Wilmington Selectmen Put 7 Inhabitant Bylaw Amendments On Warrant

WILMINGTON, MA — The Wilmington Board of Selectmen voted at their most recent to put seven inhabitant bylaw amendments on the warrant for the annual town meeting. At their Jan. 27 meeting, the Board considered eight recommendations from the Inhabitant Bylaw Committee, and moved all but one forward. On a ninth amendment, they took no action, based on the town counsel's opinion that the amendment would have no effect.

The board passed an amended version of the first one, which would've changed the town election to the last Saturday in April. With an amendment from Selectman Kevin Caira, they voted for an article that instead would set the town election the second-to-last Saturday in April, with the town meeting the last Saturday. Another recommended, which they passed, would change the town meeting start time to 9 a.m.

Three other articles dealt with town meeting. They voted for an article that would have the budget considered as an omnibus, rather than in sections, and another that would end the random ordering of town meeting articles, instead putting town-sponsored articles first and then petition articles. They rejected an article that would have eliminated the need for a quorum at town meeting.

Another amendment would change the requirement that town counsel opinions be filed with the clerk: the opinions would be split, into those affected by attorney-client privilege and ones that are of "general interest."

Town counsel told the board that the seventh recommendation, which would have granted certain authorities related to dog laws to the animal control officer, was unnecessary. They took no action.

Finally, the board voted to put on the warrant a noise ordinance an article allowing leashed dogs on non-beach town property adjacent to water.

The full meeting, via WCTV, is available here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.