Burlington January 2021 Town Meeting Warrant Preview

BURLINGTON, MA — Burlington's town meeting members will vote Monday on 14 warrant articles including three renaming the Board of Selectmen, several fund transfers, a proposed Associate Director of Public Health position and more.

The meeting will be 7:30 p.m. Monday, in person at Burlington High School and virtually through the Webex video call service.

The following warrant articles are on the agenda:

• Articles 2, 12 and 13: Votes to change the Board of Selectmen to the gender neutral Select Board. This measure, approved by the Board itself in Nov., will also require state approval.
  
• Article 3: Minor housekeeping changes to the zoning bylaws
  
• Article 4: Allocate $40,000 in funding for a new Associate Director of Public Health position, due to the demands placed on the Board of Health by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, including vaccine administration.
  
• Article 5: An annual transfer from free cash to the Reserve Fund, adding $100,000 to top the balance up to $300,000.
  
• Article 6: Transfers $55,000 from 2018 and 2019 rideshare fees to the town's subsidized rideshare program which replaced the B-Line.
  
• Article 7: Transfers $543,000 from free cash to the Water Stabilization Fund, an annual transfer needed to direct water revenue to water-related expenses.
  
• Article 8: Appropriates $9.9 million through the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority loan program for the next phase of the town's connection to the authority. The money would go toward the $4.6 million MWRA entrance fee and the $8.8 million connection along North and Lowell from Adams Street to Maple Street in Lexington, for an estimated cost of $8.8 million. The town received a $3.5 million state grant to cover the remainder of that cost.
  
• Article 9: Funds a coronavirus testing program under the direction of the School Committee. Amount to be determined.
  
• Article 10: Adds to the school budget to cover transportation costs related to schedule changes. Amount to be determined.
  
• Article 11: Transfers two Dartmouth Road parcels to adjoining property owners.
  
• Article 14: Amends the town's stormwater bylaws to conform to a new federal/state storm system permit.
  
• Article 15: Codifies 7 a.m. as the start time for curbside trash pickup. This is already the time in the town's trash pickup contracts, but sometimes trucks come early.

The town meeting warrant and backup materials are available here. Town meeting will be viewable on BCAT's Youtube channel.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.