By Scott MacKeen
Contributor
5/22/08
After three nights of debating overrides and budgets at Town Meeting last week, it took just the May 12 and 13 sessions to decide most of the other 51 articles in the warrant.
Town Meeting voted on May 8 to reject an override for FY 09, but ongoing budget concerns spilled over into the May 12 meeting. Attempts to reconsider previous budget articles were voted down at this meeting.
Town Meeting then moved on to the series of articles that remained, including many town appropriations, a bylaw allowing self-serve gas pumps, two citizen petitions and a decades-old agreement with Canton regarding water supply and pipelines.
Canton Agreement
Members voted to authorize the modification or outright termination of a 1953 agreement between Milton and Canton relating to water supply. Under the current agreement, the town supplies water to Canton’s Blue Hill Street, parts of Royall Street, Washington Street and Green Street. Canton pays Milton for the water at the rate charged by the MWRA plus 10 percent, but Milton consumers pay more. Selectmen Chair Kathryn Fagan said the fact that Milton ratepayers have to pay higher rates is “unacceptable” and that authorization is needed to renegotiate with Canton.
Citizens’ Petitions
Two citizen petitions were voted down by members, as recommended by the Warrant Committee. The first, signed by 10 residents, sought to give town officials more financial choices by requiring three separate budget proposals each year. One budget would be level funded, one would require a 2.5 percent increase, and one would include an override. Warrant Committee Chair Kathleen Conlon said the petition does not accurately reflect the role of town officials and the responsibilities of Town Meeting members. Conlon added that the 2.5 percent increase proposed by the petition reflects the property tax and not the overall budget.
The second petition would have required the update of the town’s master plan, which has not seen revisions since 1977. Conlon said the petition was non-binding and would not involve any legal requirements for the town. Before the article was put to vote, a letter was read from the petition signers that requested the petition be withdrawn. The letter stated that petitioners want to work with the Warrant Committee and Planning Board to improve policy on land use, housing and economic development for next year. Planning Board member Emily Keys Innes said that the board would request appropriations for a new master plan at Town Meeting next spring.
Self-Service Pumps
Members voted to remove a provision of the town bylaws prohibiting self-service gas stations that has been on the books since 1976. The original ban was based partially on concerns about the safety of pumps in use at the time, but the Warrant Committee said that current pumps have passed required safety checks.
General Government
All departments in the general government will see significant reduction in their ability to function at previous levels, the Warrant Committee says. The central business office will see a $21,000 budget cut, which axes an unfilled clerk position. Information technology will keep its FY 08 funding but will postpone system upgrades.
Boards and Committees
An override vote would have added additional transportation funds for the Council on Aging and additional hours for a part-time clerk for the Planning Board. The budgets of the Board of Appeals and the Personnel Board were increased to accommodate salary increases.
DPW
The DPW will reduce its workforce through a combination of layoffs and decreased hours. This will impact its ability to repair sidewalks, roads and drains, and to handle other construction work in town. However, $50,000 was added to the department’s initial request in order to restore a civil engineer position to help with projects.
Board of Health
Town health and sanitation expenditures will remain at FY 08 funding levels of $158,000.
Library
The appropriation for the library, as voted by Town Meeting members, will be enough to ensure qualification for the $3.5 million state construction grant. An override vote would have added over $9,000 in funds for additional books and more frequent deliveries between branches.
Parks and Recreation
Parks and recreation funds will remain at FY 08 levels at around $300,000. This means that the parks department will handle increases in costs through reductions in services and fee increases. The department is significantly self-funded through the fees charged for many of its programs.
Reserve Fund
Nearly $583,000 was voted for appropriation into the reserve fund for extraordinary or unforeseen expenditures. Member Diane Agostino motioned to adjourn until June 30. She said that an additional $30,000 was recently found in state-owned land funds and that it would be worth postponing voting to see if any other funds open up before FY 09 begins in July. Her motion was defeated and the Warrant Committee’s recommendation carried.