to be expended for the purposes of purchasing capital equipment for the Town, and to fund other necessary Capital Expenditures as needed, and further, to appropriate $200,000 to said fund, provided, however, that the vote taken hereunder shall be expressly contingent upon approval by the voters of a Proposition 2 ½, so called, override question, or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded.
Much discussion about the nature and mechanism of such a fund, the impact on the tax rate, capital planning and capital expenditures historically and, in general.
An Amendment to the Article was proposed: “All wording remain the same for the Article, though changing the appropriation figures from $200,000, as written, to $100,000 for the Capital Equipment and Expenditures Stabilization Fund.” Amendment Moved and seconded.
Discussion ensued regarding the amendment.
Amendment Fails to Pass by a Clear Majority Nay Vote.
A subsequent Amendment is offered : “Capital spending requests may only be funded if, after receiving a 2/3 affirmative vote a Town Meeting, they are individually approved by a majority affirmative vote in a town-wide ballot in the same year”. This Amendment is ruled out of order by the moderator; Town Counsel agrees with the Moderator’s ruling.
Standing vote on the original Article 11 (requires 2/3 affirmative for passage):
Aye 112 Nay 29. Passed by more than 2/3 majority.
Article 12: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Free Cash the sum of $8,000 to remove and dispose of the old furnace and purchase and install a new furnace at the Highway Garage, or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Brief discussion. Passed unanimously.
Article 13: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Free Cash the sum of $6,000 to repair plumbing on the fire department tanker truck, or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Brief discussion. Passed unanimously.
Article 14: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Free Cash or other available funds the sum of $6000 towards the purchase of new accounting software for use by the Collector/Treasurer’s office or taker any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Brief discussion. Passed unanimously.
Article 15: To see if the Town will vote, in accordance with G.L. c. 71 s 16B,to approve following the existing Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Agreement for allocating the total amount to be contributed by each member town of the District for Fiscal Year 2009 as required by Section VI of the Regional Agreement or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Article 16: To see if the Town will vote to approve an amendment to Section X of the Regional Agreement of the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District to shift the cost of providing transportation to elementary school students from the Regional budget of the Elementary school districts served or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Discussion. Passed unanimously.
Article 17: To see if the Town will vote to approve an amendment to Section X of the Regional Agreement of the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District to read ‘If the amount of unencumbered funds of the district at the end of any fiscal year exceeds 5.0 percent of the budgeted operating and capital costs for the succeeding fiscal year, an amount at least equal to the amount of such excess shall be applied by the committee to reduce the accounts certified to the Participating Towns for such succeeding fiscal year in accordance with Section VII or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Discussion. Passed unanimously.
Article 18: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Free Cash the sun of $3,698.00 for transfer to the school department for FY2009; this money representing Medicaid reimbursements for services provided by the school, or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Discussion. Passed unanimously.
Article 19: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Free Cash the sun of $1,000 to be set aside toward maintenance of the Historic Complex, or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Brief discussion. Passed unanimously.
Article 20: To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to accept and/or apply for any State or Federal funds or grants that may become available during Fiscal Year 2009 and to expend such funds in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof, provided that no funds shall be expended to widen, or to enter into a contract to widen, any town road unless the Board of Selectmen has held a public hearing advertised at least fourteen (14) days in advance with any proposed contract and/or plans for such road improvements being posted for public viewing prior to the public hearing and further provided that such policy is consistent with sate requirement or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Article 21: To see if the Town will appropriate from Free Cash the sum of $3,000 for payment to the author of a grant for the benefit of the Fire Department. Application is being made for $503,000 for a Rescue Pumper fire vehicle and $69,921 for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (Air Packs) or take any other action relative thereto.
Moved and seconded.
Discussion regarding the nature of the grant and the mechanism of funding for the author of the grant. Passed unanimously.
Article 22: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of $261,922.89 for payment of the Town’s (General Fund) indebtedness or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Brief discussion. Passed all but 1.
Article 23:To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Free Cash the sum of $8,500 toward procurement of an audit for FY2009 of the fiscal year 2008 or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Brief discussion. Passed unanimously.
Article 24: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Free Cash the sum of $250 to be set aside toward preservation of Town Clerk records or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Article 35: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Free Cash the sum $500 to defray the cost of consultants to the Board of Appeals or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Article 26: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from Free Cash the sum of $750 to defray the cost of consultants to the Planning Board or take any other action relative thereto. Moved and seconded. Passed unanimously.
Moment of silence in support of servicemen and women serving overseas and especially to those who have lost their lives is service.
Meeting adjourned: 12:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Lichtenberg
Town Clerk