Town Meeting: Yes To High Marijuana Fines, No To Property Liens

FOXBOROUGH, MA — It didn’t take long for Foxborough voters to tackle 13 articles at Monday’s Special Town Meeting. The 75-minute long session attracted about 120 voters and saw few discussions during the brisk meeting.

The only item that drew substantive debate was Article 9, which would have allowed the town to place a lien on a home if it was determined that the property is responsible for polluting stormwater. Town meeting members voted down the proposal, with speakers expressing concern about a lack of process to prove that the damage is coming from the accused property.

The 55-41 vote against the article was the only time counters were needed. The remaining articles that were voted on did not require counts. Voters took no action on articles 3 and 11.

Here’s the rest of what voters approved at Special Town Meeting:

Article 1 - $30,000 for a police and fire department staffing study, $35,400 for fencing for the Foxborough Common, and $24,000 for an update to the highway department’s pavement management system

Article 2 - Allows the town to place liens on the property due to the chronic non-payment of fines like illegal parking and zoning violations. The article does not eliminate the ability of the property owner to seek adjudication through the courts and takes effect October 2018.

Article 4 - Approves funding for the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by and between the Town of Foxborough and the Foxboro Town Clerical Employees, Middle Managers and Department Heads.The agreement will add $84,961 in additional cost to the fiscal year 2017 budget and the same amount to the fiscal year 2018 budget. Additional step increases brings the fiscal year 2018 total about $290,869. The total cost will be funded out of free cash and deposited into the department budgets.

Article 5 - Allows the board of selectmen to file special legislation to request a 100 percent charter school tuition reimbursement from the state based on the state funding formula.

Article 10 - Supplements the existing town general bylaw on recreational marijuana with the town zoning bylaw. There is no impact to the bylaw and the article was done with recommendation from the state Attorney General’s office.

Article 12 - Increases the fine for violating the town’s marijuana bylaw from $200 to $300.

Article 13 - Changes “Registered Marijuana Dispensaries” in the town bylaw to “Registered Medical Marijuana Dispensaries.” The change is to avoid confusion with recreational and medical dispensaries.

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