HomeMy Public PortalAbout09.21.22 FinCom PacketTown of Brewster Finance Committee
2198 Main St., Brewster, MA 02631
fincommeeting@brewster-ma.gov
(508) 896-3701
MEETING AGENDA
Brewster Town Hall
2198 Main Street
September 21, 2022 at 6:00 PM
Pursuant to Chapter 107 of the Acts of 2022, this meeting will be conducted in person and via remote means, in accordance
with applicable law. This means that members of the public body may access this meeting in person, or via virtual means.
In person attendance will be at the meeting location listed above, and it is possible that any or all members of the public
body may attend remotely. No in-person attendance of members of the public will be permitted, and public participation
in any public hearing conducted during this meeting shall be by remote means only.
Members of the public who wish to access the meeting may do so in the following manner:
Phone: Call (929) 436-2866 or (301) 715-8592. Webinar ID: 862 2956 9696 Passcode: 565167
To request to speak: Press *9 and wait to be recognized.
Zoom Webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86229569696?pwd=MUhJNGpoU3VocTZ0cTU0VGpYcWdVQT09
Passcode: 565167
To request to speak: Tap Zoom “Raise Hand”, then wait to be recognized.
When required by law or allowed by the Chair, persons wishing to provide public comment or otherwise participate in the
meeting, may do so by accessing the meeting remotely, as noted above.
Additionally, the meeting will be broadcast live, in real time, via Live broadcast (Brewster Government TV Channel 18),
Livestream (livestream.brewster-ma.gov), or Video recording (tv.brewster-ma.gov).
Finance
Committee
Harvey (Pete) Dahl
Chair
Frank Bridges
Vice Chair
William Meehan
Clerk
Andrew Evans
William Henchy
Alex Hopper
Honey Pivirotto
Robert Tobias
Robert Young
Town
Administrator
Peter Lombardi
Finance Director
Mimi Bernardo
1.Call to Order
2.Declaration of a Quorum
3.Meeting Participation Statement
4.Recording Statement
5.Public Announcements and Comment: Members of the public may address the Finance Committee on
matters not on the meeting’s agenda for a maximum 3-5 minutes at the Chair’s discretion. Under the Open Meeting
Law, the Finance Committee is unable to reply but may add items presented to a future agenda.
6.Town Administrator/Finance Director Report
7.Overview and Discussion of Town Meeting Warrant Draft
8.Discussion and Vote on Town Meeting Warrant Articles
Art. 1 – Outstanding Obligations
Art. 9 – Bylaw Amendment – TM Warrant Deadlines
9.Update – Nauset Regional HS Building Project and SBC
10.Update – NRSC Reconciliations
11.Update – School Consolidation
12.Liaison Reports and Assignments
13.Town Meeting Schedule
14.Request for agenda items for future meetings
15.Matters Not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chair
16.Next Finance Committee Meeting
17.Adjournment
Date Posted:Date Revised:Received by Town Clerk:
9/19/22 9/20/22
Town of Brewster
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
WARRANT
for
NOVEMBER 14, 2022
at
6:00 PM
STONY BROOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
384 UNDERPASS ROAD
Please bring this copy of the warrant to Town Meeting
Large print copies of the warrant are available at the Brewster Town Offices
TOWN OF BREWSTER
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING WARRANT
NOVEMBER 14, 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A INDEX
B INFORMATION
C 2022 SPECIAL TOWN MEETING WARRANT
ARTICLES
ARTICLE DESCRIPTION SPONSOR PAGE
1 Outstanding Obligations Select Board
2 Capital and Special Projects Expenditures Select Board
3 Community Preservation Act Funding Select Board
4 Conservation Restriction: 0 Holly Ave (Rear) Community
Preservation
Committee
5 Town Code Amendment to Community
Preservation Act Bylaw (§ 17)
Community
Preservation
Committee
6 Town Bylaw Amendment: Limits of Debate Select Board
7 Town Bylaw Amendment: Quorum
Requirement
Select Board
8 New Town Bylaw: Reconsideration Select Board
9 Town Bylaw Amendment: Special Town
Meeting Warrant Deadline
Select Board
10 Local Comprehensive Plan Select Board &
Planning Board
11 Temporary Easements: Millstone Road
Improvement Project
Select Board
12 Private Road Engineering Services:
Vesper Pond Drive
Select Board
13 Private Road Engineering Services:
Ridgewood Drive
Select Board
14 Creation of New Revolving Fund: Bay
Property Pool
Select Board
15 Police Dispatchers Union Collective
Bargaining Agreement
Select Board
D TOWN MODERATOR’S RULES
E GLOSSARY OF FINANCIAL TERMS
INFORMATION FOR NOVEMBER 14, 2022
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
Services Available to the Public During Town Meeting
TRANSPORTATION:
The Council on Aging offers rides to and/or from Town Meeting. For information or to schedule
a ride to and/or from Town Meeting please call the Council on Aging at 508-896-2737 by noon
on Wednesday, November 9th. Rides are available during the entirety of Town Meeting.
CHILD CARE SERVICES:
Nauset Youth Alliance provides free childcare services for children ages 5 – 14, from
5:30 pm – 9:00 pm, in the Stony Brook School Library during Town Meeting. If you would like to
take advantage of this service, please call or email the NYA before 4:00 pm on Friday,
November 11th; 508-896-7900 or drost@nausetyouthalliance.org
TOWN OF BREWSTER SPECIAL TOWN MEETING NOVEMBER 14, 2022
Barnstable, ss
To: Roland W. Bassett, Jr. Constable of the Town of Brewster
Greetings:
In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby directed to notify and
inform the Town of Brewster inhabitants qualified to vote in Town affairs to meet in the
Cafeterium at the Stony Brook Elementary School, 384 Underpass Road, on Monday,
November 14, 2022, next, at 6:00 p.m. o’clock in the evening, then and there to act upon the
following articles:
OUTSTANDING OBLIGATIONS
ARTICLE NO. 1: To see what sums the Town will vote to appropriate from available funds for
the payment of unpaid obligations from previous fiscal years, including any bills now on
overdraft:
Department Outstanding Obligations Amount
a. Brewster Elementary
Schools
Wages $1,777.00
b. Utilities Eversource $304.50
c. Employee Benefits Department of Unemployment
Assistance
$2,450.93
d. Building Department WB Mason $127.99
Total
Or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Nine-tenths Vote Required)
COMMENT
This article will authorize the payment of outstanding bills from a previous fiscal year.
According to Massachusetts General Laws, a Town cannot pay a bill from a previous fiscal year
with the current year’s appropriation. Therefore, Town Meeting authorization is required.
a.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 26
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 21
CAPITAL AND SPECIAL PROJECTS EXPENDITURES
ARTICLE NO. 2: To see what sums the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from
available funds, or authorize the Town Treasurer to borrow under and pursuant to
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44, Sections 7, 7(1), or 8, or any other enabling authority,
for the capital outlay expenditures listed below, including, in each case, all incidental and
related costs, to be expended by the Town Administrator with the approval of the Board of
Selectmen, except School expenditures to be made by the School Superintendent with the
approval of the School Committee; authorize leases and lease purchase agreements for more
than three but not more than five years for those items to be leased or lease purchased, and
further that the Town Administrator with the approval of the Board of Selectmen or School
Superintendent with the approval of the School Committee for school items, be authorized to
sell, convey, trade-in or otherwise dispose of equipment being replaced, all as set forth below:
Department Item Funding Source(s) /
Appropriation or
Transfer
Amount
1 Select Board
Sub-Total $
2 Department of Public Works
a.
b.
c.
d.
Sub-Total $
3 Fire Department
a.
Sub-Total $
4 Natural Resources
a.
Sub-Total $
Or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Majority Vote Required)
1a.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 3
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 5
1b.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
1c.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
1d.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
2a.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
2b.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
2c.
Department Item Funding Source(s) /
Appropriation or
Transfer
Amount
5 Information Technology
a.
b.
c.
Sub-Total $
6 Water Department
a.
Sub-Total $
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
2d.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
3a.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
4a.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
5a.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
5b.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
5c.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
6a.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT FUNDING
ARTICLE NO. 3: To see if the Town will vote to act upon the recommendations of the
Community Preservation Committee; to appropriate from Fund Balances Reserved for future
expenditure, the amounts shown below, for the purpose of future expenditures, operating and
administration expenses, and reserve funds related to Community Preservation, Historic
Preservation, Open Space, Community Housing and/or Recreation; and to authorize the Town
Administrator to enter into contracts for operating and administration related to Community
Preservation, Historic Preservation, Community Housing and Open Space and/or Recreation, all
as follows:
Purpose Item Funding Source(s) Amount
1
a.
Sub-total
Grand Total
(Community Preservation Committee) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 17
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 12
CONSERVATION RESTRICTION ACQUISITION: 0 HOLLY AVE (REAR)
ARTICLE NO. 4: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire a
perpetual conservation restriction under General Laws, Chapter 184, Sections 31 through 33,
on a parcel of land designated on Brewster Assessors’ Map 137 as Parcel 1, located at 0 Holly
Ave (Rear), in Brewster, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, consisting of 4.925 acres as shown
on a plan of land entitled “Plan of Land in Brewster (East), Mass. as claimed by Richard O. Staff,
Scale 1 in = 50 ft. October 1967, Schofield Brothers Registered Civil Engineers & Land
Surveyors, Orleans & Framingham, Mass.” and recorded in the Barnstable County Registry of
Deeds as Plan Book 219, Page 79, a copy of which is on file with the Brewster Town Clerk; to
acquire interests in said parcel by gift, purchase and/or eminent domain taking under
Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 79, or any other enabling authority; to acquire said
conservation restriction for conservation and passive recreation purposes for the general
public, consistent with the provisions of Mass. Gen. Laws, Ch. 40, §8C, 310 C.M.R. 22.00, and
Article 97 of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and
in compliance with G.L. Ch. 44B, Section12(a), protecting the property for the purposes for
which it is acquired; to appropriate the sum of Two Hundred Sixty-four Thousand and 00/100
Dollars ($264,000.00)to pay costs of this acquisition, and all other costs incidental and related
thereto; to authorize the Town Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to
borrow up to the sum of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand and 00/100 Dollars ($250,000.00)
pursuant to the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 7(3) and Section
8C, and/or any other enabling authority, and to issue bonds and/or notes of the Town therefor;
to authorize the Town Treasurer to transfer from available sums the sum of Fourteen Thousand
and 00/100 Dollars ($14,000.00) for the purpose of paying incidental and related costs,
including the preparation, issuance and marketing of notes and bonds issued hereunder and for
paying interest on temporary notes issued in anticipation thereof; further, to authorize the
Board of Selectmen and/or the Conservation Commission to apply for, accept and expend any
funds that may be provided by the Commonwealth or other public or private sources to defray
all or a portion of the costs of said acquisition, including, but not limited to, grants and/or
reimbursement from the Commonwealth under the Self-Help Act, G.L. Ch. 132A, Section 11
(now, so-called LAND grants), and the Federal Land and Water Fund grants, which grants
and/or funds so received shall be used to repay all or a portion of the sum transferred from the
Community Preservation Fund hereunder; to authorize the Conservation Commission to
assume the monitoring and enforcement authority of the conservation restriction on the
property; and to authorize the Board of Selectmen and Conservation Commission to enter into
all agreements and execute any and all instruments as may be necessary on behalf of the
municipality to effect this purchase and obtain reimbursement funding; or to take any other
action relative thereto.
(Community Preservation Committee)(2/3 Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
This article would enable the Town to continue its partnership with Brewster Conservation
Trust (BCT), working together to preserve critical open space; in this case, 4.925 acres abutting
the Town’s Baker’s Pond Conservation Area. This acquisition would preserve a walking trail
that connects existing Town trails with Nickerson State Park.
The Towns of Brewster and Orleans, along with the Brewster Conservation Trust, own 140 acres
of conservation land east and south of this proposed land acquisition. These entities jointly
manage the two-mile public walking loop trail there, with parking on Baker’s Pond Road. BCT
will purchase the land for $360,000. This article seeks to appropriate $250,000 in CPA funds to
place a conservation restriction on the property, which will be held by the Town. To offset
these expenses, the Town has applied for a State LAND grant that would reimburse the Town
for up to $130,000. Sketch map of locus attached hereto - Tax Map 137, Parcel 1, 4.925 acres.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 17
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 12
TOWN CODE AMENDMENT TO COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT BYLAW
ARTICLE NO. 5: To see if the Town will vote to amend the General Bylaws, Section 17, to delete
Sections 17-4 and 17-5 in their entirety, with such revision to take effect on July 1, 2023, as
follows:
Section 17-1. Membership of the Committee – There is hereby established a Community
Preservation Committee, consisting of nine (9) voting members. pursuant to the provisions of
Section 298 of Chapter 149 of the Acts of 2004, as amended by Sections 129-133 of Chapter
352 of the Acts of 2004. The composition of the Committee, the appointing authority and the
term of office for the committee members shall be as follows; one member of the Conservation
Commission, as designated by said Commission; one member of the Historical Commission, as
designated by said Commission; one member of the Planning Board, designated by the said
Board; one member of the Recreation Commission, as designated by the Commission; one
member of the Brewster Housing Authority, as designated by said Authority; and four
individuals to be appointed by the Board of Selectmen. Each member of the Committee shall
serve a term of three years or until the person no longer serves in the position or on the board
or on the committee as set forth above, whichever is earlier. Should any of the officers and
commissions, boards or committees who have appointing authority under this bylaw be no
longer in existence for whatever reason, the Board of Selectmen shall appoint a suitable person
to serve in their place. Any member of the committee may be removed by the Selectmen, with
prior notice to the member and a hearing, for good cause.
Section 17-2. Duties – The Community Preservation Committee shall study the needs,
possibilities and resources of the town regarding community preservation. The Committee shall
consult with existing municipal boards, including the Conservation Commission, the Recreation
Commission, the Historical Commission, the Planning Board, the Department of Public Works,
and the Housing Authority, or persons acting in those capacities or performing like duties, in
conducting such studies. As part of its study, the committee shall hold one or more public
informational hearings, at its discretion, on the needs, possibilities, and resources of the town
regarding community preservation possibilities and resources, notice of which shall be posted
publicly and published for each of two weeks preceding a hearing in a newspaper of general
circulation in the town.
Section 17-3. The Community Preservation Committee shall make recommendations to the
Town Meeting for the acquisition, creation and preservation of open space, for the acquisition
and preservation of historic resources, for the acquisition, creation and preservation of land for
recreational use, for the creation, preservation and support of community housing and for
rehabilitation or restoration of such open space, historic resources, land for recreational use
and community housing that is acquired or created as provided in this section.
Section 17-4. In every fiscal year, the Community Preservation Committee shall recommend
that Town Meeting spend, or set aside for future spending, the fixed figure of fifty (50%)
percent of the net annual revenues in the Community Preservation Fund for open space
purposes, not less than ten (10%) percent of the net annual revenues for community housing
purposes, and not less than ten (10%) percent of the net annual revenues for historic resources
purposes. In every fiscal year, the Community Preservation Committee shall recommend that
Town Meeting spend or set aside for future spending the remaining thirty (30%) percent of the
net annual revenues for community housing, recreation and historic resources purposes, but
not for open space purposes.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the net annual revenues paid into the Community Preservation
Fund shall be dedicated to open space purposes until such time as prior appropriations made
pursuant to the so-called Land Bank Act have been fully expended, even if the aggregate
amount of such expenditures exceeds 80% of the annual revenues.
Section 17-5. Provided that the Community Preservation Act is accepted at the 2005 Annual
Town Election, this section shall take effect upon approval by the Attorney General of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and after all the requirements of Mass. Gen. Laws, ch. 40, §
32 have been met. Each appointing authority shall have thirty (30) days after the effective date
to make its appointments.
or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
In May of 2005, Brewster voters adopted the Community Preservation Act (CPA). The Act
appropriates a 3% surcharge on the Town’s real estate tax revenues, which are reserved in a
special fund to finance projects and programs for the purposes of preservation of open space,
recreation, community housing, and historic preservation. The state distributes matching funds,
which vary from year-to-year. Since 2005, CPA funds have supported about 70 community
preservation projects in Brewster. These initiatives have included capital improvements, land
acquisitions, assistance programs, as well as various plans and studies.
At the time of adoption, Brewster established a unique allocation formula for these funds, as
outlined in Section 17 of the Town bylaw: 50% for open space, 10% for community housing, and
10% for historic preservation. The 30% balance has been available for housing, historic
preservation, and/or active or passive recreation projects. The primary reason for this
customized approach was that Brewster, like many other Cape towns at the time, was
converting funding balances and financial obligations from the Cape Cod Land Bank and wanted
to maintain its capacity to finance open space purchases.
As required by statute, the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) annually holds a public
hearing to identify and discuss upcoming community needs and planned projects. In recent
years, it became increasingly apparent that anticipated CPA requests would outpace available
funds. In May 2021, Town Meeting approved funding to develop a 5 Year Community
Preservation Plan (CPP). Since then, the CPC has worked with a consultant to study existing
Town plans, quantify anticipated funding requests, and solicit stakeholder and resident input.
As a result of this analysis, the CPC recommends modification of the Town’s bylaw to follow the
statutory distribution formula that all but one other municipality currently have in place: 10%
for open space and recreation, 10% for community housing, and 10% for historic preservation.
The CPC determined that the statutory formula allowed the most flexibility to respond to
expected funding requests and any new requests that may emerge from the former Sea Camps
properties planning processes in the next few years.If approved, this change would take effect
in July 2023. At the same time, the CPC has developed and adopted a CPP that establishes
target allocations for each of the eligible uses of CPA funds beyond the baseline statutory
disbursements that will inform their policy decisions in vetting projects in the next five years
(add more detail about targets here – 30/30/10/10). Town Meeting will continue to have final
approval authority over expenditure of all CPA funds.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 17
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 12
TOWN BYLAW AMENDMENT: LIMITS OF DEBATE
ARTICLE NO. 6: To see if the Town will vote to amend the General Bylaws, Section 48-11B, by
striking the word “three” and replacing it with “one and a half”.
Or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
See related memo to Select Board dated June 3, 2022.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 26
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 28
TOWN BYLAW AMENDMENT: QUORUM REQUIREMENT
ARTICLE NO. 7: To see if the Town will vote to amend the General Bylaws, Section 48-5, by
inserting the following language: “Once quorum has been attained and Town Meeting has been
called to order, minimum quorum requirements no longer apply.”
Or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
See related memo to Select Board dated June 3, 2022.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 26
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 28
NEW TOWN BYLAW/RECONSIDERATION
ARTICLE NO. 8: To see if the Town will vote to establish a new General Bylaw, Section 48-XX, as
follows: “A motion to reconsider an article previously voted on by Town Meeting must be made
within one (1) hour of the conclusion of the relevant vote and shall require a 2/3 majority vote
for approval.”
Or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
See related memo to Select Board dated June 3, 2022.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 26
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 28
TOWN BYLAW AMENDMENT: SPECIAL TOWN MEETING WARRANT DEADLINE
ARTICLE NO. 9: To see if the Town will vote to amend the General Bylaws, Section 48-3, by
inserting the following language: “The warrant for Special Town Meeting will be closed 45 days
before each Special Town Meeting.”
Or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
Per Town bylaws, the deadline to submit citizens petitions for inclusion on the Annual Town
Meeting warrant is 75 days in advance of the meeting. Town bylaws are currently silent on
deadlines for citizens petitions for inclusion on Special Town Meeting warrants but
longstanding past practice has been to close the warrant 45 days in advance of those meetings.
However, this deadline requires a vote of the Select Board in each instance and could change
year to year. Codifying this deadline will enhance consistency and transparency for residents
interested in bringing a petition to Special Town Meeting.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 26
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Sept 21
LOCAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
ARTICLE NO. 10: To see if Town will vote to accept the Local Comprehensive Plan, or to take
any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board & Planning Board) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 17
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 19
TEMPORARY EASEMENTS: MILLSTONE ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
ARTICLE NO. 11: To see if the Town will vote to approve temporary easements and
compensation to residents thereto to allow for construction of proposed improvements on
Millstone Road.
Or to take any other action related thereto.
(Select Board) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 17
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 12
PRIVATE ROAD BETTERMENT: VESPER POND DRIVE
ARTICLE NO. 12: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available
funds, and/or borrow a sum of money pursuant to MGL Ch. 40, §§7 and 8, Chapter 297 of the
Acts of 2002, Chapter 373 of the Acts of 2006, and/or any other enabling authority, said sum to
be spent by the Town Administrator with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to finance
temporary road repairs to the private way known as Vesper Pond Drive, including, without
limitation, costs associated with engineering, construction, and reconstruction of said way, and
costs incidental or related thereto, which costs shall be assessed by the Board of Selectmen as a
betterment under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 80, Section 1 on each parcel within the
area benefiting from the improvement, all in compliance the Brewster Town Code, Chapter 157,
Article VIII, Section 157-20.
Or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Two-Thirds Vote Required)
COMMENT
The Town adopted a general bylaw at the 1996 Annual Town Meeting, which allows for citizens
to petition town meeting to obtain funding assistance to undertake repairs to private ways.
The Town, along with the private road organization, will contract out for the repair work. The
abutting property owners will then be required to reimburse the Town for the full project costs,
plus interest and administrative expenses, by means of a betterment assessment over a period
of time. There will be no tax rate impact related to this project. The abutters will incur all costs
associated with this project through a betterment assessment.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0 Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 3 Oct 5
PRIVATE ROAD BETTERMENT: RIDGEWOOD DRIVE
ARTICLE NO. 13: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available
funds, and/or borrow a sum of money pursuant to MGL Ch. 40, §§7 and 8, Chapter 297 of the
Acts of 2002, Chapter 373 of the Acts of 2006, and/or any other enabling authority, said sum to
be spent by the Town Administrator with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to finance
temporary road repairs to the private way known as Ridgewood Drive, including, without
limitation, costs associated with engineering, construction, and reconstruction of said way, and
costs incidental or related thereto, which costs shall be assessed by the Board of Selectmen as a
betterment under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 80, Section 1 on each parcel within the
area benefiting from the improvement, all in compliance the Brewster Town Code, Chapter 157,
Article VIII, Section 157-20.
Or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Two-Thirds Vote Required)
COMMENT
The Town adopted a bylaw at the 1996 Annual Town Meeting, which allows for citizens to
petition town meeting to obtain funding assistance to undertake repairs to private ways. The
Town, along with the private road organization, will contract out for the repair work. The
abutting property owners will then be required to reimburse the Town for the full project costs,
plus interest and administrative expenses, by means of a betterment assessment over a period
of time. There will be no tax rate impact related to this project. The abutters will incur all costs
associated with this project through a betterment assessment.
Select Board: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 3
Finance Committee: Yes 0, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 5
CREATION OF NEW REVOLVING FUND: BAY PROPERTY POOL
ARTICLE NO. 14: To see if the Town will vote to approve a new revolving fund, consistent with
MGL Ch. 44 Sec 53E½, for the purposes of managing a recreational pool located at 3057 Main
Street, in a manner as follows:
Revolving
Fund
Department,
Board,
Committee,
Agency, or
Officer
Authorized
to Spend
from Fund
Fees, charges
or Other
Receipts
Credited to
Fund
Program or
Activity
Expenses
Payable
from Fund
Restrictions or
Conditions on
Expenses Payable
from Fund
Fiscal Years
Bay
Property
Pool
Department
Head -
Recreation
Fees received
for pool
memberships,
programs,
and events
Pay for
Salaries,
Benefits,
Operating
Expenses,
and
Contracted
Services
Expenses shall be
related to salaries
and operations of
the Bay Property
Pool and not used
for any other
purposes
Fiscal Year
2023 and
subsequent
years
Or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Select Board) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
This article will create a new revolving fund which will separately account for fees collected to
support operations of the new pool at the former Sea Camps property at 3057 Main Street.
The Town is seeking to open the pool for resident use by Summer 2023 and requires this fund
to be established in advance. The Town is also seeking to appropriate $150,000 from Free Cash
to cover initial start-up expenses and Year 1 operational costs for the pool. Revenues collected
from fees will help support future year operating expenses.
Select Board: Yes 5, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 17
Finance Committee: Yes 7, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 12
POLICE DISPATCHERS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT
ARTICLE NO. 15: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate and/or transfer from
available funds a sum of money to fund the cost items of the first fiscal year of the proposed
Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Town of Brewster and Brewster Police
Dispatchers Association, Massachusetts Coalition of Police or to take any other action relative
thereto.
(Select Board) (Majority Vote Required)
COMMENT
This article will fund costs associated with any contract settlement expenses between the newly
formed Police Dispatchers Union and the Town not already included in the Town’s Fiscal Year
2023 budget.
Select Board: Yes 5, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 17 or TM
Finance Committee: Yes 7, No 0, Abs 0
Oct 12 or TM
And you are hereby directed to serve this Warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk
at the time and place of said meeting as aforesaid.
Given under our hand and Seal of the Town of Brewster affixed this __th day of October 2022.
___________________________________
David Whitney, Chair
___________________________________
Ned Chatelain, Vice-Chair
___________________________________
Kari Hoffmann, Clerk
___________________________________
Mary Chaffee
___________________________________
Cynthia A. Bingham
I, Roland W. Bassett Jr, duly qualified Constable for the Town of Brewster, hereby certify that I
served the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting of November 14, 2022 by posting attested
copies thereof, in the following locations in the Town on the __th day of October, 2022.
Brewster Town Offices Café Alfresco
Brewster Ladies Library Brewster Pizza House
The Brewster General Store Millstone Liquors
U. S. Post Office
_________________________________
Roland W. Bassett, Jr. Constable
Town of Brewster
2198 Main Street
Brewster, MA 02631-1898
Phone: (508) 896-3701
Fax: (508) 896-8089
MEMORANDUM
TO: Select Board
CC: Charlie Sumner, Moderator; Colette Williams, Town Clerk
FROM: Peter Lombardi, Town Administrator
RE: De-Brief on Spring 2022 Town Meeting
DATE: June 3, 2022
Town officials continually look to refine our approach to Town Meeting as needed, a
process that was pivotal to successfully conducting Town business over the past few
years as we made numerous changes to adapt to the challenges of the pandemic.
Another recent example of this commitment to making targeted improvements to Town
Meeting was our work with Town Counsel this year to eliminate three warrant articles
that had historically been included in the consent agenda but no longer required Town
Meeting action (Ch 90, acceptance of grants & gifts, and the Nauset school allocation
formula). Although this year’s warrant only had 21 actionable articles in total, the May
14 meeting still ran over three and a half hours in duration and ultimately lost quorum
before the last article (CPC allocation formula) was acted on; an unfortunate outcome
for a key policy decision on which hundreds of hours of volunteer, staff, and resident
time had been spent over the past year.
Following feedback from residents on this year’s Town Meeting, Town Administration
met with the Town Clerk, Moderator, and new Select Board Chair earlier this week to
de-brief and discuss potential solutions. We identified several potential bylaw changes
or additions that could be included in a future Town Meeting warrant, as follows:
1.Amend Town Bylaw 48-11B (Limits of Debate) to limit speakers to 1.5 minutes
(currently 3 minutes). For public health purposes, speakers were limited to 1.5
minutes at Town Meetings during the pandemic. We received no complaints or
issues, and the depth and breadth of debate did not seem to suffer. Speakers
would still be limited to speaking two times on a particular article per 48-11C.
2.Amend Town Bylaw 48-5 (Quorum) to eliminate quorum requirement after Town
Meeting has been convened. 200 voters would still be required to start the
meeting.
Office of:
Select Board
Town Administrator
3.Propose new Town Bylaw under Chapter 48 (Reconsideration) which would
require a 2/3 vote to approve reconsideration (currently simple majority vote per
Town Meeting Time) and would require any motion to reconsider be made within
1 (one) hour after the original vote on a particular article was taken.
The Charter Committee, of which the Moderator, Town Clerk, and I were members,
discussed several of these recommendations at length in the course of our work
developing the Town’s inaugural charter. Cindy Bingham, as the Select Board
representative on the Charter Committee, was involved in these discussions as well. At
the time, there was consensus that they would best be addressed as bylaws rather than
in the charter. While each could stand on its own merits, our recommendation is that
they (in some form or fashion) be taken up together if the Board is so inclined. We
look forward to the Board’s questions and input, and welcome other suggestions as
well.
Fincom Meeting & Budget Schedule FY 2023
as of:09.20.2022
Meeting Schedule
Month Date Day Time Meeting Type Topics Comment
September 21 Wed 6:00 PM Fincom TM Warrant Overview, ARTICLES 1,9
September 28 Wed Articles 6,7,8
SB has not approved these articles at this time
October 5th Wed 6:00 PM Fincom Articles 2,12, 13
October 12th Wed 6:00 PM Fincom Articles 3,4,5,11,14,15 Faythe Ellis to present 3,4,5,
October 19 Wed 6:00 AM Fincom Article 10
October 17 Warrant to Printer
November 14 Monday 6:00PM Town Meeting Stoney Brook Elementary School
* - Need to confirm