Selectmen get a preview
of Town Meeting proposals

By Sara Brown, Town Correspondent

Town Administrator Robert Mercier Monday presented the selectmen with a list of 60 tentative items totaling about $20 million to be presented to Town Meeting members in May. The items ranged from zoning bylaws to improvements to town facilities.  The board plans to vote on whether or not to support the agenda items at their next meeting, April 12. 

While the total is $20 million, Mercier told the board, meeting in an extra session, that after accounting for items with identified revenue sources and those that would be paid for by bond authorizations, the total remaining request would be $3.8 million. 

Some of this total could be paid for through free cash and other sources of payment.  Mercier said the town administration would continue to prioritize their needs based on available resources, and many of the items would likely be withdrawn before the Town Meeting. 

One of the larger warrant items would call for $3.7 million to go toward installing water mains, repairing and painting water storage tanks, and repaving roadways. 

Several of the articles regard repairs to town buildings and facilities, with recent storms worsening the state of some buildings.

Mercier told the board that the recent storms have created significant issues a the Human Services building, with water between the walls, windows in disrepair, and the potential for mold issues.   Mercier said heavily used building has lots of problems and would be expensive to repair.   

Another article would call for $65,000 to renovate the kitchen at the Council on Aging/Human Services Building and $100,000 for additional repairs to the building. 

Another item would call for $50,000 to repair the Police Department annex, which has also sustained water damage.

The town is also in need of new vehicles, according to Mercier, including $51,000 for a new pick-up truck and van for the Recreation Department and $490,000 to replace a 20-year-old Fire Pumper.  

A $150,000 item would fund an energy efficiency opportunity at the library. 

Other proposed financial articles include $100,000 for stream cleaning, $250,000 to develop two multi-purpose fields and parking on land held in trust by the City of Boston, and $200,000 to install sewer meters. 

Two warrant items call for the sale of town-owned land on South Bedford and Sleeper Drive.  Proceeds from the sales would go to renovating the Grandview barn complex. 

The agenda also included several warrant items that have already been discussed by the school committee, including the renovation and an addition to Marshall Simonds Middle School and $500,000 for repaving several areas outside of schools.  Mercier said the pavement outside of most schools is “a mess,” with the high school parking lot the worst. However, Mercier mentioned that paving projects might be deferred in favor of a town-wide pavement program. 

The Board will vote on which items to approve for the final agenda April 12.  Town meeting is May 10.