What's On The Falmouth Town Meeting Warrant In 2022?

FALMOUTH, MA — Important decisions are coming for Falmouth.

Falmouth's November Town Meeting is just days away, and, with 14 articles on the warrant, officials will name town officers, make decisions on finances and could even amend zoning bylaws and other items.

Here's what residents should know ahead of Monday's meeting:

When's The Meeting?

Monday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m.

Where?

The Lawrence School Memorial Auditorium, 113 Lakeview Ave.

What Are Five Items I Should Know?

In total there are 14 items on the warrant and, for each of those items, a town board or committee has issued their recommendation for what the decision should be on the item. Below is a breakdown of five (technically six) items, alongside the recommendation from those boards and committees.

Article 3

The town most vote to amend the zoning bylaw after a recodification effort was approved at last year's Town Meeting. This would mean the bylaw would have sections renumbered, typos corrected and text updated to conform with state statutes and regulations. The Attorney General's Office reviewed the changes and said this vote needs to be done because, essentially, they were concerned Town Meeting members didn't understand what changes would be made when they voted in 2021.

Planning Board Recommendation: The town vote Article 3 as printed.

Article 4

This article deals with funding for capital improvement projects in Falmouth. Voters will decide on funding for items including:

• A $665K increase in funds for roadway improvements
• Purchasing a fire engine and ambulance for the new Hatchville Station
• $1.7 million to reconstruct the high school tennis courts

Approval of this requires a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting.

Finance Committee Recommendation: That the town vote to transfer and appropriate the sum of $7,157,018 from certified free cash and $1,556,000 from Capital Stabilization for the purposes of this article. Said funds to be expended under the jurisdiction of the Town Manager.

Article 6

The Select Board is requesting that the fire department be removed from civil service, which officials say will "remove unnecessary delays in the exam and recruitment process and afford the Town greater local control over hiring, promotion and discipline."

Town Meeting 2021 voted to remove the Falmouth Police Department from civil service this time last year, and the idea has also been negotiated with the firefighters unions prior to Monday's meeting, officials said.

Select Board Recommendation: The town vote Article 6 as printed.

Article 11 and 12

Robert Volosevich, Jr., is petitioning Town Meeting to see if the town will repeal a bylaw prohibiting the sale of plastic water bottles. That prohibition was adopted by a majority vote at the Town Meeting in September 2020.

A second article, petitioned by Dana Nielsen, seeks to strike that bylaw in its entirety.

Select Board Recommendation: Indefinite postponement on both articles.

Article 13

This article seeks to ensure that assault weapons owned by the town — think the police department — aren't "reentering the stream of commerce". What this means is that, when weapons owned by the town are deemed "surplus" by the Chief of Police, they will be destroyed.

This only applies to assault weapons that are banned under the state's current ban.

Select Board Recommendation: The town vote Article 13 as printed.

Where Can I See The Full Agenda?

Click the link here.