By Beth David, Editor
The Town of Acushnet will hold a Special Town Meeting this Monday, 9/30/24 at the Ford Middle School, 708 Middle Road, at 7 p.m.
Town Meeting will be asked to vote on 17 articles, with spending articles ranging from a few thousand to $4.2 million. Bills of prior years totals $14,178. Article 2 requests $9,500 for the Assessors Department to correct budget expenses. Article 3 asks for $47,818 for MS-4/stormwater permit compliance from the Stormwater Management Stabilization Fund.
Other spending articles include: funding union contracts, $19,775; $550,000 from Solar Tax Revenue to fund the school roof; $5,500 from EMS reserve fund (ambulance receipts) to fund a study for the fire department in the areas of Operations, Staffing and Facilities to improve operations and create a Capital Improvement and Staffing Plan; $49,999 from the EMS fund for renovations to Fire Station #3; $660,000 for a new ambulance; transfer of $186,026 from the Special Education Fund to pay special education and recovery high school programs, out-of-district tuition or transportation for special education students
Three articles ask to authorize the Select Board to enter into contracts for $4.2 million for Energy Management Services and Energy Savings at the Acushnet Elementary School and the Ford Middle School. The articles were requested by the School Committee and have no recommendation from the Select Board or the Finance Committee, which will report at TM. They require a 2/3 vote.
Town meeting will also be asked to remove Section 3-1-2 of the Town Charter which prohibits elected and appointed officials from taking a paid job with the town for at least two years after the expiration date of their term.
In the explanation, the Select Board writes: “This restriction places a draconian constraint on filling vacant positions with competent candidates. It also is somewhat redundant in that the Massachusetts Ethics Law sufficiently restricts public officials from benefiting or participating in matters that they dealt with as elected officials.”
Other bylaws changes include amending the Soil Conservation Bylaw.
The Warrant is available from the Town Clerk’s office, 30 Main Street (Parting Ways Building), 508-998-0200, and is on the website at https://www.acushnet.ma.us/home/pages/town-meeting-0
•••
Click here to download the 09-26-24 issue: 09-26-24 FoodTruckFest
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News with PayPal
