Month: April 2024

Behind the Scenes of Town Meeting: Thank you, Lyne Savage!

Sarah Brush

You may have noticed someone, sitting quietly for the past 23 years at a table behind the Moderator, noiselessly working a calculator. That unsung cog in our Town Meeting machine is the Finance Director/Town Accountant, Lyne Savage.   Lyne has been responsible to make sure all the dollars we spend meet our revenue and reports dutifully to the Meeting and the Town Manager that we are solvent as a town.  No one has done that job better than Lyne. This will be her last year keeping us all out of trouble as we wish Lyne a wonderful retirement from community service.

Town Meeting Warrant Article of the Day | Article 5: Amend General Bylaw- Chapter 60 Animal Control

Sarah Brush

Warrant Article of the Day

As we ready for Town Meeting on May 14, 2024, the Town will be presenting information every day on different warrant articles.

The full warrant has not yet been finalized, but a full list of the articles can be found here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-y4Cd71ERgJAqVxD3X9tnQw22Owiebv0/view?usp=sharing

Article 5: Amend General Bylaw- Chapter 60 Animal Control: This article will amend the current animal control bylaw to make it compliant with state law as well as best practices.  The bylaw changes are being recommended by our Animal Control Officer.  

Town Meeting Warrant Article of the Day | Article 3 and 4: Authorization to Accept and Grant Easements

Sarah Brush

Warrant Article of the Day

As we ready for Town Meeting on May 14, 2024, the Town will be presenting information every day on different warrant articles.

The full warrant has not yet been finalized, but a full list of the articles can be found here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-y4Cd71ERgJAqVxD3X9tnQw22Owiebv0/view?usp=sharing

Article 3 and 4: Authorization to Accept and Grant Easements

These articles allow the Town to accept and grant easements for any public purpose.  An easement is a right to use someone else’s land for a particular purpose.  The Town often has to accept easements for purposes like extensions of sidewalks or for utility purposes.  The Town may grant an easement to a utility company or the Commonwealth.

Town Meeting Warrant Article of the Day | Article 2: Authorization of the Town Manager or Superintendent of Schools Regarding Contracts in Excess of Three Years. 

Sarah Brush

Warrant Article of the Day

As we ready for Town Meeting on May 14, 2024, the Town will be presenting information every day on different warrant articles.

The full warrant has not yet been finalized, but a full list of the articles can be found here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-y4Cd71ERgJAqVxD3X9tnQw22Owiebv0/view?usp=sharing

Article 2: Authorization of the Town Manager or Superintendent of Schools Regarding Contracts in Excess of Three Years. 

Massachusetts Law only allows municipalities to enter into a contract of up to three years without permission of Town Meeting.  This article allows the Town Manager and Superintendent to sign contracts of longer than three years with the Select Board’s or School Committee’s approvals.  Towns will sometimes opt for longer contracts in order to lock in attractive pricing or for a lease.  For instance, the Select Board voted to allow a five year contract to rent the town’s postage machine in order to take advantage of the best pricing.