More Liquor Licenses, New Town Hall on Tap for Special Town Meeting

Originally published on Jan. 19, 2016.

FOXBOROUGH, MA - A new Town Hall, a pair of home rule petitions, and the removal of the chief of police position from civil service are just three of the eight articles on tap for February’s Special Town Meeting.

Article one will ask town voters to authorize the Board of Selectmen to petition the state legislature for the enactment of a Home Rule Special Act that would define who in town is a mandated reporter for sexual abuse. Those included in the definition are all school employees in Foxborough, all child care employees, all town employees, and all town volunteers. The mandated reporters would be required to take training as provided by the Foxborough Child Sexual Abuse Committee and any additional refresher training provided by the committee, according to the draft warrant.

A second petition would ask the state for two more liquor licenses as part of the redevelopment and transformation of Foxfield Plaza into Forbes Crossing.

If passed, article six would remove the position of chief of police from civil service. If passed, the change would only affect future chiefs and not current chief Edward O’Leary.

Likely to be the most debated article at Town Meeting, article eight will ask the voters to give the town permission to raise funds for the construction of a new Town Hall and demolition of the current structure. According to Permanent Municipal Planning and Building Committee Chairman Bill Yukna, the current cost estimate for the project is about $8.3 million.

Click here to see the full warrant.