Thrice as Nice: Plymouth Town Meeting

Town Meetings has gone all Inception on us this year, as Plymouth's representatives will have a meeting-within-a-meeting-within-a-meeting. Parts of it could even make for interesting television. (Town Meeting will be cablecast on Plymouth Government channel 15 on Comcast and 47 on Verizon beginning at 8 a.m.).

First, of course, there's the Annual Town Meeting, consisting of 34 articles, of which eight have been withdrawn. Then there's the first special Town Meeting complete with 16 articles (five withdrawn), and finally the second special Town Meeting consisting of a single article.

We'll start from the inside-out.

The single article in the Second Special was petitioned by Town Meeting representative Randy Parker, who originally wanted it to be a ballot refernedum.

Passing the article would change the hours of Town Hall back to a five-day-work-week schedule. Town Hall is currently open Monday through Thursday with late hours Tuesday.

"In order to accomplish the Plymouth Vision" and to "provide the highest level of service possible....all departments in town hall shall be staffed, at a minimum Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays declared by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or the United States of America."

The first special features some fiscal articles that might make for some fun television

Article 13 would authorize the purchase of the so-called "corner lot" by the Police Station on Long Pond Road for a price of $1 million. Supporters argue that purchasing the lot from the Plymouth County Commissioners is the nessesary first step in capping the landfill on South Street. 

The county nearly sold the property last year to a commericial interest for $1.25 million.

Much of the 2013 budget remains in doubt as the Board of Selectmen has more than $1 million to the Advisory and Finance COmmittee's recommended budget.

The DPW's budget could become contentious as department director Jonathan Beder has requested a 250 percent increase over last year's solid waste budget. 

The increase includes funding for curbside trash pick-up, continuing operations at all three transfer stations, and taking over of the "difficult to manage" facility on Beaver Dam Road.

The DPW does not intend to pay for all three. It is waiting to assess bids for the switch to curbside pick up, before committing to a specific budget.

Article 21 asks the town to accept the provisions of the state’s “Stretch Energy Code…for the purpose of regulating the design and construction of buildings for the effective use of energy.”

Proponents argue for adoption of this code for a variety of reasons, including moving closer to qualifying for "Green Community" status and receiving state grants. Opponents believe the change is unnecessary at best.

If Town Meeting approves the Stretch Code, along with several other requirements, former town manager and current commissioner of Energy and Environmental Affairs Mark Sylvia, might just come down to celebrate the "Green Community" status.

The stretch code has, in other towns, become contentious, as it adds requirements such as energy efficient insulation to new construction and any rehab projects, which supposevely could be damaging to very old homes undergoing rehab.

To see all the Town Meeting articles, and the Advisory and Finance Committee's proposed budget, check the attached PDFs. They make for great reading if you can't sleep.