Westport in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Quick Article Index . . .
Town voters approve $30.3 million
FY 2012 budget, $1.4 million debt exclusion.
|
Town voters
approve $30.3 million FY 2012 budget, $1.4 million debt exclusion. Article 30 is a perfect example of why town By-Laws
should not be crafted at Town Meeting.
More. EverythingWestport.com Wednesday, May 25, 2011 Tuesday night.
419 Westport town voters (that's right,
just 419) took a little less than 2 minutes to approve a $30+ million dollar
FY 2012 budget, and over 40 minutes to change one word in another article
before approving it. Although not a historical low (292
town voters showed up the first night of the 2009 Annual Town Meeting
according to Town Clerk Marlene Samson) the turnout was dismal when you
consider a $1.4 million debt exclusion article was up for grabs. Welcome to Westport's annual Town
Meeting. Big winners in the opening volley:
after eight years Highway Surveyor Harold "Jack" Sisson (pictured
above) moved one step closer to realizing his dream of new rides for his guys
as voters approved $900,000 for fresh equipment. And School Superintendent Dr. Carlos
Colley gets to keep the lights on with $500,000, both part of an approved
debt exclusion of $1.4 million after impassioned pleas by both men. Next up -
the ballot box. Both men received a round of applause
from the voters. Moderator Steven Fors
efficiently moved the meeting along, dispatching 33 articles out of 52,
despite confusing amendments to amendments to amendments, before ringing the closing
bell at 10 p.m..
Left: Moderator Steve Fors had the meeting
well in hand. Right: School Committee member
Michelle Duarte makes her motion. But before the town could zipper up
its pockets, School Committee member Michelle Duarte quickly asked voters to raise the
school budget from $14,960,085 to $15,110,085, getting a cool $150,000 without
any discussion that will help avoid further cuts of staff members and
administrators similar to last year, and to fund language-based classrooms. And the night
wasn't over yet. Highway Surveyor Sisson, questioning why his supposedly level-funded
budget was $21,000 less than last year, also got voters to bump it back to
$647,646. All in all a good night for town
departments.
Left: Finance Committee member Buzzy Baron
makes a pitch on the very complex Article 26. Right: School Superintendent Dr. Carlos
Colley presented his reasons for the schools' debt exclusion article, and won
the day. Electronic Annual Reports a sign of the times? Claude Ledoux
rose to address why the town couldn't afford to print the Annual Report. "It has historical significance,"
Ledoux said, "and previous reports from
earlier times have greatly assisted historical research." He proposed
increasing the budget from $250 to $1350 to print copies for distribution. The motion was defeated. Advocates for
a paperless environment said the report can be obtained on-line at the town's
website, and could be printed at the Town Hall for those who wished a copy. In hind sight, Article 30 is a perfect example of why
town By-Laws and Regulations should not be crafted at Town Meeting. This proposed Article is very well
intended and purports to address serious criminal issues of our time - the
theft of valuable metals for sale to junk collectors and scrap yards. But like many good intentions it may
have gone awry. Voters turned against the proposed collection of social
security numbers like a pack of junk yard dogs. "It invites identity
theft" they said. Town Counsel David Jenkins concurred saying it was his
belief it's against federal law. After 40 minutes of back and forth's,
and amendments to amendments, it became confusingly clear this Article may be
too broad and maybe too burdensome for area businesses or dealers in the
business of buying questionable items to implement. It may be difficult even
to identify which categories of businesses fall under the proposed By-Law and
Regulation. It clearly needs to be
reworked, but not at town meeting. Does Westport have any pawnbrokers? Oh how troublesome one phrase can be. Nevertheless the article was unanimously
supported by the Finance Committee, and was approved by Town Meeting voters.
We have not heard the last of this article.
Left: Denise Bouchard, BOS secretary, explains the town's position on
printing annual reports. Left: Claude Ledoux
questions the town's position on printing annual reports. Summary. Click
here to review the complete Warrant. Click
here to review Page 1 of the Fiscal 2012
Town Budget. Click
here to review Page 2 of the Fiscal 2012
Town Budget. Article 1 - Passed
over. Article 2 -
Elected Town Officers salaries carried unanimously. Town resident Claude Ledoux proposed equalizing the pay of certain board members to $3,600 a
year, a dramatic cut, but failed to get a second on his motion. Article 3 - The Finance
Committee voted 6-2 to recommend. The town budget passed almost unanimously
with little discussion and with increased levels as described above. Articles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,
and 17 known as "consent
calendar" articles were unanimously approved. These articles on the Town
Warrant that are legally necessary, but are generally routine and
non-controversial, and they are usually passed unanimously. Article 18 -
$125,000 in funds to operate the Harbor Enterprise was recommended unanimously
by the Finance Committee and carried unanimously by voters. Article 19 - $130,000
in funds to operate the Waterline Enterprise was recommended unanimously by
the Finance Committee and carried unanimously by voters. Article 20 - Passed
over. Article 21 - Funds ($10,000)
for environmental maintenance work at Westport Town Hall (asbestos tile
removal) carried unamiously. Article 22 - CPC appropriations
for FY 2012 totaling $388,263 accepted by unanimous vote.
Left: town meeting voters, led by Timothy Field line up to question
Article 30. Right: Town Administrator
Michael Coughlin listens to Town Meeting debate his duties. Article 23 - Passed
over. Article 24 - $1.4
million debt exclusion of $900,000 for the Highway Department and $500,000
for the School Department. Received a clear 2/3 majority and was approved
after well-prepared presentations by Highway Surveyor Jack Sisson and School Superintendent
Dr. Carlos Colley. Article 25 - Bowing
to abutter pressure and concerns over water and sewer issues, the Affordable
Housing Trust passed over this article. It requested transfer of the
so-called School Street property from the Board of Selectmen to the Westport
Affordable Housing Trust. "We need to do a little more work to address
these concerns," Westport Affordable Housing Trust member Elaine Ostroff
said. Article 26 - This
article, difficult for most laymen to understand or comprehend, states " the Town shall require that all retirees, their spouses
and dependents who are enrolled in Medicare Part A at no cost to a retiree,
their spouse or dependents, or eligible for coverage thereunder
at no cost to a retiree, their spouse or dependents, be required to enroll in
a Medicare health benefits supplement plan offered by the Town" Finance Committee member Buzzy Baron gave an excellent present on a very complex
subject. The Finance Committee was unanimous
in its recommendation, and the article was carried. Article 27 - The
town was authorized by a unanimous town meeting vote to lease the land on
Sanford Road for up to 20 years to be used for a soccer field and arena. Article 28 - The
"brunch liquor" article to allow the sale of on-premises alcoholic
beverages from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Sundays was approved by town voters. It was
recommended unanimously by the Finance Committee. Article 29 - The
town amended its By-Laws and regulations to transfer licensing and
application thereof of Class III Motor Vehicle Junk Yards from the Town Clerk
to the Board of Selectmen. Article 30 - This
four-page article, unanimously recommended
by the Finance Committee, was eventually carried after it was amended to
remove the recording of a social security number of a person who was selling
articles to pawn brokers, junk collectors, or antique shops. This by-law is
sure to be revisited in the future. Article 31 -
Carried. Article 32 - This article outlining Town Administrator
qualifications and duties among other things, originally spawned from the work
of the AdHoc Committee On Westport Town Government
Structure and sponsored by the
Board of Selectmen, was not recommended by the Finance Committee, and was
defeated by Town Meeting voters. Article 33 - This mammoth
nine-page article addressing Illicit Discharge was passed over by the Planning
Board. Total attendance by precinct for Tuesday night:
From the left: Bernadette of the Town Clerk's office, Town Counsel
David Jenkins and Town Clerk Marlene Samson huddle into conference. - - - - - End - - - - - ©
2011 Community Events of Westport
Some rights reserved. EverythingWestport.com |
