LIVE COVERAGE: 2012 Annual Town Meeting Night 1

On Monday, May 7 Hopkinton will begin their annual town meeting at 7 p.m. in the Middle School auditorium. Join Hopkinton Patch for live updates from the meeting and your opportunity to ask the editor questions relative to the warrant articles.

Here is the full transcript of the event: 

7:06

Welcome to Hopkinton Patch's live coverage of the 2012 annual town meeting

I'm your editor and tonight's guide Sean O'Donnell. I'll be providing you with discussion topics, votes and maybe a few pictures as we go.

If you have any questions feel free to send them along and I'll do my best to answer them.

7:07

Moderator Bruce Karlin just said there is not yet a quorum, looks to be pretty close to me so expect the meeting to start shortly

Even though Hopkinton has a voting population of roughly 5000 only 100 voters are needed for town meeting.

7:11

"The hour, having arrived, and a quorum being present..."

7:17

"A good speaker makes his point with the fewest excess phrases" Karlin

7:20

Hmm, didn't know the town meeting warrant was supposed to be posted in every church in town. Must be an old blue law.

7:23

There was just a motion to move article 54 to the second position

this article was a citizens petition that was submitted by EMC to rezone an area of agricultural land to industrial for a parking lot.

7:24

Split oral vote for that. It's being counted now. Great way to start the meeting

7:27

Passes by good 94-62. Good ol' town meeting rules.

7:28

Muriel Kramer elected as deputy moderator

7:31

Article 1 unanimous

7:33

Article 54, motion to take no action. Speaker from EMC, Paul Fitzgerald, "We feel at this time that we want to remove the article that we placed on the warrant for possible future discussion." passes unanimously

7:36

Article 2 moved by Appropriations Committee Chairman Michael Manning, passes unanimously

7:37

Article 3, transfer of fund regarding wastewater treatment plan not coming online. One resident asking for full motions to be read and not moved "as written"

7:38

Article 3 passes

7:39

Article four "we move no action because basically there are no unpaid bills" -Manning

followed by applause and approval

7:40

Article four, clear majority approved

7:41

Oops, five was approved immediately after four, it created two revolving accounts.

7:43

Article 6, Town Clerk Ann Click is the only town official whose salary needs to be voted on every year. Approved at as written.

7:46

Article 7, town budget. presentation by Manning. $30,354,762 if approved

7:47

"The primary source of our revenues comes from real estate and personal property taxes" Manning

7:51

The budget is split in to two articles, 7 is general town 8 is schools. Schools make up 52 percent of total town budget

7:54

This year the operating budget tax impact will be 1.63 percent

7:57

If everything is passed this year it will be 2.36 percent net tax impact, $166 for the average household.

8:04

Ken Weismantel asking the difference between excess levy increase and capital outlay tax increase. Manning responded that levy increase is permanent outlay is one year only increase.

8:06

Jack Speranza just asked about legal fees which reached $185,000 this year. "Wouldn't the town be better served by having this service done in house?"

8:09

Discussions about capital exclusions continue. I'm amazed at how the moderator is able to recognize all the speakers by name.

8:11

Jean Bertschmann taking the mic to present the school's budget

Enrollment is down total by 55 students for the coming year. generally stays consistent.

The schools are asking for a 3.4 percent increase. The majority of the increase ($1M) is in payroll

8:22

Bertschmann now speaking to why building projects such as Elmwood Roof and Center windows are not on the warrant tonight "We felt that both of these articles should be talked about in light of the prioritization and therefore should be put off until a potential fall town meeting."

Also deferred by the School Committee, the center school planning and engineering study.

8:25

"Fees are part of how we maintain excellent services for students," Jonathan Landman, Superintendent of Schools.

8:29

Town budget passed (article 7) for $30,354,762

Now the school budget(Article 8) for $34,085,238

8:33

"In the current economic situation that we're facing they are a way to put the cost of certain programs directly on the user," Bertschmann

8:34

"Fees that are implemented are required to go directly to the program for which the are implemented. For Example athletic fees can't be used to pay for the Loop Road repairs," Bertschmann

8:36

School budget approved by a majority. Not unanimous but only a few against.

8:40

Article 9 - revolving accounts. basically a holding for when money isn't collected for a specific purpose. Approved.

8:41

Article 10 is "basically a formality" for accepting state highway funds. Approved

Only 47 Articles left.

8:44

Article 11 has some confusion. Motion document has raise and appropriate $20,00 and transfer $30,000 from free cash. The motion should read $130,00 transfer free cash.

8:45

Amendment from Dr. Duffy (didn't catch first name) to remove the raise and appropriate $20,000 therefore lowering the tax increase for the town by $20,000

8:46

Duffy's first name is John, former Selectman.

8:49

According to Interim Finance Director Suzanne Marchand the reason for the raise and appropriate $20,000 is to create a regular increase year to year.

9:00

Manning: by creating this stabilization accounts we are saving money. Given situation is that if the town currently need a fire truck we need to borrow the money for it and pay back with interest, Stabilization funds would allow us to use money the town has saved which would save us from paying back interest

9:03

Duffy's amendment passes137-58, now a vote will be held for the motion as amended.

9:03

Unanimously approved as amended

9:05

Article 12, Raise and appropriate $100,000 with the new addition to transfer $300,000 from free cash in to the general stabilization fund.

Another amendment by Duffy, in the same vein as the first. Remove the raise and appropriate portion.

9:07

Raised and appropriated means essentially increase taxes by and direct them toward

Raise and appropriate $100,000 for general stabilization would become tax $100,000 and put it in the general stabilization fund

9:11

Another counted vote, "You need to stretch your legs anyway, this is a lot of sitting" Karlin

9:14

123-62 amendment passes

9:15

An amendment only needs simple majority even though the main motion requires a 2/3 majority

9:16

Amended motion carries (transfer $300,000 from free cash to general stabilization)

9:18

Article 13, transfer $150,000 from free cash to post-employment benefits. basically health insurance for retirees that worked for the town.

9:19

Approved

9:21

Article 14, close the Drainage Improvement Fund (the work has been completed) and transfer the balance to the Sale of Lots where it initially originated from.

The drainage fund was set up to improve drainage at Mount Auburn Cemetery. Roughly $5,000 is remaining.

The money is not taxpayer funding but if this transfer is not made it will go in to the general fund with taxpayer money.

9:21

Article 14 approved unanimously

9:22

Article 15, transfer money from sale of burial lots to tear down a building in the cemetery and create more burial plots. Approved

9:25

Article 16, transfer $12,000 from free cash to pay for street development and acceptance.

The town won a lawsuit against the developer of Heathstone Road and Carriage Hill Road (developer went bankrupt) which went in to free cash, this is to complete the work of that developer.

Approved.

9:27

Article 17, $11,000 from free cash for fire personnel safety equipment. Approved

9:27

Article 18, replace a generator at the Woodville, Wood Street fire station. $15,000 from free cash.

Approved

9:29

Article 19, a property tax exemption for seniors was just approved.

9:31

Article 20, Transfer $703,510.00 from free cash for police cruisers.

9:34

Also included in Article 20, dump truck for the schools, emergency lighting for the schools, new DPW dump truck, New DPW tractor, new DPW mower, new police cruiser, new IT at the schools, town hall and public safety departments

9:49

Discussions continue on this article 20. Explanations about the IT improvements would create easier maintenance around the town, increased wireless capacity in town and school buildings and new computers in town and school administrative offices.

Also major talks about the emergency lighting for the schools which would alert students in loud areas that a major safety announcement is being made.

9:55

A few people have concerns about the conceptually use of free cash to pay for things as opposed to saving the money

9:57

A vote on all items except the school IT article was approved. that item was pulled off and is being discussed separately.

9:58

Town Manager Norman Khumalo says that this is an increased expenditure of $300,00 this year to combine the IT of the schools and the town to help save money in the future.

10:00

One hour left tonight. Whatever article is being examined at 11 p.m. will be the last of the night. Continuation will be tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

10:01

The IT article carries after being separated from the rest of Article 20

10:03

Article 21, raise and appropriate $170,000 to solve a problem where a resident of Hayward Street is getting flooded because of previous work in the area by the town.

Cynthia Estimer (spelling unsure) is the homeowner, "we have substantial damage to the foundation and our yard etc."

10:11

Not raise and appropriate. My mistake, appropriate through borrowing for that article. It was just approved

10:18

Article 22, repairs to the basement of Town Hall and put in a new barrier to prevent flooding of the basement.

10:22

Approved

10:23

Article 23, borrow and appropriate $50,000 to engineer a parking lot behind Bill's Pizza

10:25

"Essentially this improvement was en extension of the downtown committees to address some of the parking challenges in the downtown area," Ken Driscoll DISC member

10:38

Several voters have voiced concerns that the town does not own the parking lot, to which Town Manager Khumalo said there is a plan for a long term lease.

10:44

Very few people speak throughout the course of the night about various issues. I think tomorrow night I'm going to keep a tally of the number of speakers and how often they speak. I will not include public officials speaking as a part of their role.

10:50

This parking lot brings together a lot of different aspects of downtown. More parking for businesses, more parking for the Town Hall and Library, Parking near the Town Common and Center School. Drainage from the parking lot and lighting requirements which are not met but are grandfathered in.

10:59

Brian Herr just moved the question, ending debate. Herr's question was approved now there will be a vote about warrant article 23

11:01

Not looking like this will get the two-thirds needed

11:03

The vote failed with 74 yes, 80 no. The meeting will be adjourned for tonight. Tomorrow night we will re-adjourn at 7