Voters Pass $22 Million Budget, Say 'No' To Marijuana Business: Northborough Town Meeting

NORTHBOROUGH, MA—Northborough voters headed to Algonquin Regional High School on Monday, April 24, for the annual town meeting, voting on (or passing over) 55 articles on this year's warrant. Of the 11,182 voters in Northborough, 150 attended town meeting in 2017.

Residents passed several budgets, including a $22,018,143 town budget, $23,445,017 K-8 schools budget and $11,075,443 for Algonquin Regional.

Voters also approved $65,000 for a new forestry/fire truck, $87,000 for a new police cruiser and $240,000 for a new dumptruck for the DPW.

To add to Chapter 90 funds to improve roads, voters said yes to adding $300,000 to the fund, as well as money for roof repairs for the Proctor School.

Several articles passed that support conservation of land and transferring funds to the Conservation Commission.

Article 48 passed, indicating that Northborough residents want to be designated as a "green community."

Joining many other surrounding towns, voters also approved a bylaw amendment that would put a moratorium on opening recreational use marijuana facilities in Northborough.

Here's a breakdown of the articles, and voter results:

ARTICLE 1: Appointing Deputy Moderator MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 2: Compensating Balance Agreement MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 3: Prior Years Bills MOTION PASSED OVER

ARTICLE 4: Town Budget MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 5: Water, Sewer and Solid Waste Enterprise Funds MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 6: Northborough K-8 Schools Budget MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 7: Algonquin Regional High School Budget MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 8: Assabet Valley Regional Vocational School District Budget MOTION
PASSED

ARTICLE 9: Library Grants MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 10: Authorization for Grant Applications MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 11: Revolving Funds - Combine Articles 12-17 MOTION PASSED

• ARTICLE 12: Reauthorize the Fire Department Revolving Fund
• ARTICLE 13: Reauthorize the Animal Control Revolving Fund
• ARTICLE 14: Reauthorize the Family & Youth Services Department Revolving Fund
• ARTICLE 15: Reauthorize the Council on Aging Revolving Fund
• ARTICLE 16: Reauthorize the Community Affairs Committee Revolving Fund
• ARTICLE 17: Authorization for Library Revolving Fund

ARTICLE 18: Appropriations Committee Reserve Fund MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 19: Stabilization Fund Contribution MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 20: Application of Bond Premium MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 21 (CIP): Fire – Forestry Truck MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 22 (CIP): Police – Police Cruiser Replacement MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 23 (CIP): DPW – Six-Wheel Dump Truck with Spreader and Plow MOTION
PASSED

ARTICLE 24 (CIP): DPW – One-Ton Dump Truck with Plow MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 25 (CIP): DPW – One-Ton Dump Truck with Chip Body and Plow MOTION
PASSED

ARTICLE 26 (CIP): DPW – Chipper MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 27 (CIP): DPW – Fisher Street Culvert Replacement Design MOTION
PASSED

ARTICLE 28 (CIP): DPW – Crawford Street Slope Easements & Retaining Wall
MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 29 (CIP): DPW – Road Improvements and Maintenance MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 30 (CIP): Sewer – Sewer Inspection Camera System MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 31 (CIP): Sewer – West Main Street Sewer Pump Station Improvements
MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 32 (CIP): Water & Sewer – One-Ton Service Truck with Plow MOTION
PASSED

ARTICLE 33 (CIP): School Department – Proctor School Roof Repairs MOTION
PASSED

ARTICLE 34: FY2017 Water Meter Replacement & Billing System Debt Service
MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 35: Allen Street Sidewalk Easements MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 36: Consolidated Personnel Bylaw MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 37: Open Space – Transfer of Town Owned Land to Conservation Commission
MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 38: Open Space – Transfer of Town Owned Land to Conservation Commission
MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 39: Open Space – Transfer of Town Owned Land to Conservation Commission
MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 40: Community Preservation Fund – Bartlett Pond Treatment MOTION
PASSED

ARTICLE 42: Community Preservation Fund – Transfer to Northborough Affordable
Housing Corp MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 43: Community Preservation Fund – Town Common MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 44: Community Preservation Fund – Green Street Debt Service MOTION
PASSED

ARTICLE 45: Community Preservation Fund – Historic Resources Reserve MOTION
PASSED

ARTICLE 47: Adoption of Stretch Energy Code (Green Community) MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 48: Zoning Bylaw – 7-05-020, Classification of Uses 9 (Green Community)
MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 50: Zoning Bylaw – 7-05-030, Table of Uses Footnote 9 & 7-06-030
Supplemental Regulations MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 51: Zoning Bylaw – 7-10-020 Common Driveways MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 52: Zoning Bylaw – 7-10-060 Temporary Moratorium Recreational Marijuana
MOTION PASSED

ARTICLE 53: Zoning Bylaw – 7-10-070 Two-Family Dwelling Moratorium MOTION
PASSED (Initial motion to pass over this article was defeated)

ARTICLE 54: Zoning Bylaw – 7-03-050 Site Plans A PASSED OVER

ARTICLE 55: Community Preservation Fund – White Cliffs Debt Service PASSED
OVER