Will Free Full Day Kindergarten Be Decided Monday Night?

Patch File Photo

TEWKSBURY, MA - Tewksbury’s Annual Town Meeting begins Monday, May 2 at 8 p.m. at Tewksbury Memorial High School. Annual Town Meeting will reconvene to address zoning articles on the warrant on Wednesday night May 4 at 8 p.m.

There are 35 articles on the Annual Town Meeting warrant including the overall town budget, in Article 4, which includes funding free full day kindergarten in town.

Last year, plans to develop a free full day kindergarten program for Tewksbury students fell short after budget concerns put that plan on hold.

Other articles being taken up by Town Meeting Monday night include:

• Article 9: Approval to fund a Senior Tax Relief Program/Veterans Tax Relief Program that would allow eligible senior citizens and veterans in town to work for town and school offices and receive a reduction in their property tax bill.

• Article 13: Authorizing the establishment of a Cable Television Public Access Enterprise Fund, for the revenues and expenditures of all operations and activities for Cable Access Television.

• Article 19: Appropriate and transferring funds from the Tewksbury Community Preservation fund Open Space Reserve for a Bay Circuit Trail Wetland Boardwalk. This would allow for the completion of three wetland boardwalks on town-owned open space to provide the connection of seven miles of walkable trails on the Bay Circuit Trail running north to south in the town, connecting the trail with Andover and Billerica’s existing trail. Funds will also allow for two kiosks along the trail with information about the trail’s location and history. The boardwalks will be constructed by volunteers such as scouts and trail users.

• Article 20: Appropriating and transferring funds for Long Pond quality improvements. These funds would be used to restore Long Pond’s water quality so it can be used for recreational purposes. A recent water quality report revealed the pond is not suitable for recreational activities, such as boating, due to bacteria levels. Funds would be used to chemically treat the pond to correct the nutrient and algae levels, for aquatic plant management and to investigate remedies for the pond’s long-term health.

• Article 31: An approved amendment to the town’s zoning bylaw and zoning map would create a new zoning overlay district along East Street, which includes a plan to relocate the Pike House.

View the full Tewksbury Annual Town Meeting Warrant here >>>