Town Meeting Picks Up Tonight With Article 19

The end of April Vacation means not only are students going back to classes, but Wellesley Town Meeting is returning to finish the warrant. 

The current tally stands at 19 articles out of the 45 posted on the warrant. Here is a recap of Town Meeting's progress on each of those matters: 

• Article 1 - Select a Town Meeting moderator, collect reports from various boards, and honor those who have passed since the previous town meeting. No action needed.
• Article 2 - Receive the Town-wide Financial Plan report from the Board of Selectmen and others. Unanimously approved.
• Article 3 - Update the town bylaws related to job classifications. Unanimously approved.
• Article 4 - Adjust the salary plan and approve collective bargaining with the police superior officers. Approved, with a handful of "no" votes.
  
• Article 5 - Adjust the salary of the Town Clerk by two percent. Approved, with a handful of "no" votes.
• Article 6 - Increase the cost of living adjustments (COLA) base for retirement plans in town. Approved, with a handful of "no" votes.
• Article 7 - Approve fund transfers and appropriate some funds for topics like snow and ice removal, facilities management and past business. Unanimously approved.
• Article 8 - . Passed with a handful of no votes.
• Article 9 - Stabilization fund. No action needed.
• Article 10 - Wellesley Municipal Light Plant appropriations. Unanimously approved.
• Article 11 - Wellesley Department of Public works water fund. Unanimously approved.
• Article 12 - Wellesley Department of Public works sewer fund. Unanimously approved.
• Article 13 - Appropriations for a revolving fund. Unanimously approved.
• Article 14 - Appropriate over $960,000 for repairs to the Department of Public Works building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Unanimously approved.
• Article 15 - Appropriate money for repairs to the Wales Street Bridge. Unanimously approved.
• Article 16 - Funds for 900 Washington Street. No motions. 
• Article 17 - Capital improvements for school and town buildings. Approved with a handful of "no" votes. 
• Article 18 - Tolles Parson Center design appropriation. Ballot vote: yes, 78 percent.
  

Town Meeting Moderator Margaret Ann Metzger also reported that several of the articles required no motions: Articles 1, 9, 16, 21, and 36 through 44. 

Night four of Wellesley Town Meeting brought another several articles to a close. The first and second nights of Town Meeting completed discussion of the first 14 warrant articles, and night three finished brought the total to 17.

See the full results on the Scorecard at the Town Meeting Moderator's page.

the next session of Town Meeting will be April 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the Wellesley High School's Katherine Babson auditorium, due to April Vacation. If another night of Town Meeting is needed, it will take place on April 23.

The meeting will also be broadcast on The Wellesley Channel, and streaming on their website.