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Home My Public Portal About1998-05-04 Special Town Mtg ReportReport of the SPECIAL TOWN MEETING May 4, 1998 In accordance with the Warrant, the Special Town Meeting was held in the Brewster Elementary School Cafetorium, Monday, May 4, 1998. The meeting was called to order at 7:10 p.m. by the Moderator, Stephen L. Doyle. The Tellers were Althea E. Alling, Jean Gage, June Gallant, Ruth Hanlon, Eleanor Nielsen, and William Nielsen. The Checkers were Carolyn H. Chase, Germaine I. Cummins, Ann Golini, Elizabeth Hardy, Dorothy D. Leone, Sharon Morgan, Janet Norton, Peter Norton, Sherry A. Ryder, John Unger, and Mildred Unger. A quorum was present. The Town Clerk, Joan K. Cole, read the Special Town Meeting Warrant and the return of the Warrant. There being no objection, the Moderator dispensed with the reading of all the articles. UNPAID BILLS ARTICLE 1. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds a sum of money to pay unpaid bills from a previous fiscal year, or to take any other action relative thereto. (Board of Selectmen) MOTION: I move that the town vote to approve Article 1 as printed in the warrant and to transfer the sum of $58.00 from Free Cash for this purpose. ACTION: ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY BUDGETARY TRANSFERS ARTICLE 2. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds and/or appropriate from surplus funds in some departments an amount of money to be used in conjunction with funds appropriated under current fiscal year budgets during the current fiscal year to pay shortfalls that would otherwise exist in the Fiscal Year 1998 Budget of other departments, or to take any other action relative thereto. (Board of Selectmen) MOTION: I move that the Town vote to approve Article 2 and to transfer from various funds within Article 3 (Town Operating Budget) of the 1997 Annual Town Meeting to finance the fiscal year 1998 shortfalls, as follows: a) Transfer the sum of $400.00 from Line Item 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 36 (Board of Health Wages), b) Transfer the sum of $200.00 from Line Item 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 31 (Department of Natural Resources Expenses), c) Transfer the sum of $1,500.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 17 (Town Hall Maintenance Wages), d) Transfer the sum of $3,000.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 17 (Town Hall Maintenance Expenses), e) Transfer the sum of $1,500.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability\Insurance) to Line Item No. 37 (Council on Aging Wages), f) Transfer the sum of $1,500.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 30 (Old Town Hall Maintenance Expenses), g) Transfer the sum of $500.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 2 (Selectmen's Staff Wages), h) Transfer the sum of $3,500.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 2 (Selectmen's Expenses), i) Transfer the sum of $3,800.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 4 (Town Administrator's Staff Wages), j) Transfer the sum of $150.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 45 (Historic District Expenses), k) Transfer the sum of $2,000.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 16 (Board of Appeals Wages), 1) Transfer the sum of $200.00 from Line Item No. 24 (Liability/Insurance) to Line Item No. 16 (Board of Appeals Expenses), m) Transfer the sum of $30,000.00 from the Ambulance Receipts Reserved For Appropriations Account to Line Item No. 27 (Fire/Rescue Wages) ACTION: ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY SIGHT LOSS SERVICES, INC. ARTICLE 3. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds the sum of Six Hundred and 00/100 ($600.00) Dollars to pay costs associated with Sight Loss Services, Inc. and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a contract with this organization in order to provide those desired social services for residents of Brewster, or to take any other action relative thereto. (Board of Selectmen) MOTION: I move that the town vote to approve Article 3 as printed in the warrant and to transfer the sum of $600.00 from Item No. la of Article 7 of the 1997 Annual Town Meeting (Tennis Court Backboard Construction) for this purpose. ACTION: ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY SIGNAGE AT TOWN BEACHES ARTICLE 4. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds the sum of Twenty-Five Hundred and 00/100 ($2,500.00) Dollars to allow the Board of Selectmen to improve the signage at our various Town landings and beaches and furthermore to authorize the Town Administrator to solicit bids and/or proposals, to enter into a contract or contracts and expend said funds for this purpose, or to take any other action relative thereto. (Board of Selectmen) MOTION: I move that the Town vote to approve Article 4 as printed in the warrant and to transfer the sum of $2,500.00 from Article 7 of the 1995 Annual Town Meeting (Upper Mill Pond Platform) for this purpose. ACTION: ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY RENOVATIONS TO TOWN OFFICES ARTICLE S. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds a sum of money to add to Item No. 4a of Article No. 3 of the 1997 Fall Yearly Meeting (Town Hall Rehabilitation Project) and to authorize the Town Administrator to solicit bids, enter into contracts and expend said funds to continue with the repair and renovation of the Brewster Town Offices Building, or to take any other action relative thereto. (Board of Selectmen) MOTION: I move that the Town vote to approve Article 5 as printed in the warrant and to transfer the sum of $53,000.00 from Free Cash for this purpose. ACTION: ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY GOLF REVOLVING FUND ARTICLE 6. To see if the Town will vote to establish a revolving fund under Section 53D of Chapter 44 of the General Laws for the golf handicap service expense for the Captains Golf Course, or to take any other action relative thereto. (Golf Commission) MOTION: I move that the Town vote to approve Article 6 as printed in the warrant. ACTION: ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY LANDFILL CAPPING ENGINEERING ARTICLE 7. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds the sum of Forry Thousand and 00/100 ($40, 000.00) Dollars to finance additional engineering services for the landfill closure project, or to take any other action relative thereto. (Board of Selectmen) MOTION: I move that the Town vote to approve Article 7 as printed in the warrant and to transfer the sum of $40,000.00 from the Stabilization Fund for this purpose. ACTION: ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY ELECTRIC DEREGULATION ARTICLE 8. To see if the Town will vote to adopt the following resolution: RESOLUTION TO SEEK LOWER ELECTRIC RATES IN A COMPETITIVE ELECTRICITY MARKET WHEREAS the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is engaged in a process to establish a competitive market place through deregulation and restructuring of the electric utility industry, and; WHEREAS the citizens of Brewster in Barnstable County have a substantial economic, environmental, and social interest at stake, and; WHEREAS the town's residential and business consumers are interested in lowering their electric rates and improving service; BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that Town Meeting members of Brewster, grant the Board of Selectmen authority to participate in a contract for power supply independently or in joint action with other towns. If such contracts are effected individually, consumers would regain the option not to participate and to choose any alternatives they desire. or to take any other action relative thereto. (Board of Selectmen) MOTION: I move that the Town vote to approve Article 8 as printed in the warrant. ACTION: ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY POLICE STATION DESIGN SERVICES ARTICLE 9. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds the sum of One Hundred and Twenty Thousand and 00/100 ($120, 000.00) Dollars for the purpose of continuing the design and engineering of a new Police Station, including costs incidental and related to the carrying out of the project, and to authorize the Town Administrator to solicit bids, enter into contracts and expend said funds for this purpose, or to take any other action relative thereto. (Board of Selectmen) MOTION: I move that the Town vote to approve Article 9 as printed in the warrant and to transfer the sum of $120,000.00 from Article 18 (Sealand Property Demolition Expense) of the 1997 Fall Yearly Town Meeting for this purpose. ACTION: DEFEATED YES 222 NO 258 EDDY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IRRIGATION ARTICLE 10. To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds the sum of Thirty Thousand and 00/100 ($30, 000.00) Dollars to install an irrigation system for the recreational fields at the Eddy Elementary School, and to authorize the Elementary School Building Committee to solicit bids, enter into a contract or contracts and expend said funds for this purpose, or to take any other action relative thereto. (Brewster School Committee) MOTION: I move that the Town vote to approve Article 10 as printed in the warrant and to transfer the sum of $30,000.00 from Free Cash for this purpose. ACTION: DEFEATED MEETING ADJOURNED at 8:58 p.m. A TRUE COPY ATTEST: ~o cQ.~ I~ ~ ~~ Joan K. Cole Town Clerk r~ 1 1