10/15/2007 Annual Town Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Dear Mashpee Voters, As required by the Charter,below are the Finance Committee's recommendations on the Articles included t' I' in the October 15th Annual Town Meeting Warrant. �. :i There are 27 articles on the meeting warrant. Articles 5 through 12 reflect Community Preservation Committee requested expenditures of$819,835 out of FY 2008 Community Preservation Act estimated revenues of$1,772,668. One half of the available funds were provided by the state under the matching program. The Finance Committee has recommended approval of these expenditures. See Articles 5 through Article 12 for the detail requests. Each article includes a brief explanation by the Finance Committee of the intent and purpose(s) for the (` article. This explanation is intended to supplement the description provided in the Warrant. Following the explanation is the Finance Committee's recommendation to the Town Meeting members. Article 27 has not been voted by the Finance Committee prior to this notice. The Finance Committee will make note of its recommendation at the Town Meeting. The Finance Committee unanimously recommends that Town Meeting defeat Article 13,the purpose of which is to remove the current limitation on elected officials(Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Town Clerk,Board of Library Trustees, Town Moderator or Planning Board) from being appointed by the Board of Selectmen as a full voting member of a multiple member board. Alternatively, the Finance Committee recommends that the Board of Selectmen take a more pro-active role in identifying and recruiting individuals to serve. In addition,the Finance Committee believes that the current article does not address"conflicts of interest"appropriately. i i The Finance Committee also unanimously recommends that Town Meeting defeat Article 24. While the specified intent of the petitioners is to limit the exclusion only for the purchase of vehicles to be used in the transportation of special needs students,by exempting the School Department from the By-law would mean that all School Department capital projects would be exempt from the capital projects review process. By a vote of 4-2,the Finance Committee approved Article 25,requesting approval to amend Chapter 79 of the Mashpee Code to establish provisions to license and regulate various types of kennel facilities. j With regard to Article 27, eliminating medical benefits to part-time elected officials;the Finance Committee has reservations about the legality of such a provision, since the"Home Rule"Town Charter supersedes MA law in this matter. The Committee invited the petitioner to attend a Finance Committee meeting to furnish additional justification and information for such a provision. Unfortunately,the petitioner has been unable to respond, as yet. Voters will have an opportunity to ask questions or express their opinions on each Article presented during the course of the Town Meeting. Respectfully, William P. Johnson Chairman i Finance Committee Members Chuck Gasior,Vice Chairman Sandra Lindsey, Clerk Chris Avis Lynda Carroll Bob Hutchinson 1