Voters Approve Police Increase, Trails: Westborough Special TM

WESTBOROUGH, MA—Westborough town meeting members voted to transfer money to maintain the old Westborough State Hospital grounds, approve overtime pay for DPW workers, increase the police department budget, increasing Youth Services budget, maintaining Sandra Pond dam and constructing new trails.

Town meeting members voted on 41 articles at the Special Town Meeting on Monday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. at the Westborough High School Gym, passing 40 of them and passing over one.

Here's how the votes went for each article:

ARTICLE 1: Non-Union Compensation Study Funding (Assistant Town Manager)

To see if the town will raise and appropriate the sum of $38,000 in addition to the FY19 Town Budget for the purpose of funding the non-union compensation study. Passes 163 to 21.

ARTICLE 2: Town Manager Recruitment (Board of Selectmen)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate the sum of Twenty Thousand dollars ($20,000) or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purposes of paying the costs associated with recruiting a Town Manager, or take any other action thereon. Passes 165 to to 35.

ARTICLE 3: State Hospital Maintenance (Town Manager)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate $10,000 or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purposes of paying maintenance costs at the State Hospital, or take any other action thereon. Passes 187 to 12.

ARTICLE 4: Highway Department Overtime (DPW Director)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate $30,000 to the Highway Department Salaries/Wages Account or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purposes of paying overtime costs in the Public Works Department, or take any other action thereon. Passes 169 to 25.

ARTICLE 5: Building Department Budget (Town Manager)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the Building Department Expenses Account to the Building Department Salary/Wage Account $45,590 or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purpose of paying the salary for the Electrical Inspector position, or take any other action thereon. Passes 170 to 21.

ARTICLE 6: Council on Aging Budget (Town Manager)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the Council on Aging Expenses Account to the Council on Aging Salary/Wage Account the sum of Thirty Three Thousand Two Hundred Six dollars ($33,206) or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve and to raise and appropriate the sum of Five Thousand Two Hundred dollars ($5,200) for the purpose of paying the salary for the Council on Aging employees, or take any other action thereon. Passes 179 to 24.

ARTICLE 7: Police Department Budget (Police Chief)

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Two Hundred Twenty Eight Thousand Seven Hundred Sixty Seven Dollars ($228,767) or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve to increase the FY2019 Police Department Salary/Wages and Sixty Eight Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety Five dollars ($68,795) to increase the FY2019 Police Department Expenses Account for the purpose of funding additional police positions, overtime and other expenses, or to take any other action thereon. Passes 189 to 24.

ARTICLE 8: Police Department Operations and Staffing Study (Police Chief)

To see if the Town will vote to expand Article 20 of the October 2017 Town Meeting to include Police Department operations and staffing for the purpose of undertaking a police services operations, staffing and data analysis study, or to take any other action thereon. Passes 197 to 17.

ARTICLE 9: Police Department Time Owed Payback (Police Chief)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate the sum of Thirty Two Thousand Five Hundred and Fifty dollars ($32,550) to the Police Department Salaries/Wages Account or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purpose of paying the costs of compensatory time, vacation time and personal time due to retiring police officers, or to take any other action thereon. Passes 193 to 21.

ARTICLE 10: Youth and Family Services Budget (Youth and Family Services Director)

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Eighteen Thousand Seventy Five Dollars ($18,075), or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve to increase the FY2019 Youth and Family Services Salary/Wages for the purpose of increasing staff hours, or take any other action thereon. Passes 188 to 25.

ARTICLE 11: Upper and Lower Sandra Pond Dam Maintenance (Conservation/DPW)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash the sum of Twenty Seven Thousand Three Hundred Ninety Four Dollars ($27,394), or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve to for the purpose of improving the Upper and Lower Sandra Pond Dams, or take any other action thereon. Passes 199 to 7.

ARTICLE 12: ADA Self Evaluation and Transition Plan (Assistant Town Manager)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate $50,000 or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purpose of undertaking the mandatory ADA Self Evaluation and Transition Plan, or take any other action thereon. Passes 188 to 10.

ARTICLE 13: ADA Compliance at Recreation Areas (Conservation/Recreation)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate the sum of Sixty Eight Thousand Six Hundred Eighty Eight Dollars ($68,688), or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purpose of creating handicapped parking and handicapped access at the Town’s recreational areas, or take any other action thereon. Passes 186 to 18.

ARTICLE 14: Charter Review Committee Clerical (Charter Review Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate the sum of Three Thousand Five Hundred dollars ($3,500) or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purposes of paying wages for a Board Secretary for the Charter Review Committee, or take any other action thereon. Passes 187 to 17.

ARTICLE 15: Economic Development Committee Grant Program (Economic Development Committee/Coordinator)

To see if the Town will vote to authorize the establishment of a revolving fund pursuant to Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 44, Section 53E½ for the purpose of receiving and expending funds for paying for a small business grant program to assist small businesses seeking to locate in Westborough. Receipts from billboard advertising fees shall be deposited into this revolving fund, and expenditures, not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for FY2019 may be made by the Economic Development Committee and further to amend Article 15 of the General Bylaws. Passes 179 to 17.

ARTICLE 16: Appropriation of Transportation Infrastructure Fund (DPW)

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Five Thousand Two Hundred Seventy Seven and 40/100 Dollars ($5,277.40) or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve, from the Receipts Reserve Account for the purpose of adjusting manhole covers on West Main Street, or take any other action thereon. Passes 194 to 7.

ARTICLE 17: Trail Construction Sassacus Drive to Meadow Road (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate Fifty Six Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety Four ($56,994) Dollars or other such amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purpose of constructing the BWALT multi-use trail from Sassacus Drive to Meadow Road or take any other action thereon. Passes 146 to 58.

ARTICLE 18: Easement Surveying and Trail Design (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate Thirty Thousand ($30,000) Dollars or other such amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purpose of completing needed land surveys and design work on the BWALT multi-use trail or take any other action thereon. Passes 141 to 41.

ARTICLE 19: Trail Easements (Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectman to acquire, by purchase, gift and/or eminent domain, for public trail purposes, permanent easements for the trail in, on or under multiple parcels of land. Motion to remove "eminent domain" and keep purchase and gift is defeated 110 to 81. Adding the word "friendly" carries 128 to 60. Main motion to add the word "friendly" before "eminent domain" passes 143 to 45.

ARTICLE 20: Prior Year Bill (Country Club Operating Committee)

To see if the town will vote to transfer and appropriate from the Country Club Retained Earnings the sum of One Thousand Seventy Four and 72/100 dollars ($1074.72) or such other sum as Town Meeting may approve for the purpose of paying bills from FY18, or take any other action thereon. Passes 126 to 8.

ARTICLE 21: Amend FY19 Country Club Budget (Country Club Operating Committee)

To see if the town will vote to increase the FY19 Country Club expense budget approved by the March, 2018 Annual Town Meeting by $44,300 or such other sum as Town Meeting may approve to purchase supplies, increase marketing, and fund the Superintendent’s contract making the total expense budget $466,000 and to transfer and appropriate from the Country Club Retained Earnings the sum of Sixty Four Thousand Three Hundred dollars ($64,300) for the purpose of this Article, or take any other action thereon. Passes 123 to 10.

ARTICLE 22: Country Club Enhancements (Country Club Operating Committee)

To see if the town will vote to transfer and appropriate from the Country Club Retained Earnings the sum of Sixty Four Hundred dollars ($6,400) or such other sum as Town Meeting may approve to fund improvements at the Westborough Country Club golf course including, but not limited to, a security system and point-of-sale transaction equipment and software, and that any unexpended balance be returned to said reserve account, or take any other action thereon. Passes 120 to 10.

ARTICLE 23: Property Appraisal (Board of Selectmen)

To see if the town will vote to transfer and appropriate from Free Cash the sum of Twenty Five Thousand dollars ($25,000) or such other sum as Town Meeting may approve to fund a property appraisal for 31-33 Eli Whitney Street, or take any other action thereon. Passes 119 to 18.

ARTICLE 24: Country Club Electrical (Building and Grounds Department)

To see if the town will vote to transfer and appropriate from Free Cash the sum of Nine Thousand Six Hundred Dollars ($9,600) or such other sum as Town Meeting may approve to fund electrical system upgrades to the building at the Country Club, or take any other action thereon. Passes 121 to 8.

ARTICLE 25: Rescinding Excess Debt Authorization (Municipal Building Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to rescind the excess borrowing authorization in the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000), previously authorized by the Town under Article 2 of the 2012 Special Town Meeting for the purpose of building a new Fire Station; or to take any other action relative thereon. Passed 124 to 1.

ARTICLE 26: Forbes Municipal Building Increased Debt Authorization (Municipal Building Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000), in addition to the $15,000,000 previously appropriated by the Town for this purpose, to pay additional costs of renovation of the Forbes Municipal Building, and for the payment of all costs incidental and related thereto, and to determine whether this amount shall be raised by taxation, transfer from available funds, borrowing or otherwise; or to take any other action relative thereon. Passes 118 to 8.

ARTICLE 27: Transfer of Funds to the Fales MSBA Schematic Design Phase of the Project (School Building Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to reallocate a portion of the funds authorized for the construction of the Pre-K wing at Hastings School (Article 5 of the Fall of 2017 Special Town Meeting) and for the construction of the Armstrong School modular classroom replacement project (Article 20 of the 2018 Annual Town Meeting). Funds to be reallocated are $228,000 from Hastings Contingency Account and $150,000 from the Armstrong Contingency Account for the purpose of transferring these funds to increase the funds voted for the Fales School MSBA Schematic Design phase of the project, or take any other action relative thereto. Passes 103 to 11.

ARTICLE 28: Transfer of Remaining Gibbons School, Armstrong School, and Hastings PreK Project Funds to the MSBA Design Phase of the Hastings School Accelerated Repair Project (School Building Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to amend the debt authorization provided in Article 10 of the 2015 Town Meeting (Gibbons School Building Renovation), in the amount of $480,000 and further to reallocate surplus funds from the Armstrong Four Classroom Replacement Project (approximately $63,000) and for the Hastings Pre-K Building Project (approximately $372,000), to pay costs of the MSBA Design Phase of the Hastings School Accelerated Repair Project, or such additional transfer of funds as may be voted by Town Meeting or to take any other action relative thereto. Passes 99 to 9.

ARTICLE 29: Upper Parking Lot Guardrail and Front Sidewalk Replacement at High School (School Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to reallocate surplus funds in the amount of $111,944 from Article 21 of the 2018 Town Meeting (High School Security System) and further to amend the debt authorization in the amount of $120,056 from Article 10 of the 2015 Town Meeting (Gibbons School Building Renovation) for the purpose of replacing the guardrail in the upper parking lot and replacing the front entrance concrete sidewalk at the High School or take any other action relative thereto. The total amount required is $232,000. Passes 92 to 11.

ARTICLE 30: Town Sewer System Amendment (DPW Director/Town Engineer)

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate $1,200,000 to pay additional costs for the repair, replacement and upgrade of the Banyan and Cumberland Sewer Pump Stations, which amount shall be expended in addition to the $2,000,000 previously appropriated from sewer retained earnings for this purpose; to determine whether this amount shall be raised by transfer from available funds, borrowing or otherwise provided; or take any other action thereon. Passes 54 to 0.

ARTICLE 31: Town Sewer System (DPW Director/Town Engineer)

To see if the Town will vote to borrow, pursuant to any applicable statute, the sum of Two Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,100,000), or such other amount as the Town meeting may approve to pay costs of rehabilitating the Sewer Interceptor, including the acquisition of any easements necessary therewith; and for the payment of all costs incidental and related thereto, or to take any other action thereon. Passes 63 to 1.

ARTICLE 32: Town Water System (DPW Director/Town Engineer)

To see if the Town will vote to borrow pursuant to any applicable statute the sum of Six Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($6,800,000), or such other amount as the Town Meeting may approve to pay costs of rehabilitating and up-grading the Fisher Street Water Purification Facility, and for the payment of all costs incidental and related thereto, or to take any other action thereon. Passes 67 to 2.

ARTICLE 33: Charter Amendment (Board of Selectmen)

To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to petition the General Court for special legislation to amend the Town Charter, Article 4-2(b) such that the paragraph: "As the chief administrative officer of the Town, the Town Manager shall appoint, for fixed overlapping terms, the members of the Board of Assessors, the Board of Health and the Municipal Building Committee." is replaced with the paragraph: "As the chief administrative officer of the Town, the Town Manager shall appoint with the concurrence of the Board of Selectmen, for fixed overlapping terms, the members of the Board of Assessors, the Board of Health and the Municipal Building Committee."; or take any other action thereon. Voted to pass over article 65 to 2.

ARTICLE 34: General Bylaw Residency Requirement Amendment (Town Manager)

To see if the Town will amend the General Bylaws by amending Article 13 – Residency Requirement for Appointment with the underlined wording so that it reads:

“Any applicant for appointment to a regular Town body (such as a committee, board, commission, or authority) must be a resident of the Town of Westborough to be eligible for appointment unless the Town Meeting, General Bylaws, Town Charter, Board of Selectmen or State Law indicate that non-residents may serve on said committee, board, commission or authority. If a member is no longer a resident of the Town, that individual shall be deemed to have vacated the position. Non-residency may be indicated by removal from the voter list, by a census update or by other means.” Passes 75 to 4.

ARTICLE 35: General Bylaw Amendment – Sandra Pond Reservoir Regulations (Town Manager)

To see if the Town will vote to amend the General Bylaws, Article 29, Section 10 (A) by replacing this section as follows: Section 10

(A) Fishing is allowed by Westborough residents only who possess a valid Massachusetts Fishing License and a Sandra Pond Fishing Permit (or Stamp) as issued by the Town Clerk. All license-holders must comply with the fishing laws as defined in MGL Chapter 131 and all applicable Sections.

Town Manager’s Statement – This Article seeks to clarify that only Westborough residents who possess a valid Massachusetts Fishing License will be issued a Sandra Pond Fishing Permit by the Town Clerk. The Town Clerk has been challenged on this in the past. The motion for this Article requires a simple majority vote. Passes 68 to 4.

ARTICLE 36: Amend Zoning Bylaw, Section 5400 (Planning Board)

To see if the Town will vote to amend its Zoning Bylaws and Zoning Map, as substantially on file with the Town Clerk, by amending the Zoning Classification for the portions of the Parcels listed. Passes 71 to 1.

ARTICLE 37: Amend Zoning Bylaws, Section 2520 (Planning Board)

To see if the Town will vote to amend its Zoning Bylaws, Article 2 District Regulations, Section 2520. CHANGING NONCONFORMING LOT DIMENSIONS by adding the following new language at the end of the section: For lots which are currently owned by the Town, or are in an M-1 zone, the Town shall be allowed to seek relief from the Zoning Board of Appeals for lot size, setbacks and parking requirements, and/or from any other applicable provisions of this Bylaw. Provided that the ZBA finds that the requested relief is consistent with the intent and purpose of this Bylaw. Passes 73 to 3.

ARTICLE 38: Zoning Bylaw Amendment Section 2600 (Planning Board)

To see if the Town will vote to establish the dimensional regulations, as required under Article 2, District Regulations, Section 2600, Dimensional Schedule, Subsection 2630, Building in M-1 District (M-1), of the Westborough Zoning Bylaws for the Town-owned property located at 111 East Main Street, Hastings Elementary School, further identified on the Westborough Assessor’s Map 28, Parcel 151, for the property as shown on a plan entitled “Hastings Elementary School and Westborough Pre-K Center, 111 East Main Street, Westborough, Massachusetts, Site Plan“ Sheet C1.3. The purpose of establishing these regulations is to allow the construction of a new mechanical room and associated site work within the delineated Limits of Work as shown on the plans referenced above. The dimensional regulations for this portion of the property shall be as follows: Minimum Front Yard = 0’; Minimum Side Yard = 0’; Minimum Rear Yard = 0’; Maximum Structure Height = 25 feet; Or take any action thereon. Passes 68 to 2.

ARTICLE 39: Authorization of Land Swap – 3 Stone Hill Road (Conservation)

To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to grant and convey a parcel of land shown as “Lot #80-1,’” containing 2,600 square feet, more or less, as shown on a plan entitled “Plan of Land in Westborough, Massachusetts,” dated June 4, 2018, prepared by Guerard Survey Co. & Assoc. Inc., as may be amended, said plan on file with the Town Clerk, to the owner of the property known as 3 Stone Hill Road, and, in consideration for and in exchange for said grant and conveyance, the owner of 3 Stone Hill Road shall grant and convey to the Town a parcel of land shown as “Lot #80-2,’” containing 2,600 square feet, more or less, as shown on the aforesaid plan; and, further, to authorize the Board of Selectmen to accept said parcel on such terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen deems appropriate, and to enter into such agreements and execute such instruments to effectuate the transaction subject of this vote; or take any other action relative thereon. Passes 72 to 2.

ARTICLE 40: Zoning Setback for Fales Elementary School (School Building Committee)

To see if the Town will vote to establish the dimensional regulations, as required under Article 2, District Regulations, Section 2600, Dimensional Schedule, Subsection 2630, Building in M-1 District (M-1), of the Westborough Zoning Bylaws for the Town-owned property located at 50 Eli Whitney Street, Fales Elementary School , further identified on the Westborough Assessor’s Map 9, Parcel 88, for the property as shown on a plan entitled "Fales Elementary School Zoning Site Plan" dated September 14, 2018. The purpose of establishing these regulations is to allow the future reconstruction of the Fales School and to provide zoning authorization in advance to the MSBA in order to continue the design phase of the project. Passes 68 to 4.

ARTICLE 41: DPW HVAC Improvements (Buildings/Grounds & DPW Director)

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from free cash and appropriate the sum of Thirty Six Thousand Three dollars ($36,003) or such other amount as Town Meeting may approve for the purposes of paying to replace the existing HVAC system at the DPW Office Building and adding a Building Management System (BMS), or take any other action thereon. Passes 69 to 2.

Photo Credit: Charlene Arsenault