Milford Town Meeting 2019: What To Expect

MILFORD, MA — Milford's annual Town Meeting is Monday, May 20 and residents will vote on 25 articles on the Town Meeting warrant. Among some of the hot button articles on the warrant is the town's proposed $107.3 million operating budget, an increase in the Board of Selectmen and moving the town election to the fall.

The proposed 2020 budget is $107,318,498, a 3.5 percent increase over this year's budget. The education budget took up the largest portion of the operating budget with $52,475,037 going towards education in total and $50,550,305 of that going to the school department. The school department's proposed budget increased by 5 percent compared to this year's budget. Among the additions to the school department are an assistant principal in Stacy Middle School and other school personnel.

The public safety budget was the second highest on the proposed 2020 budget, coming in at $12,694,205. The fire department's proposed budget is $4,543,869, a 7.6 percent increase from this year's budget. The department plans to add four more firefighters to the department. These would be the first new hires of firefighters since the 1980's.

Two citizen petitions made their way onto Milford's Town Meeting warrant. Article 11 suggests increasing the Board of Selectmen from three members to five. The petition was submitted by Town Meeting member Michael Soares, who cited Milford being the largest community in the state with only three selectmen. He said Milford is the 19th largest town in the state. Soares said the increase in members would bring civility to the election season and offer more diversity to the candidate pool.

If the petition is approved at Town Meeting the proposal will move onto the ballot for the 2020 election. If it goes further and is approved by voters than two more board members would be elected in the 2021 election- according to Soares proposal one member would have a three-year term and the other would have a two-year term.

Article 18 would move the town election to November to line up with state and national elections. Submitted by Town Meeting member Bryan Cole, the goal is to increase voter turnout in the town and save Milford some money in the process. Some worry that local election issue will get lost in the storm of state and national election issues.

Other articles up for debate include the town's Police Chief Review Committee budget and funds to pay for legal fee associated with Milford's fight to buy Milford Water Company.

Milford's Town Meeting is May 20. View the full Town Meeting warrant.