ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MINUTES
July 18th, 2020
The Annual Town Meeting opened at 1:00 p.m. having met the quorum requirement of 15 registered voters. 74 registered voters were present at the meeting.
The moderator asked for a motion, which was approved, to permit him to declare the result of a vote without requiring a vote. When a question is put, the sense of the meeting shall be determined by a voice vote and the Moderator shall declare the vote as it appears to him. On matters requiring a 2/3 vote by statute, a count need not be taken unless the vote so declared is immediately questioned by seven voters, as provided in MGL Chapter 39, Section 15.
ARTICLE 1: VOTED unanimously to accept the reports of Town Officers and Committees for 2019.
ARTICLE 2: VOTED unanimously to authorize the Town Treasurer and Tax Collector to enter into compensating balance agreements during Fiscal Year 2021 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 allow the Selectboard to appoint one of its members to a position under their supervision as allowed by MGL Chapter 268A, section 21A.
ARTICLE 6: VOTED unanimously to authorize the following Revolving Fund spending limits for FY21:
A. Total expenditures for Health Inspections for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2020, will be limited to Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
B. Total expenditures for Burial Fund for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2020, 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, 2020, 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, 2020, 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, 2020.
F. Total expenditures for Forestry Committee Revolving Fund for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2020, will be limited to Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
G. Total expenditures for Dog Revolving Fund in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020, shall not exceed Two Thousand ($2,000.00).
H. Total expenditures for Fire Inspections Fund for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2020, will be limited to Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
I. Total expenditures for the Planning Board’s Zoning Program Revolving Fund commencing July 1, 2020, will be limited to two thousand dollars ($2,000).
J. Total expenditures for Highway Revolving Fund for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2020, will be limited to fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).
K. Total expenditures for Electrical Inspection Revolving for the fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2020, 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, 2020, 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, 2020, 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, 2020 shall not exceed Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000).
O. Total expenditures for the Recreation Revolving Fund for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020 shall not exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000).
P. Total expenditures for the Election Revolving Fund in the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2020, shall not exceed Fifteen Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00).
Motion to consider Article 19 out of order. Motion seconded, and unanimously passes.
Policy Article
ARTICLE 19: VOTED to withdraw its membership from the Pioneer Valley Regional School District as expeditiously as possible.
Omnibus budget articles
ARTICLE 7: 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, 2020, forthe purposes designated in the budget that follows.
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) |
| Assessors $1500 (3) | Town Clerk $6448 (1) |
| Tree Warden $800 (1) | Board of Health $1500 (3) |
| Cemetery Commission $600(3) |
Available funds articles:
ARTICLE 8: VOTED unanimously to transfer “Free Cash” certified in the amount of $68,908 to reduce the FY 2021 tax levy.
Enterprise fund appropriation articles (funded by departmental receipts):
ARTICLE 9: VOTED unanimously to appropriate $35,000 to operate the Transfer Station Enterprise Fund effective July 1, 2020, and provide that $35,000 be raised from departmental receipts.
ARTICLE 10: VOTED unanimously to appropriate $125,000 to operate the Broadband Enterprise Fund effective July 1, 2020, and provide that $125,000 be raised from departmental receipts.
Stabilization Fund article: (Proposed $25,000 in and $0 out)
ARTICLE 11: VOTED unanimously (majority vote required) to raise and appropriate $25,000 to the Stabilization Fund.
Tax funded articles:
ARTICLE 12: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $15,000to fund the Warwick Community School Improvement Account established by vote of the Annual Town Meeting held May 3, 2004.
ARTICLE 13: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $2,500 to the Revaluation Account.
ARTICLE 14: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $2000 to the Landfill Monitoring Fund established May 4, 2015, to pay for post closure monitoring at Warwick’s former landfill.
ARTICLE 15: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $2,000 to audit town accounts.
ARTICLE 16: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $800 to Household Hazardous Waste expense.
ARTICLE 17: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $12,183 to Fund #65 accumulated deficit (Solid Waste Transfer Station Enterprise Fund).
ARTICLE 18:VOTED unanimously (90% vote required to pay a prior year bill) to authorize payment of $732 of prior fiscal year bills from vendor C2. Energy payable from the respective current year departmental operating budgets expense appropriation.
The meeting was dissolved at 2:38 p.m. A true record of the action taken, attest:
John Paganetti
Town Clerk