By Jared Melanson, Neighb News Correspondent and Beth David, Editor
At its meetings on Tuesday, 10/10/23 the Acushnet Selectboard discussed changes to dog kennel licensing and fees, and voted on articles on the Special Town Meeting Warrant. STM will be held on Monday, 11/6, at Ford Middle School, at 7 p.m.
Town Clerk Pam Labonte discussed a change in state law requiring additional inspections to dog kennels. She suggested changing the size and fee structure. The new sizes and rates will be $75 for a 5–10 dog kennel; $125 for 11–19 dogs; $200 for 19 dogs. The SB voted unanimously to adopt the changes.
The board also discussed and voted on STM articles, including capital expenditures and bylaw changes.
Town Meeting will be asked to appropriate nearly $1 million in capital spending, including a new ambulance, vehicles for the Fire Chief and Council on Aging, and closing out the leases on two electric vehicles. TM will also be asked to appropriate $80K for cardiac monitors for the ambulances.
Other spending articles include funds for the Lake Street project, and equipment, repairs and maintenance for the golf course.
The SB is seeking $75,000 in additional funding for Lake Street from Community Preservation Act Funds.
The additional funds will allow the town to use a different method for weed control than chemicals.
In a phone interview, Town Administrator Jamie Kelley said the nearby cranberry growers would not be able to sell their cranberries to certain buyers if chemicals were used in the lake. He said the town will do what Lakeville does and use a weed harvester machine.
“Every spring you have to do it,” said Mr. Kelley. “Or it just builds up and you’ve got a swamp, not a lake.”
Town Meeting will also be asked to transfer $125K from the Golf Course fund for cart path repair, course design, turf repair, equipment replacement, and other maintenance costs.
Zoning articles created some discussion around a residential development for elderly, 55+.
The board held the article on 10/10 to clarify some language with the Planning Board. The SB voted to approve the article at its 10/16 meeting. The Planning Board will need to hold a public hearing on the changes before Town Meeting (see legal ad on page 17).
The 55+ housing bylaw will allow development of a type of housing that aims to reduce the burdens of maintenance for older residents.
It will allow Over-55-only developments in all areas of town except the Business Village and Industrial Zones. The developments will require a special permit, giving the town more control over how the developments are built, and will require public hearings and input from abutters.
Town Meeting will also be asked to give the SB authority to sell or authorize reuse of the Russell Memorial Library through the RFP (Request for Proposal) process; and to authorize the SB to sell town lots under 20,000 square feet.
The full warrant will be posted on the town’s website later this week.
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Click here to download the 10/19/23 issue: 10-19-23 FireOpenHouse
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