By Beth David, Editor
Fairhaven Town Meeting members will face 19 articles at the Special Town Meeting (STM) in a couple of weeks. The Select Board finalized its recommendations on almost all articles at its last meeting on 10/17. STM will be held at 7 p.m. on 11/15, at Hastings Middle School.
The first article is an amendment to the FY23 (current) operating budget, with nearly every department that has a vehicle asking for more funds for gasoline from Surplus Revenue (free cash). Supplemental gas requests range from $2,000 for the Animal Control Officer, to $33,000 for the police department. The Fire Department is requesting $25,000 for gas, and the Highway Department is requested $12,500.
The sewer and water departments are also requesting more funds for gas, $12,000 for water, and $8,000 for sewer, each from their enterprise funds.
The Select Board and Finance Committee have recommended approval of all gas requests.
Most departments are also asking adjustments to wages and salaries. The Select Board has recommended approval of all requests. The FinCom has recommended most, with some to be announced at STM.
Town Meeting will also be asked to approve a request by the Fairhaven Housing Authority to authorize the Select Board to petition the state legislature for special legislation to revise the process for selecting applicants for units. The state has gone to a centralized system that does not prioritize Fairhaven residents. the Home Rule Petition will address the “disproportionate housing of non-local residents under the current system so that Fairhaven residents and Fairhaven employees may experience shorter waiting periods.”
The FinCom voted to Yield to the Petitioner (YP), which it typically does on non-spending articles; the SB voted to recommend at town meeting.
Town Administrator is asking for $16,000 from Free Cash for new office furniture. TA Angie Lopes Ellison said in a phone interview, that the furniture in her office is non functional.
The desk has broken legs, she said, and she’s using window sills for files. The request includes a desk, a conference table and chairs, and several storage/filing units.
“The Town Administrator is the face of Fairhaven,” said Ms. Ellison, adding that she is meeting with mayors and dignitaries, especially from Japan, due to our special relationship with Tosashimizu.
“You don’t want that office to be reflective of a piecemeal office,” she said. “You want it to look professional. When they first come to meet with me they are meeting with Fairhaven. Is that the image we want to project?”
FinCom will make its recommendation at town meeting; the SB voted to recommend.
Article 2 asks for $15,000 from for the water department for a retirement payoff, with both SB and FinCom recommending.
Article 3 asks for $58,000 from Surplus Revenue for the Special Education Fund, with both SB and FinCom recommending.
Article 4 asks for $50,000 from sewer enterprise funds for repairs on the South Street Pumping Stations, with both SB and FinCom recommending.
Article 7 asks for $8,250 to repair the town hall elevator, recommended by both SB and FinCom.
Article 9 asks for an additional $75,000 from ambulance receipts for an ambulance purchase that was approved in the June 2022 annual TM.
Article 11 asks for $9,020 to replace the thermal camera system on the Harbormaster’s boat. The SB has recommended approval; FinCom has recommended $7,810.
Article 12 authorizes funding of labor contracts, but the amounts were not ready by print time for the warrant. Not all contracts have been settled.
Article 13 asks for $53,100 from free cash for the repair of Fire Engine 4, which needs a complete enginer rebuild. It has been out of service.
The police boat also needs some repairs. Article 14 asks for $18,558 from free cash to replace steering controls, trailer, and the infrared unit. The SB voted to recommend; FinCom voted to recommend at TM.
Article 15 would raise the age that retired officers are allowed to work details. Currently the limit is 65. The article would raise the age to 70.
The SB voted to recommend; FinCom voted to YP.
The Shade Tree Bylaw that was bumped from the annual TM is on the warrant, but there are some questions a to its validity now that the position of tree warden will be appointed instead of elected.
Ms. Ellison said in a phone interview that a bylaw is the way to regulate an elected position, but not an appointed one. The appointing authority regulates the position. She also said that Town Counsel advised that the article as written is in direct conflict with Mass. General Law.
Both FinCom and SB voted to recommend at TM, but it is possible the article will be withdrawn due to the change in status of the Tree Warden position.
In another non spending article, TM will be asked to approve article 10, authorizing the SB to acquire land and/or easements for the Safe Route to Schools project, which will create a travel route by bike and walking for students from the bike path at David Drown Boulevard to the Wood School.
Three citizens petitions are also on the warrant. One is to accept Alves Way as a public street, the other is to surface Sandra Lane.
The SB voted to indefinitely postpone (IP) on both articles. FinCom voted to IP Sandra Lane, and YP on Alves Way.
Article 17 is a citizens petition to reduce the salary of the TA to $1.00. The measure is largely symbolic as Ms. Ellison has a contract with her salary stated, and a provision that her salary cannot be reduced unless the salaries of all town employees are reduced.
Both SB and FinCom voted to IP.
Citizens Petitions require a vote.
The next SB is meeting on Monday, 11/7, but the agenda had not been set by press time, so they could discuss articles at the meeting. Agendas are generally posted on Thursday for the Monday meeting.
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