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SPENCER – Special Town Meeting convenes on November 6 where members will act on 13 articles now that selectmen decided to remove two Proposition 2 ½ override-related articles from the warrant.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at Town Hall and features several financial measures, land transfers, and a bylaw addition, among other things.
A decrease of $73,864 in the budget occurs because a student decided not to attend Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School – where that money was allocated in May for tuition and transportation costs.
Conversely, an increase is sought for the general government budget totaling $62,006. That amount would bring the account to $14 million.
The request breaks down as follows: $7,668 for the reserve fund; $48,000 for fire department expenses; $6,338 to the town administrator salary and wages account; $6,000 to traffic lights general expenses; and $9,500 to treasurer/collector salary and wages.
The reserve fund allocation would replenish money transferred from it, while the fire department and traffic light money would pay for equipment and signal repairs, respectively.
The treasurer/collector item would be to pay accrued vacation expenses while the town administrator one would pay a stipend for the benefit coordinator position. (Related to that, a reduction of $9,500 from the employee benefits general expenses account is moving over to cover the benefit coordinator position and a decrease of $6,000 in street light general expenses would cover the traffic light request).
Another article seeks $2,345 for a prior year bill to reimburse a highway department employee who successfully completed commercial driver’s license classes.
From free cash, $20,000 is requested for the tree warden’s general expense budget. That budget was exhausted and the money would cover operations and emergencies for the rest of the year.
The account was depleted because of unforeseen tree removal expenses including at the Old Cemetery.
Other requests include $4,207.84 for a new security system for the fire department; $9,000 for a new heating and cooling mini split unit for the fire department computer room; and $11,560 to purchase a heating and cooling mini split unit for the police department office of the chief and lieutenant.
The current systems are failing and need to be replaced.
From the earnings of the Sewer Enterprise Fund, voters will be asked for $46,483.81 to replace a 2009 Chevrolet Colorado pickup trucks with a 2025 model including associated accessories.
O’Gara Park grandstand, land transfers on warrant
Two articles concern a transfer of funds from park and recreation department accounts.
A transfer of $173,680 is sought from the O’Gara Park Improvement account to the O’Gara Park Grandstand Improvement account to repair the roof of the grandstand. Another article seeks $100,000 for the grandstand roof. If there are funds left over, the money would be used for other structural repairs and/or be transferred to the O’Gara Park Lighting Project.
Two articles ask that the care, custody, management and control of land and improvements be transferred to the Board of Selectmen.
The first, at 17 Lake Street/42 Highland Street, is to enter a lease for town-owned land for a permanent cellular tower at the former Lake Street School. Selectmen solicited proposals for this purpose to replace the tower lost in the fire at First Congregational Church.
The second, at 54 Pleasant Street, concerns the site of the Pleasant Street School, which was demolished years ago. A “yes” vote would allow the town to sell the land.
Bylaw sets fee schedule for transfer station violations
Finally, there is a proposed new bylaw on the warrant regarding the disposal of solid waste at the transfer station.
In addition to defining various terms, the bylaw notes that all disposals must be received by a transfer station attendant and no solid waste, recyclables or compost may be placed, dumped, or abandoned.
Further, these items must be bagged in town pay-as-you-throw bags.
The superintendent of utilities and facilities or his designee can issue fines, cancel, suspend or revoke permits or privileges for violations—up to revoking access to the transfer station following written notices. Individuals receiving enforcement notices may request a hearing before selectmen.
Under the proposed bylaw, there is a fee issued for violations as follows: $50 for first offense; $100 for second offense; $150 for third offense; and $200 for fourth offense.
For the fifth offense and beyond, there is a loss of privileges at the transfer station and unauthorized access may constitute trespass. That would be subject to a police department review and referral by the U & F superintendent.
At its last meeting, the Board of Selectmen voted to cancel a previously-approved December 9 special election asking two Proposition 2 ½ override questions.
There would have been two warrant articles for Town Meeting to vote as `non-binding resolutions,’ on the questions: one for $150,000 to fund the Spencer Rescue Squad contract and the other for $368,390 to pay for four firefighters, once their grant-funding runs out.
A group of citizens led by Ryan Morton submitted petitions to put these matters to a town-wide ballot vote, collecting approximately 300 signatures for each.
