10/19/2009 Annual Town Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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y1 r l r Y THE FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TOWN MEETING OF ARTICLE 3 by a vote of 6-0. ARTICLE 4. Authorize Transfer of Available Ambulance Funds for Fire Rescue Training. Submitted by: Fire Chief Based on Fire Department vacancies and unanticipated retirements, Chief Baker requests Town Meeting ' approval to transfer$17,600 in available Ambulance receipts to fund basic Fire Rescue training expensesI' VlY""r at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy for four new(paramedic)firefighters. I If Approval of this Article will have no effect on the property tax rate. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TOWN MEETING OF ARTICLE 4 by a vote of 5-1. ARTICLE 5. Authorize Transfer of Available Waterways Funds for Permitting Costs. Submitted by: Waterways Commission. 141 At the May 2009 Town Meeting an appropriation was approved for $50,000 to pay the initial permitting costs associated with the dredging of a new channel through Low Tide Island. This Article will ��II appropriate an additional $100,000 in available Waterways Improvement funds to complete the funding for the permit work. The funds to pay for this work come from independent mooring fees. pi Approval of this Article will have no effect on the property tax rate. �I THE FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TOWN MEETING APPRp OF ARTICLE 5 by a vote of 3-1 with 2 abstentions. vY'.lig Note about the FinCom members vote: While 3 members voted in favor of this Article, the "no" vote, as well as the two abstentions, were based on the lack of information provided about the cost of the dredging studies and permitting fees, the estimated total cost of the dredging, the benefits of , ! the dredging project, the sources of funding for the project and the proposed implementation schedule. Many of these questions will be answered prior to Town Meeting through a Request for Proposal the Board of Selectmen will have received in September. The Finance Committee will i report any further findings or changes in its recommendation at Town Meeting. ARTICLE 6, 7, and 8: Appropriation of Community Preservation Act Funds. Submitted by: Community Preservation Act Committee. 'ti pis � 1: Beginning with the FY '05 budget, the State offered an optional program called the Community Iq� P., Preservation Act& which allows municipalities to collect funds through an annual 3% surcharge on property assessments, which is then matched by state funds, thereby substantially increasing the amount of money raised. The program, however, does require specific, limited categories for which the I;P funds can be used. These uses include the acquisition, creation, preservation, rehabilitation and/or restoration of: 1). Open Space; 2). Historic Resources; 3). Recreational Land, and 4). Affordable Housing. In addition to the projects, which must be approved at Town Meeting, a minimum of 10% of the total funds raised must be appropriated, or reserved, for future appropriations, in each of the following categories: 1) Open Space (excluding recreational uses), 2) Historic Resources, and 3) Affordable Housing. Further, the enabling legislation creating this program established a local Community w October 19, 2009 Town Meeting y Page 5 'i.