ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MINUTES
May 6, 2019
The Annual Town Meeting opened at 7:00 p.m. having met the quorum requirement of 31 registered voters (5% quorum; 603 registered voters in Warwick). 74 registered voters were present at the meeting.
ARTICLE 1: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to accept the reports of Town Officers and Committees for 2018.
ARTICLE 2: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to authorize the Town Treasurer and Tax Collector to enter into compensating balance agreements during Fiscal Year 2020 as permitted by General Laws Chapter 44:53f.
ARTICLE 3: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to authorize the Board of Selectmen to apply for and accept private, state, and federal grants, and to expend any monies received as set forth in the appropriate grant application.
ARTICLE 4: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to allow town boards and commissions to appoint one of its members to a position under their supervision as allowed by MGL Chapter 268A, section 21A.
ARTICLE 5: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to authorize the following Revolving Fund spending limits for FY20:
A. Total expenditures for Health Inspections for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2019, will be limited to Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
B. Total expenditures for Burial Fund for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2019, will be limited to Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
C. Total expenditures for costs of Public Hearings for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2019, will be limited to Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000).
D. Total expenditures for Inspections Revolving conducted by the Plumbing and Gas Inspector for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2019, will be limited to Three Thousand Dollars. ($3,000).
E. Total expenditures for Cleaning Revolving Fund shall not exceed Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000) for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2019.
F. Total expenditures for Forestry Committee Revolving Fund for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2019, will be limited to Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
G. Total expenditures for Dog Revolving Fund in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2019, shall not exceed Two Thousand ($2,000.00).
H. Total expenditures for Fire Inspections Fund for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2019, will be limited to Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
I. Total expenditures for the Planning Board’s Zoning Program Revolving Fund commencing July 1, 2019, will be limited to two thousand dollars ($2,000).
J. Total expenditures for Highway Revolving Fund for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2019, will be limited to fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).
K. Total expenditures for Electrical Inspection Revolving for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2019, will be limited to Three Thousand Dollars ($3000).
L. Total expenditures for the Field Driver Revolving Fund for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2019, will be limited to Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
M. Total expenditures for the Zoning Board of Appeals Revolving Fund for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2019, will be limited to Ten Thousand dollars ($10,000).
N. Total expenditures of the Tree Warden Revolving Fund for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2019 shall not exceed Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
O. Total expenditures for the Recreation Revolving Fund for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2019 shall not exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000).
P. Total expenditures for the Election Revolving Fund in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2019, shall not exceed Fifteen Hundred Dollars ($1,500).
ARTICLE 6: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to raise and appropriate such sums of money as may be necessary to defray expenses, the amount estimated by the Board of Selectmen and the Finance Committee for the Fiscal Year commencing July 1, 2019, for the purposes designated in the budget that follows (with the exception of the Pioneer Regional School District assessment which will be considered individually in two specific articles that follow), or any other amounts for such purposes, which shall not exceed the amounts stated in the column designated “FY 2020 requested”.
This article shall also act to fix the salaries and compensation of elected officials as required by Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 41, Section 108.
Requested salaries and compensation for elected officials:
| Moderator $125 (1) | Selectboard $1200 (3) |
| Town Clerk $6448 (1) | Town Clerk $6448 (1) |
| Tree Warden $500 (1) | Board of Health $1500 (3) |
| Cemetery Commission $600 (3) |
The total amount voted was $1,171,069.00.
ARTICLE 7: FAILED UNANIMOUSLY to raise and appropriate $12,349 to the Pioneer Regional School District FY 20 assessment to fund the first year of a multi-year Superintendent contract.
ARTICLE 8: FAILED to raise and appropriate $832,500 for the Pioneer Regional School District FY 20 assessment.
ARTICLE 9: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to transfer “Free Cash” certified in the amount of $194,953 to reduce the FY 2020 tax levy.
ARTICLE 10: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to PASS OVER to transfer available funds from Overlay Surplus to reduce the FY 2020 tax levy.
ARTICLE 11: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to appropriate $34,000 to operate the Transfer Station Enterprise Fund effective July 1, 2019, and that $34,000 be raised from departmental receipts.
ARTICLE 12: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to appropriate $115,000 to operate the Broadband Enterprise Fund effective July 1, 2019, and that $115,000 be raised from departmental receipts.
ARTICLE 13: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to raise and appropriate $95,000 to the Stabilization Fund.
ARTICLE 14: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to transfer from the Stabilization Fund the sum of $3,800 to provide for SCBA (fire fighter air packs). (Two thirds vote required)
ARTICLE 15: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to transfer from the Stabilization Fund the sum of $2,500 to provide grant match for purchase of public safety communication equipment. (Two thirds vote required)
ARTICLE 16: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to transfer from the Stabilization Fund $5,000 for Fire Department Turn Out Gear. (Two thirds vote required)
ARTICLE 17: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to transfer from the Stabilization Fund $5,000 to the Town Hall improvement account. (Two thirds vote required)
ARTICLE 18: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to transfer from the Stabilization Fund$8,000 for Library exterior painting. (Two thirds vote required)
ARTICLE 19: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to transfer from the Stabilization Fund $4,000 for Highway Department Garage Door replacement. (Two thirds vote required)
ARTICLE 20: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000 to fund the Warwick Community School Improvement Account established by vote of the Annual Town Meeting held May 3, 2004.
ARTICLE 21: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,500 to the Revaluation account.
ARTICLE 22: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to raise and appropriate $2,000 to the Landfill Monitoring Fund established May 4, 2015, to pay for post closure monitoring at Warwick’s former landfill.
ARTICLE 23: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to raise and appropriate $2,000 to audit town accounts.
ARTICLE 24: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to raise and appropriate $900 to Household Hazardous Waste expense.
ARTICLE 25: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to authorize the Selectboard to enter into a ten-year contract with a qualified vendor selected by MassDEP for recycling processing services related to the operation of Warwick solid waste transfer station, subject to Selectboard approval and Town Meeting funding the first year of these services.
ARTICLE 26: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to allow the Selectboardto appoint one of its members to a position under their supervision as allowed by MGL Chapter 268A, Section 21A.
ARTICLE 27: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to grant an ethics exemption under MGL Chapter 268A, Section 20D to Selectboard member James Erviti so that he may be compensated for his work as a bookkeeper for Warwick Broadband at a rate of $200 per month beginning July 1, 2019.
ARTICLE 28: VOTED to file a petition with the Legislature allowing permanent resident aliens the right to vote in Warwick municipal elections.
ARTICLE 29: VOTED that “Craft Marijuana Cooperatives” and other Tier 1 and Tier 2 Marijuana Cultivators are a “by right use” and such entities if licensed by the State are subject to host community payment in lieu of tax (PILOT) in the maximum amount allowed by the Cannabis Control Commission (currently 3% of revenues).
ARTICLE 30: VOTED UNANIMOUSLY to vote sections sixty-nine C to sixty-nine F, inclusive, of chapter forty-one of the General Laws, providing for the establishment of a board of public works exercising the powers of certain other departments and town officers be accepted.
ARTICLE 31: VOTED to support the citizen petition (available in the town clerk office and posted on the notice board) that calls for changes to the Commonwealth flag and seal.
The meeting was dissolved at 9:40 p.m. A true record of the action taken.
Rosa Fratangelo
Town Clerk