WARRANT
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS BERKSHIRE SS.
TO: Rosemary E. Besancon, Constable of the Town of Egremont,
Greetings:
In the name of the Commonwealth aforesaid, you are hereby required to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Egremont qualified to vote in elections and Town affairs, to meet at the North Egremont Fire Station in North Egremont, on Tuesday, the 13th day of May, 2008, at 10:00 o'clock in the forenoon, and then and there to bring their ballots to the election officers for the election of the following Town and District Officers:
One Moderator for one year,
One Town Clerk for one year,
One Selectman for three years,
One Library Trustee for three years,
One Cemetery Commissioner for three years,
One member of the Planning Board for five years,
One associate member of the Planning Board for three years,
One Tree Warden for one year,
One Assessor for three years,
One Assessor for one year,
One Water Commissioner for three years.
and to choose such other officers as towns are required by law or have a right to choose.
All of the above named officers will be voted upon an official ballot to be furnished at the polling place by the election officers. The following question shall also be voted upon the official ballot.
Shall the Town vote to have its elected Board of Assessors become an appointed Board of Assessors of the Town?
Shall the Town of Egremont be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition two and one-half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to purchase the fire truck?
The polls will open at 10:00 A.M., and shall close at 7:00 P.M.
You are also required to notify and warn the inhabitants of said Town qualified to vote in Town affairs to meet at the Mount Everett Regional High School, Thomas A. Consolati Auditorium,
Sheffield MA., on Tuesday, the 6th day of May, 2008 at 7:00 P.M. and then and there to act upon the following articles.
ARTICLE 1: To hear the reports of any officers, committee or committees.
ARTICLE 2: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate and/or transfer from available funds monies, or any other amounts, to defray charges and expenses to the Town, to set the salaries of elected officials, including salaries of certain Town officers and employees, debt and interest, and to provide for a reserve fund, all beginning July 1, 2008 for the ensuing twelve months.
VOTED SELECTBOARD FINANCE COMM.
2007-2008 2008-2009 2008-2009
1. OFFICIALS AND BOARDS $ 280,489.00 $ 292,397.00 $ 292,397.00
A. Accounting Officer Expense 500.00 500.00 500.00
B. Accounting Officer 11,435.00 13,000.00 13,000.00
C. Affordable Housing Comm 300.00 0.00 0.00
D. Assessor’s Consulting 19,500.00 20,000.00 20,000.00
E. Assessor’s Expense 4,575.00 4,575.00 4,575.00
F. Assessor #1 Salary 4,430.00 4,541.00 4,541.00
FF. Assessor #2 Salary 4,430.00 4,541.00 4,541.00
FFF.Assessor #3 Salary 4,430.00 4,541.00 4,541.00
G. Board of Appeals Expense 160.00 160.00 160.00
H. Board of Health Expense 5,275.00 5,425.00 5,425.00
I. Board of Health Clerk wages 15,518.00 16,163.00 16,163.00
J. Bd. of Health Agent Wages 17,750.00 18,193.00 18,193.00
K. Bd. Of Health Food Inspector 570.00 650.00 650.00
L. Building Inspector Salary 21,833.00 23,117.00 23,117.00
M. Conservation Comm. Expense 500.00 500.00 500.00
N. Constable’s Salary 510.00 523.00 523.00
O. Finance Committee Expense 500.00 700.00 700.00
P. Inspectors’ Expenses 2,700.00 2,700.00 2,700.00
Q. Planning Board Expense 2,600.00 2,700.00 2,700.00
R. Planning Board Wages 270.00 270.00 270.00
S. Sel. Office Administrator 45,863.00 47,807.00 47,807.00
T. Selectmen Office Expense 11,400.00 11,920.00 11,920.00
U. Selectman #1 Salary 5,536.00 5,674.00 5,674.00
V. Selectman #2 Salary 5,033.00 5,159.00 5,159.00
W. Selectman #3 Salary 5,033.00 5,159.00 5,159.00
X. Town Clerk Expense 3,900.00 3,900.00 3,900.00
Y. Town Clerk Salary 7,857.00 8,053.00 8,053.00
Z. Town Hall Office Clerk 26,602.00 27,267.00 27,267.00
AA. Treasurer/Collector Expense 8,290.00 8,910.00 8,910.00
BB. Treasurer/Collector Salary 43,189.00 45,749.00 45,749.00
VOTED SELECTBOARD FINANCE COMM.
2007-2008 2008-2009 2008-2009
2. TOWN EXPENSES $ 150,956.00 $ 165,423.00 $ 164,828.00
A. Animal Control Officer 2,192.00 2,247.00 2,247.00
B. Animal Control Expenses New 1,200.00 1,200.00
C. Audit 5,050.00 5,050.00 5,050.00
D. Berk. County Group Purchasing 400.00 400.00 400.00
E. Board of Registrars Salary 50.00 50.00 50.00
F. Compactor Operation 68,990.00 69,745.00 69,745.00
G. Compactor Operator Salary 17,734.00 18,473.00 18,473.00
H. Compactor Substitute Wages 3,952.00 4,051.00 4,051.00
I. Computer Expenses 21,574.00 28,110.00 28,110.00
J. Drug and Alcohol Tests 360.00 360.00 360.00
K. Egremont Newsletter 3,635.00 4,230.00 3,635.00
L. Election Wages 1,600.00 4,500.00 4,500.00
M. High Speed Internet 1,312.00 1,528.00 1,528.00
N. Historical Commission Expense 1,200.00 1,200.00 1,200.00
O. Inspector of Animals 500.00 500.00 500.00
P. Legal Expenses 250.00 250.00 250.00
Q. Legal Fees 6,200.00 7,000.00 7,000.00
R. Moderator 210.00 215.00 215.00
S. School Committee 1,797.00 1,842.00 1,842.00
T. School Crossing Guard 4,650.00 4,766.00 4,766.00
U. So. Berk. Chamber Commerce New 206.00 206.00
V. Surplus Procurement 500.00 500.00 500.00
W. Town Report 600.00 800.00 800.00
X. Town Telephone 7,200.00 7,200.00 7,200.00
Y. Zoning Bylaws 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00
3. TOWN MAINTENANCE $ 120,916.00 $ 144,012.00 $ 144,012.00
A. Bldg Maint. General Exp. 10,112.00 12,800.00 12,800.00
B. Bldg Maint. Utility Exp. 30,266.00 39,211.00 39,211.00
C. Building Maintenance Wages 9,496.00 10,347.00 10,347.00
D. Maintenance Superintendent 37,152.00 39,398.00 39,398.00
E. Cemetery Maintenance 100.00 100.00 100.00
F. French Park Maintenance 2,489.00 3,626.00 3,626.00
G. French Park Overtime Wages 3,130.00 3,421.00 3,421.00
H. French Park Wages 8,960.00 9,760.00 9,760.00
I. Public Lighting 4,680.00 4,680.00 4,680.00
J. Building Improvements 4,000.00 5,000.00 5,000.00
K. Tree Work 5,000.00 10,000.00 10,000.00
L. Tree Warden 5,531.00 5,669.00 5,669.00
VOTED SELECTBOARD FINANCE COMM.
2007-2008 2008-2009 2008-2009
4. HIGHWAYS $ 427,507.00 $ 428,562.00 $ 423,562.00
A. Const. & Maint. Wages 4,301.00 4,409.00 4,409.00
B. Construction & Maintenance 163,000.00 165,000.00 165,000.00
C. Personnel Member Foreman 39,722.00 36,763.00 36,763.00
D. Personnel Member B 36,509.00 35,446.00 35,446.00
E. Personnel Member C 34,585.00 34,338.00 34,338.00
F. Superintendent Salary 56,808.00 54,459.00 54,459.00
G. Snow & Ice Removal 70,000.00 75,000.00 70,000.00
H. Snow & Ice Removal Wages 22,582.00 23,147.00 23,147.00
5. LIBRARY $ 24,542.00 $ 25,546.00 $ 25,546.00
A. Expenses 7,500.00 8,000.00 8,000.00
B. Librarian’s Salary 16,289.00 16,696.00 16,696.00
C. Library Substitute Wages 753.00 850.00 850.00
6. POLICE $ 266,222.00 $ 287,688.00 $ 287,688.00
B. Chief Expenses 2,500.00 2,700.00 2,700.00
C. Chief Salary 54,198.00 57,476.00 57,476.00
D. Collective Bargaining 167,800.00 182,213.00 182,213.00
E. Department Expenses 9,159.00 10,899.00 10,899.00
H. Police Wages-Secretary 11,856.00 12,688.00 12,688.00
I. Vehicle Expenses 20,709.00 21,712.00 21,712.00
7. FIRE AND EMERGENCY $ 74,032.00 $ 80,825.00 $ 78,325.00
A. Dispatch Facilities 7,332.00 7,625.00 7,625.00
B. Emergency Management 3,000.00 3,000.00 3,000.00
C. Emergency Management wages 5,000.00 5,000.00 2,500.00
D. Fire Departments Expense 35,000.00 35,000.00 35,000.00
E. Draft Hydrants 1,000.00 5,000.00 5,000.00
F. Firefighters Stipend 20,000.00 22,000.00 22,000.00
G. Forest Fires 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00
H. Street Number 911 200.00 200.00 200.00
I. Alert-Now Rapid Notification 1,500.00 1,500.00 1,500.00
J. So Berk Reg Emergency Planning New 500.00 500.00
VOTED SELECTBOARD FINANCE COMM.
2007-2008 2008-2009 2008-2009
8. DEBT AND INTEREST $ 43,012.00 $ 85,187.00 $ 85,187.00
A. Interest Short Term Debt 1.00 1.00 1.00
B. Loan Consolidation 43,011.00 43,011.00 43,011.00
C. Fire Truck Loan New 42,175.00 42,175.00
9. HUMAN SERVICES $ 20,587.00 $ 21,583.00 $ 21,583.00
A. Brien Center/Mental Health 912.00 958.00 958.00
B. Berk South Community Center 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00
C. Community Health Programs 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00
D. Berk. Comm. Action Council 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00
E. Construct, Inc. 400.00 400.00 400.00
F. Council on Aging 1,900.00 1,900.00 1,900.00
G. Eagle Fund 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00
H. Egremont Garden Club 250.00 200.00 200.00
I. Elizabeth Freeman Center 500.00 500.00 500.00
J. Fairview Hospital 1,500.00 1,500.00 1,500.00
K. Housatonic Valley Assoc New 250.00 250.00
L. Hospice of So. Berkshire 750.00 750.00 750.00
M. Lee VNA 4,200.00 4,200.00 4,200.00
N. Railroad Street Youth Project 750.00 1,500.00 1,500.00
O. So. Berk. Elderly Transport 5,025.00 5,025.00 5,025.00
P. So. Berk. Literacy Network 400.00 400.00 400.00
10. INSURANCE $ 360,055.00 $ 343,391.00 $ 343,391.00
A. Health/Dental 155,000.00 145,000.00 145,000.00
B. Pension 100,695.00 95,481.00 95,481.00
C. Property & Casualty 88,560.00 88,560.00 88,560.00
D. Social Security/Medicare 10,000.00 10,150.00 10,150.00
E. Unemployment 5,800.00 4,200.00 4,200.00
11. RESERVE FUND $ 25,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 25,000.00
TOTAL LINE ITEM BUDGET $1,793,318.00 $1,899,614.00 $1,891,519.00
Voted SELECTBOARD FINANCE COMM.
SPECIAL ARTICLES 2007-2008 2008-2009 2008-2009
Previous 2008 Special Articles $1,688,713.00 $1,799,310.02 $1,799,310.02
4 Wheel Drive Police Cruiser 34,000.00
Water Lines Repair & Replacement 20,000.00
Copier 6,500.00
Dog Licensing Software 950.00
Dump Truck 55,000.00
Stabilization Fund 75,000.00
2009 Special Articles
School Minimum Net spending 1,013,930.00 933,358.00 933,358.00
School Additional Operating 319,383.00 362,890.00 362,890.00
School Capital Costs 163,950.00 153,238.00 153,238.00
Water Lines Repair & Replacement 20,000.00 20,000.00
Cemeteries 2,000.00 2,000.00
Loader 100,000.00 100,000.00
Building painting 105,000.00 105,000.00
Town Hall Tree Removal 5,420.00 5,420.00
Legal Bill of a previous year 200.00 200.00
Animal Control Mileage previous year 204.02 204.02
Annex Consultant 15,000.00 15,000.00
Police Cruiser 27,000.00 27,000.00
Stabilization Fund 75,000.00 75,000.00
Total Budget $3,482,031.00 $3,698,924.02 $3,690,829.02
ARTICLE 4: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate and/or transfer from available funds the following sums of money, or any other amount for the Southern Berkshire Regional School District Budget, or take any other action relative thereto.
FY 08 FY 09
A. Minimum Net Required Operating $1,013,930.00 $933,358.00
B. Additional Operating spending 391,383.00 362,890.00
C. Capital Costs 163,950.00 153,238.00
(Finance Committee recommends approval.)
ARTICLE 5: To see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds and/or raise and appropriate the sum of $20,000.00, or any other amount, to pay for water line repairs and replacement, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee recommends approval.)
ARTICLE 6: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the following amounts, or any other amounts, to be expended under the direction of the Water Commissioners in order to operate and fund the Egremont Water Department:
SELECTBOARD FINANCE COMM.
2007-2008 2008-2009 2008-2009
A. Debt Service-Princ./Int. $76,000.00 $75,000.00 $75,000.00
B. Operating Expenses 22,600.00 18,600.00 18,600.00
C. Wages/Salaries 60,764.00 62,000.00 62,000.00
D. Utilities 14,000.00 14,000.00 14,000.00
E. Office Expense 2,000.00 1,250.00 1,250.00
F. Insurance 17,900.00 20,000.00 20,000.00
G. Audit 2,450.00 2,450.00 2,450.00
Total $195,714.00 $193,300.00 $193,300.00
and that the necessary funds be raised from Water Department Revenues; or take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 7: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate from the Cemetery Sale of Lots account the sum of $2,000, or any other amount, for repair and maintenance projects at town cemeteries, or to take any other action relative there to.
(Finance Committee recommends approval.)
ARTICLE 8: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, and/or to borrow, and/or transfer from available funds the sum of $100,000, or any other amount to purchase a new loader for the Highway Department, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 9: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, and/or borrow, and/or transfer from available funds the sum of $105,000, or any other amount, to paint the Town Hall and the Library, or to take any action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 10: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, and/or transfer from available funds the sum of $5,420.00, or any amount, to remove trees and make repairs to the facade of the Town Hall, or to take any other action relative thereto
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 11: To see if the Town will vote to pay a bill from a previous year, namely $200.00 for legal expenses to appear in the United States Court of Appeals owed to Hannon Lerner Attorney’s At Law, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee recommends approval.)
ARTICLE 12: To see if the Town will vote to pay a bill from a previous year, namely $204.02 for mileage reimbursement to Animal Control, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 13: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, and/or transfer from available funds the sum of $15,000, or any other amount, to pay a consultant to conduct an engineering study for the Annex Building, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 14: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, and/or transfer from available funds the sum of $27,000, or any other amount, to purchase a new two-wheel drive police cruiser for the Police Department, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee recommends approval.)
ARTICLE 15: To see if the town will vote to allocate the sum of its required contribution to the Southern Berkshire Regional School District, in accordance with the regional agreement presently in effect, in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, Section 16B, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee recommends approval.)
ARTICLE 16: To see if the Town will vote to elect Southern Berkshire Regional School District School Committee members with residency requirements in district-wide elections to be held at the biennial state elections beginning at the earliest possible date by amending the SBRSD Regional Agreement by striking the entire section under, “2. THE COMMITTEE” and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
“The powers and duties of the District shall be exercised by and vested in a Regional District School Committee, (hereinafter referred to as the Committee). The Committee shall consist of 10 members with residency requirements as follows: one from Alford, two from Egremont, one from Monterey, two from New Marlborough and four from Sheffield.
a) Pursuant to MGL c71 s14E, members shall be elected in biennial state elections in 2008 or no later than 2010 by way of district-wide elections with residency requirements, which will result in the required number of members who are residents of the appropriate town, to serve for a term of four years and thereafter until their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified. For the purposes of arrangements on the ballot, offices having the same residency requirement shall appear on the ballot distinct from offices having different residency requirements, provided always that there shall appear on the ballot appropriate instruction to the effect, “you may vote for every position on the Southern Berkshire Regional School District Committee, regardless of where you live in the District.”
b) Transition from current appointive members to elective members shall be reached by continuing each Town’s appointive process until elected member successors have been duly elected and qualified. In order to manage this transition, all current and any future appointive members of the school committee will have terms that cannot extend beyond the time elective successors would be duly elected and qualified.
c) To fill member’s positions vacated prior to the end of members elected terms, each town shall establish locally elected officials to act as appointive authority pursuant to MGL c71, s14E(5).
d) If any vacancy occurs among appointed or elected members after acceptance of this amendment, the appointive authority for school committee members in the town so affected and the remaining Committee member(s) of the Town affected, acting jointly, shall appoint a member to serve until the next biennial state election, at which election a successor shall be elected to serve a full four year term. If any vacancy occurs in a town with only one member, the appointive authority from the town involved shall appoint a member to serve until the next biennial state election, at which election a successor shall be elected to serve a full four year term.”
(Finance Committee makes no recommendation.)
ARTICLE 17: To see if the Town will vote to transfer from certified Free Cash the sum of $75,000.00, or any other amount, to the Stabilization Fund, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 18: To see if the Town will vote to accept funds being provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under the provisions of Chapter 90 of the General Laws, to pay for such costs as allowed by appropriate legislation in
connection with the maintenance, repair, and construction of Town ways and bridges, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee recommends approval.)
ARTICLE 19: To see if the Town will vote to approve, under the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 41C, the local option for tax exemptions to increase the amount of income for a single person from $13,000 to $20,000 and for a married person from $15,000 to $30,000, and the assets for a single person from $28,000 to $40,000 and for a married person from $30,000 to $50,000, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 20: To see if the Town will vote to approve the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 17E, which provides that the amount of the whole estate, real and personal, as set forth in Clause 17D, which is currently available and will remain as a property tax exemption option in the Town of Egremont, shall be increased annually by an amount equal to the cost of living (COLA) adjustment as published by the Department of Revenue, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 21: To see if the town will vote to adopt the provision added by Chapter 181 of the Acts of 1995 to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 59, Section 5, which offers communities the option of increasing each year the amount of the exemption granted to certain senior citizens and surviving spouses under Clause 17D by an amount equal to the full cost of living adjustment (COLA) as published by the Department of Revenue, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 22: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the use of revolving funds for the following programs and purposes:
a. French Park ($3,000.00)
b. Home Composting Bins (1,000.00)
c. Zoning Board of Appeals ($1,500.00)
d. Dog Fund ($5,000.00)
e. Inspector Wages ($15,000.00) (exceptions: Building Inspector and Health Inspector)
which revolving funds together shall not exceed the sum of Twenty-Five Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($25,500.00), which shall be under the control of the Town Treasurer, which shall be accounted for separately and to which shall be credited only the departmental receipts received in connection with the programs supported by each revolving fund; further to authorize the Town Treasurer to expense from such funds in accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 53E1/2 as amended by Section 72 and 73 of the Acts of 1994 of the Massachusetts General Laws, provided however that said expenditures for all revolving funds shall not exceed the receipts for such funds, or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee recommends approval.)
ARTICLE 23: To see if the Town will vote, pursuant to G.L. c 82A, section 2, to authorize the Board of Selectmen to designate the board or officer to regulate trenches as that term is defined by said law and the provisions of 520 CMR 14.00 et seq., or to take any other action relative thereto.
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 24: To see if the Town will adopt the following resolution:
RESOLVED: All Town of Egremont property tax payers have the same right to speak at the Town’s Annual Meeting and all other town meetings as those who are registered to vote in the Town of Egremont, subject to the right of the Egremont Town Moderator to maintain order at Town Meetings.
Citizens petition.
(Finance Committee makes no recommendation.)
ARTICLE 25: To see if the Town will vote to discontinue and abandon the upper portion of Millard Road 150 feet north of the northerly line of land of one Carter, now or formerly, on Millard Road as shown on the attached plan and continuing north to the New York State border. (Plan not attached-see handout.)
Citizens Petition
(Finance Committee will make a recommendation at the meeting.)
ARTICLE 26: Section 4 of Bylaw 1 of the Town of Egremont is amended by changing the phrase “The presence of sixty (60) voters at a Town Meeting for the transaction of business shall constitute a quorum” to read “The presence of one hundred fifty (150) voters shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a Town Meeting”.
Citizens Petition
(Finance Committee makes no recommendation.)
ARTICLE 27: To see if the Town will authorize the appointment of any committee or committees and give them or any other officer of the Town any instructions, authority, or indemnity.
And you are requested to warn said meeting by posting copies of this Warrant in four or more public places in said Town, fourteen days at least, before the time of holding same.
Hereof, fail not, and make due return of this Warrant, with your doings thereon at or before the time of holding said meeting.
Given under our hands this 17th day of April, Two Thousand and eight.
Selectmen:
Bruce C. Turner, Chairman
Mary A. Brazie, Vice-Chairman
Thomas C. Haas
A TRUE COPY ATTEST:
Rosemary E. Besancon
DATE: Constable, Town of Egremont
townmeet.08\atm2009 mab