ANNUAL TOWN MEETING MINUTES
May 5th, 2025
The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. by Moderator James McRae, having met the quorum requirement of 35 registered voters. The following action was taken by the 76 voters present:
ARTICLE 1: VOTED unanimously to accept the reports of Town Officers and Committees for 2025.
ARTICLE 2: VOTED unanimously to authorize the Selectboard 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 3: 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 4: 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 21.
ARTICLE 5: VOTED unanimously to grant an ethics exemption under MGL Chapter 268A, section 20 to Selectboard member Brian Snell to be compensated for work as an education planner and teacher for Warwick School District and set compensation at up to $25 per hour, not to exceed $15,000 per fiscal year, beginning July 1, 2026.
ARTICLE 6: VOTED unanimously to accept the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 41A.
ARTICLE 7: VOTED unanimously to, pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44 Section 53E½, to establish a revolving fund for the Fire Department, into which shall be deposited receipts from reimbursements and charges related to fire department responses and services, and to authorize the Fire Chief to expend monies from said fund for such purposes subject to an $8,000 spending limit with expenses limited to the amount of receipts collected.
ARTICLE 8: VOTED unanimously to establish a Revolving Fund, pursuant to MGL c. 44 §53E½, into which shall be deposited receipts from user fees and from which funds may be expended by the Selectboard for the after school and summer programs for children subject to a $10,000 spending limit with expenses limited to the amount of receipts collected or take any other action relative thereto under the authority of the Selectboard.
ARTICLE 9: VOTED to raise and appropriate $5,000 for After School and Summer programming for children.
ARTICLE 10: VOTED unanimously to authorize the following spending limits for the revolving funds for certain town departments under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44 Section 53E ½ for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.
A. Health Inspections – $2,000
B. Cemetery Burial Fund – $2,000
C. Public Hearings – $3,000
D. Plumbing and Gas Inspections – $4,000
E. Building Cleaning – $2,000
F. Forestry Committee – $5,000
G. Dog Fund – $2,000
H. Fire Inspections – $2,000
I. Planning Board Zoning Program – $2,000
J. Highway Machinery – $100,000
K. Electrical Inspections – $5,000
L. Field Driver – $2,000
M. Zoning Board of Appeals – $10,000
N. Tree Warden – $2,000
O. Recreation Committee – $5,000
P. Election – $1,500
Q. Senior Lunch – $20,000
R. Cafe – $6,000
S. Solar and Renewable Energy – $100,000
T. Police Detail Vehicle – $5,000
U. Police Detail – $200,000
V. Fire Department Response Revolving – $8,000
W. After School and Summer Revolving – $10,000
ARTICLE 11: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $3,287,346 to defray expenses, as estimated by the Selectboard and the Finance Committee for the Fiscal Year commencing July 1, 2026, for the purposes designated in the budget that is attached, or any other amounts for such purposes, which shall not exceed the amounts stated in the column designated “FY 2027 Recommended”.
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 $140 (1) | Selectboard $2400 (3) |
| Assessors $1500 (3) | Town Clerk/Webmaster $18234 (1) |
| Tree Warden $1264 (1) | Board of Health $1500 (3) |
| Cemetery Commission $600 (3) | School Committee $1000 (5) |
ARTICLE 12: VOTED unanimously to appropriate $48,845 to operate the Transfer Station Enterprise Fund effective July 1, 2026, and that $25,300 be raised from taxation and $23,545 be raised from departmental receipts.
ARTICLE 13: VOTED unanimously to appropriate $19,337 to fund accumulated deficit of the Transfer Station Enterprise Fund.
ARTICLE 14: VOTED unanimously to appropriate $80,000 to operate the Broadband Enterprise Fund effective July 1, 2026, and that $80,000 be raised from departmental receipts.
ARTICLE 15: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate the sum of $20,000 to fund the Warwick Community School Improvement Account established by vote of the Annual Town Meeting held May 3, 2004.
ARTICLE 16: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $3,500 to audit town accounts.
ARTICLE 17: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $3500 to the Landfill Monitoring Fund established May 4, 2015, to pay for post closure monitoring at Warwick’s former landfill.
ARTICLE 18: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $800 to Household Hazardous Waste expense.
ARTICLE 19: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $5,000 to account 01-951-5700-201803 the Environmental Cleanup Fund.
ARTICLE 20: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $9716.99 and approve payment of prior fiscal year bills totaling this amount, with such bills consisting of the following departmental amounts: Highway $9,558.99; Fire $115.85; Police $22.15; and Street Lights $20.00. (90% vote required)
ARTICLE 21: VOTED to approve payment of prior fiscal year bills totaling $392.81 from Broadband Certified Free Cash. (90% vote required)
ARTICLE 22: VOTED unanimously to raise and appropriate $87,257 to fund the FY2026 snow and ice deficit.
ARTICLE 23: VOTED unanimously to appropriate free cash in the amount of $252,688 to reduce the tax levy.
ARTICLE 24: VOTED unanimously to appropriate unrestricted CDBG grant funds in the amount of $30,000 to reduce the tax levy.
ARTICLE 25: VOTED unanimously to appropriate from Stabilization Fund $30,000 to prevent an override. (Two thirds vote required)
ARTICLE 26: VOTED 44 to 13 to appropriate from Stabilization Fund $133,000 to reduce the tax levy. (Two thirds vote required)
ARTICLE 27: VOTED unanimously to approve amending the Zoning Bylaws as follows:
FOUR.B.2. A second Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) beyond the first by-right ADU is allowed by Special Permit on lots that include at least two acres of buildable land, except a lesser amount is allowed under the provisions of Section 6.E.1, Conservation Development. No more than two ADUs are allowed on a lot.
FOUR.B.3 DELETE
FOUR.G. A single Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is allowed by-right on any lot. “Accessory Dwelling Unit” is defined in Section Eleven. The size of the ADU shall not exceed 900 square feet. Use of all dwelling units (the main dwelling unit and all ADUs) for simultaneous short-term rentals (as defined in M.G.L. c. 64G) is prohibited. ADUs must have a separate entrance, either directly outside or through a shared hall. ADUs must include sleeping, cooking, and sanitary facilities. Adequate off-street parking shall be provided (defined as at least one additional parking space per ADU). The setback and height requirements for ADUs are the same as for other dwelling units (see FOUR.D). Nothing in this bylaw is intended to supersede state health and safety laws and regulations, such as, but not limited to the Building Code, Fire Code, M.G.L. c. 111, § 189A: Massachusetts Lead Law, or any federal laws.
ELEVEN. ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT (ADU): An additional dwelling unit in an existing dwelling or in a new or existing structure accessory to a dwelling. , or take other action relative thereto?
The meeting was dissolved at 8:28 p.m.
A True record of the action taken. Attest:
John Paganetti
Town Clerk
Complete signed & sealed minutes with budget will be posted shortly.