Town Meeting Preview

This time, the middle of the doughnut stands out. Extensive preparation has left Annual Town Meeting with little controversy.

"Town meeting has its own rhythm," Town Clerk Laurence Pizer said. "It has a curve. It starts out slowly and picks up speed. I'm almost certain we'll finish Monday night."

Annual Town Meeting always convenes the first Saturday in April. The town's legislature meets all day Saturday, then typically authorizes additional night meetings. They typically continue through Wednesday or Thursday.

"The Town has made changes in recent years in what happens prior to Town Meeting," Town Moderator Steven Triffletti said. He's served as referee for the event for 20 years.

The move toward a mayoral form of government in the early 2000's forced several changes in the town charter to make Town Meeting more efficient.

Like the rhythm of individual town meetings, the country's original Town Meeting has changed over time. Early on, when it was the Colonial legislature, people complained about frequent travel on horseback, so the legislature invented Selectmen to take care of business between meetings. In 1950, the meeting, then limited to the town of Plymouth, closed its doors to public vote and became representative. Voters select Town Meeting representatives from every precinct.

Over the last decade, streamlining of the country's original democracy has accelerated. In addition to consideration by selectmen, the Finance and Advisory Committee and the Planning Board, every piece of business to come before Town Meeting receives study in precinct caucuses throughout town and then by the Committee of Precinct Chairs.

Those in the know, know what not to expect.

"The only thing people are talking about is health care for elected officials, and that's not on the warrant," Pizer said. (The warrant is the list of articles up for Town Meeting vote.) "It was controversial in the last Town Meeting. There's no motion this year, because it's pending before the state legislature."

Some elected officials receive a stipend and health insurance benefits for life. Most take the stipend, not the health insurance. The pro-mayor advocates have made it an issue. After last year's Town Meeting, the town essentially left the decision to Beacon Hill. There are many more details, but, although people who care about these things continue to talk about, it's not on the warrant.

So what is?

"There could be some noise about the Simes House," Pizer said. "But it seems it will not be a close vote."

For inside baseball, this article has the most buzz. No one will speak of it on the record, but rumor has pitted the historic mansion in Manomet against the 1820 Courthouse downtown. The courthouse needs an approximate $10 million in renovation. The Simes House, on Manomet Point Road, needs $1.5 million. Some business leaders call the courthouse project an endless money pit. Every dollar put into the Simes House, potentially takes money away from the courthouse.

"The courthouse project get no money," Director of Planning and Development Lee Hartmann said. "But, they haven't asked for any."

The Community Preservation Committee has dedicated its entire reserve of $1.5 million to the Simes project. The reviewing committees have concurred. The rumors of conflict persist.

"Everyone's heard rumors," Assistant Town Manager Melissa Arrighi said. "But at the caucus meetings, it hasn't generated much debate."

Another controversy has existed in public view for a few months. Attorney Bob Betters, representing the owners of Colony Place, has petitioned an article to allow car dealerships behind the shopping center.

Joe Laham, the owner of a Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealership in Hyannis has bought the former Sam's Club building and plans a similar car dealership in that location. The owners of Colony Place would prefer that parcel remain available for retail. So, they've proposed a "car campus" behind the strip of big box retail stores. Residential neighbors object.

Town Meeting Representative Ron Riley has filed a motion with Triffletti to amend the article to expand the buffer zone between the mixed commercial use and residences from 50 feet to 100 feet.

Residential neighbor Judith Barber continues to object to the new use because of its potential threat to the environment. The whole shopping center sits on top of the protection zone for the North Plymouth well, as does the industrial park and a junk yard.

"It requires a two-thirds vote," Hartmann said. "That's difficult to get when there's controversy."

While in the realm of planning, Hartmann's department has proposed doubling the amount of money available for loans to help residents replace failed septic systems. The town receives funds from the state for the program and residents repay the loans interest-free.

"It's a pretty popular program," Hartmann said. "We propose upping it to $400,000 because we always have 15 people on the waiting list."

A newly proposed $50,000 fund may generate debate. The Town Manager's office proposes putting money aside for special events that may fall short of funds, such as the Independence Day fireworks.

The Department of Public Works proposes spending $8,000 for fencing and a shed on the town-owned portion of White Horse Beach. That's caused neighbors to ask why the town doesn't replace the decrepit chain link fence on the dunes by the main entrance to the public beach. But, replacing that fence would cost more than $15,000, making it subject to the capital expense review process.

"That request has been submitted in the past," Arrighi said. "It's never made it out of the review process."

The DPW also proposes spending $300,000 to repair the seawall at Plymouth Beach, smashed by the Boxing Day storm.

"We were hoping to get some help from the state," Arrighi said. "But we'll get nothing."

The DPW also proposes spending $250,000 on design and permitting to replace the Water Street culvert. It's so weak, fire trucks can't pass over it. The DPW hopes to have it replaced in time for the 400th anniversary of the town in 2020.

The DPW will also ask for money to conduct a study of Memorial Hall to determine the source of the building's moisture problem.

Fire Chief Ed Bradley will ask for the routine replacement of Engine 1.

School Superintendent Gary Maestas will ask to replace the HVAC system at Indian Brook Elementary School. He will also propose spending money to save money. He will ask the town to hire a specialist in recovering the cost of Medicaid eligible service the schools provide to some students.

Police Chief Michael Botieri proposes updating the town's junk dealer bylaw.

"He's shown us how the existing bylaw is really antiquated," Arrighi said. "It's goal is to cut down on burglaries."

The updated bylaw would define precious metal. It would require all dealers of precious metal obtain a license, retain precious metal purchases for 30 days and make weekly reports of transactions to the Police Department including photographs of all jewelry purchased by the dealers.

With the anticipated addition of a new precinct due to the increased population detected by the U.S Census, Town Clerk Pizer has proposed the purchase of additional voting equipment for that new precinct.

Before Annual Town Meeting commences, Town Meeting representatives will consider articles written since public posting of the original warrant in a Special Town Meeting.

It will primarily take care of routine business, including authorizing the return of $750,000 of borrowed money.

It will also propose the town accept a Massachusetts General Law that quickens the town's ability to accept abandoned property. Two articles would apply perpetual easements on certain private roads so the town can accept them as public ways. The town receives reimbursement from the state for road repair based, in part, on the total number of miles of public roads.

And that's the streamlined version.

"We deal with some very important issues," Town Moderator Triffletti said. And regarding all the preparation, "The better informed the voters, in this case Town Meeting representatives, the better the outcome."