Town Meeting Votes to Approve Police Station Funding
Town Meeting voted nearly unanimously in favor of the three police station funding articles, didn't finish debate of the MSMS fields Article.
The second night of Town Meeting on Wednesday began with what turned out to be a 90-minute presentation and discussion about police station funding. Ways & Means Chair, John Iler, spoke about the financial implications of the proposed project to build a new police station, which will cost the town about $46 million and take around 3 years to design and complete.
Select Board and Police Station Committee member, Mike Espejo, then presented a thorough background that answered many of the questions that came up during the feasibility process—questions about things like how to best configure parking, how the town will preserve trees and open space, and why it was determined to be cost-prohibitive to renovate the current building, which was built in 1897 and has water problems, mold problems, security problems, and code problems. When asked how soon the department could move into flex space so they don't have to be in these "deplorable" conditions any longer, Town Administrator Paul Sagarino said the search for where to go would begin as soon as the articles were approved.
Ultimately, the body voted nearly unanimously to approve the police station funding, and to rezone the property where the Sculpture Park currently sits so the police station project can use a portion of it. Espejo reiterated the Committee's commitment to returning the unused property back into the Grandview Farm Planned Development District and said it's his "sincere hope" that the Sculpture Park can remain on that site when the building is complete. You can find more information about this project, including preliminary designs, at the project website.
Town Meeting approved everything else that came before them, as well. From paying the town's water and sewer bills and reconstructing a sewage pump station to buying a new fire truck and paying a consultant to review the Signage Districts documents created by the Zoning Bylaw Review Committee's Sign Subcommittee, Town Meeting was generally on board with everything the various town departments requested and the justifications they provided.
The body voted on articles up to 24, and after a failed motion to postpone what was sure to be an extensive discussion on Article 25 (the MSMS fields Article), the body engaged in...well, an extensive discussion on Article 25. The conversation began with a proposed amendment to change the funding source for the renovation and replacement of the fields and track at Marshall Simonds Middle School from bonding to Free Cash, but after several Ways & Means and Town Meeting Members explained the negative financial implications of using nearly $7 million in free cash, that amendment was voted down.
In the end, Precinct 1 Town Meeting Member Nolan Glantz proposed an amendment to split the project up into two parts, replacing the grass field with turf now and deferring refurbishment of the existing turf field and track until a later date. By then it was 11:00, and so Mr. Glantz withdrew the Amendment for now and the conversation will continue at the next Town Meeting session.
Town Meeting will continue on Monday, May 20, at 7:00 PM in the BHS Auditorium.
