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DAY ONE 2007 Annual Town Meeting Completes 31 of 58 Articles Additional 4.5 Million Waste Water Funding Does Not Address Future Development Ten Homes to be Assessed 24K Each
By David Hamacher
(This article makes several
references to the Annual Town Warrant available
here.) May 8, 2007 — 250 Hopkinton voters attending the first night of the 2006 Annual Town Meeting last night became part of a fast moving, smoothly run meeting, completing 31 of 58 articles on the town warrant. Before the reading of the Articles, departments gave updates. Linda Kimball of the Library Trustees presented ambitious plans for the library's expansion, and brought along a model that was displayed in the hallway (Photo, below). Appropriations Committee Chair, Mr. Stuart Cowart (Photo, right), presented a slide show describing the different ways capital articles would be funded this year. “This is the first time we are doing what we call a one year capital exclusion. This means that those articles which are approved here at town meeting, and again at the ballot, will mean a one-time hit on your tax bill. Next year’s taxes will be increased by the amount, and the following year, your bill will reduced by the same amount if there are no other impacts.” After Personnel Committee Chair, Dr. Ezat Parnia had recommended her annual salary be set at $51,500.00 in Article 2; Town Clerk, Ms. Ann Click, presented a compelling argument that $56,700.00 would better reflect a salary for both the results she had achieved over the past ten years, and her status within the industry. Her amendment also included any cost of living increase that would be offered to any other town employee. The amendment passed easily.
Dealing mostly with
funding issues, Articles 3-12 passed easily with little debate.
Comprehensive presentations $775,825.07 for expenses of the Sewer Department for 2008 was approved with $750,664.07 coming from revenues received by the department in FY ’08, and $25,161.00 to be raised by taxation. Mr. Cowart explained that the total expenses would actually come out of the Operating Budget. Two articles (9 and 11) covering existing Water and Sewer debt service in the amount of $1,661,095 were approved, along with Article10 for wages, salaries, expenses, shared costs and fringe benefits for the Water Department. This amount will be funded by the Water Enterprises, Fund, taxation, and FY ’08 revenues. The Appropriations Committee moved to dismiss Article13 ($90,000 for the maintenance and repair of the Lake Maspenock Dam) passed, Fruit Street Drainage improvement for $135,000 passed; being funded by the enterprise fund. Funding for a DPW dump truck and sewer department truck (articles 16 and 18) were both pulled from the warrant by DPW Director, Mr. J.T. Gaucher in light of the current fiscal situation. This action was publicly applauded by the Moderator. In place of these articles, $150,000 was approved for a new DPW truck with plow to replace a current plow that had undergone $25,000 of repairs over the last several years. Appropriations in the amount of $4,499,295 for the design and construction of the Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) as outlined in Article 19 were approved following a presentation by Fruit Street Development Committee Chair, Mr. Ron Clark. Discussions ensued from the floor as several people were seeking to understand the scope of the matter. The amount of the article was in addition to the $8,527,000 previously appropriated by the 1996 and 2006 town meetings for the construction of sewerage systems and sewerage treatment and disposal facilities. In his presentation, Mr. Clark detailed the history of the town’s water and sewer construction for Phases I-V. Phase VI construction for water and sewer which covers South Street, one home on Hayward Street, as well as, other homes on West Main Street, was never completed. Armed with a letter from the Westborough Treatment Plant Board which calls for the Town of Hopkinton’s attention to certain enforceable provisions of our Inter-municipal agreement to expedite compliance with said provisions. The agreement calls for a total capacity of 400,000 gallons per day (GDP) to be sent to the Westborough plant. The letter states in part that ‘Over the past several years, Hopkinton has had numerous exceedances of its allowances’. When asked by a voter if Hopkinton was represented on the Treatment Plant Board, Mr. Clark replied, “No, we never have been represented there.” If approved by voters in the May 21 elections, this appropriation will be funded through the enterprise fund and not borne by taxpayers who are not hooked up to, nor use the services. When asked for the capacity of the WWTF following construction, Mr. Clark replied, “It will be 100,000 gallons per day. This will offset our overage with Westborough and bring us back into compliance with our agreement.” Asked by Huckleberry residents if their homes would be treated by the WWTF, Mr. Clark said no. “That area would have to be considered under Phases VII or VIII in the future.” Another resident asked, “Am I to understand that the construction of the WWTF will not in anyway account for new development for homes or businesses, but only serve existing needs?” Mr. Clark’s answer was, “Yes, that’s right.” Any and all future development requiring water and sewer usage will require additional capacity to be built through the expansion of the WWTF, or other sources. When asked what might happen if the funding did not pass, Mr. Clark suggested that Hopkinton may face fines with continued violation the agreement with Westborough. The Appropriations Committee’s motion to dismiss Article 23 was overturned after several residents voiced their concern. The $90,000 appropriation that will be funded through the new one year capital exclusion moves to the ballot on Election Day. $25,000 for the drainage of the Mt. Auburn Cemetery unanimously passed (Article 24). Following tonight’s Special Town Meeting at 7:00pm, the ATM will resume with discussions on storm water management and the Fruit Street Athletic Fields.
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from Ms. Marie Eldridge for the By-Law Review Committee, School
Committee Chair Ms. Rebecca Robak, Planning Board Chair Mr. Mark
Abate, and Appropriations Chair, Mr. Cowart reduced the need for
much debate from the floor. The Fiscal Year (FY ’08) Operating
Budget of the Town in the amount of $23,691,736.22 was approved,
along with $31,204,200.06 for the local education budget, and
several by-law and zoning changes outlined in the articles.