Photos: Town Meeting, Day One

The annual will be carried over into a second day after a well-attended meeting at Hingham High School was unable to complete voting on the 47 Articles contained within the Warrant.

and to approve the budget for Fiscal 2012 as laid out by the Board of Selectmen and the Advisory Committee.

There was some discussion on the Budget as two holds were notified during Moderator Thomas O'Donnell's listing of items for consideration. Daniel Dwyer, a member of the Advisory Committee, recommended that the proposed payroll for School Department be reduced by $100,000 while the the increase in post-employment benefits currently provided by the Town was also questioned. Both motions to hold were reviewed and after careful consideration, the education and post-employment benefit budget for 2012 fiscal year were approved.

Residents also agreed to allow appropriation of $273,750 to the Community Preservation Historic Resources Reserve to continue their efforts to preserve essential parts of Hingham's history. This included a Feasability Study for restoration of the Hingham Cordage Factory building, the conservation of selected photographs/ memorabilia and the funding of Phase One of the Hingham Memorial Bell Tower Restoration.

After the Town agreed to appropriate $75,000 to begin development of the Derby Street Corridor, the pace of the meeting slowed with a number of Articles introduced that were intended to amend the General By-Laws of the Town.

Bernard Manning, a resident of Cushing Street, spent some time at the podium requesting that the Town consider limiting the terms of elected officials, placing a restriction on political advertising, that School Committee should not contain any parents of children who are currently enrolled in and rejecting the Selectmen's suggestion that time limits for speaking at Town Meetings be reduced.

After several impassioned speeches, Manning was advised by James Toomey that these amendments would be unconstitutional and the recommendation of no action was upheld. 

Article 31 was the last piece of business that could be discussed and another long debate, led by Tuck Wadleigh, showed the concern that some residents have with the possibility of hazardous waste being transported through the town by non-residents to be deposited at Hingham Transfer Station. This was another Article that had a recommendation of 'No Action' and with the meeting having already lasted over four hours, a motion to continue further discussion of the outstanding Articles at the same time and the same place was agreed and the meeting ended just after 11 p.m. 

Tonight, Town Meeting will continue at the Hingham High School auditorium at 7 p.m. and Articles 32-47 are expected to be discussed.