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DOINGS AT THE SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
6:30 p.m.
The Special Town Meeting was called to order by the Moderator, James Putnam at 6:50 PM on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 Southwick Tolland Regional High School, Feedings Hills Road, in the Gymnasium, with approximately 672 registered voters in attendance at the start of the meeting.
The following registered voters were appointed as tellers for the meeting:
Michael McMahon |
Patricia McMahon |
Scott Wundt |
Robert Fox |
Doug Moglin |
Terrance Mish |
Gene Theroux |
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The following was assigned as the Assistant Moderator for the Auditorium:
Robert Stevens
A Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States was recited.
A moment of silence was observed for: (reflects those who have passed away since May 17, 2011)
Nick Danielle - |
Served on Sewer Implementation Committee for 14 years |
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Volunteer at Southwick Public Library |
All US Servicemen and Women
Advancement Placement United States Government Class.
Anisah Assim |
Sean Zabik |
Corey Stahl |
Hayley Benoit |
Ben Wilcox |
Marina Smith |
Adam Cool |
Giancarlo Romeo |
James Rolland |
Zach Dussault |
Eric O'Dea |
Andrew Lamson |
Stephanie Gendron |
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Lauren Grenier |
A motion was made and seconded to allow the following non-voters on to the town meeting floor:
Michelle L. Hill, Town Clerk, Treasurer, Collector |
Jeff Neece, DPW Director |
Ben Coyle, Town Counsel Attorney |
Dr. John Barry, Superintendent |
Linda Carr, Town Accountant |
Stephen Presnal, Business Manager |
Carol DellaGiustina, Assistant Town Accountant |
Noell Somers, Director of Student Services |
Russell Dupere, School District Counsel |
James LaPosta, JCJ Architecture |
Jonathan Winikur, OPM, Strategic Bldg Solutions |
Greg Smolley, JCJ Architecture |
Kurt Lavaway, OPM, Strategic Bldg Solutions |
James Hoagland, JCJ Architecture |
Pamela Hunter, Principal, STRHS |
David Barkin, JCJ Architecture |
Ronald Peloquin, Principal, PMMS |
Maureen Wilson, Curriculum Director |
Kimberely Saso, Principal, WES |
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UNANIMOUS
A motion was made and seconded to dispense with the reading of the warrant in its entirety and to act upon each Article separately
UNANIMOUS
A motion was made to change the method of voting for Article 1 to a secret ballot.
FAILED
A motion was made to end discussions on Article 1.
PASSED
548 - Yes
96 - No
ARTICLE 1. The Town of Southwick voted to approve the $71,814,344 borrowing authorized by the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District, for the purposes of paying costs of three projects on the Southwick-Tolland-Granville school campus: $41,719,810 for the middle school/high school addition/renovation project, which includes updating and renovating all existing space and adding additional science and general purpose classrooms for the high school section of the school and adding science and general purpose classrooms to the middle school section of the building in the southeastern corner of the regional school district campus at 93 Feeding Hills Rd., Southwick, MA, which school facility shall have an anticipated useful life as an educational facility for the instruction of
school children of at least 50 years; $10,920,051 for the repair project at the Woodland School, which includes updating code requirements, building systems, building envelope and interior finishes, at the school which is located in the south central section of the regional school campus at 80 Powder Mill Rd., Southwick MA, which proposed repair project would materially extend the useful life of the school and preserve an asset that is otherwise capable of supporting the required educational program; and $19,174,483 for the repair project at the Powder Mill School, which includes updating code requirements, building systems, building envelope and interior finishes at the school which is located in the western corner of the regional school campus at 94 Powder Mill Rd., Southwick, MA, including the payment of all costs incidental or related thereto which proposed repair project would materially extend the useful life of the school and preserve an asset that
otherwise is capable of supporting the required educational program, and for which the District may be eligible for a school construction grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority (”MSBA”), said amount to be expended at the direction of the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School Building Committee; that the Town acknowledges that the MSBA’s grant program is a non-entitlement, discretionary program based on need, as determined by the MSBA, and any Project costs the District incurs in excess of any grant approved by and received from the MSBA shall be the sole responsibility of the District and its member municipalities; provided further that any grant that the District may receive on account of each project shall not exceed the lesser of (1) 66.53 percent of eligible, approved Middle School/High School Project costs, (2) 55.63 percent of eligible, approved Woodland School Repair Project costs, and (3) 55.63 percent of eligible approved Powder Mill
Repair Project costs, as determined by the MSBA, or the total maximum grant amount determined by the MSBA, provided that the approval of the District’s borrowing by this vote shall be subject to and contingent upon an affirmative vote of the Town to exempt its allocable share of the amounts required for the payment of interest and principal on said borrowing from the limitations on taxes imposed by M.G.L. 59, Section 21C (Proposition 2); and that the amount of borrowing authorized by the District shall be reduced by any grant amount set forth in the Project Funding Agreement that may be executed between the District and the MSBA with respect to each project.
PASSED
DECLARED 2/3 VOTE
446 - Yes
183 - No
ARTICLE 2. The Town of Southwick voted to authorize and approve the borrowing of $2,300,000.00 in accordance with General Laws Chapter 44, Sec 8(9) to pay emergency expenditures associated with the Town’s response to the October 29, 2011 snow storm, which are removal and extinguishment of debris, overtime associated with storm and other storm related expenses.
PASSED
DECLARED 2/3 VOTE
111 - Yes
52 - No
ARTICLE 3. The Town of Southwick voted to appropriate and transfer from Available Funds the sum of $40,000.00 for lightning suppression expenses for the Police Station, Fire Station and Town Hall, or take any other action relative thereto.
PASSED
MAJORITY
ARTICLE 4. The Town of Southwick voted to transfer the sum of $5,000.00 from the Salary Reserve account to the Town Complex Overtime account or take any other action relative thereto.
PASSED
MAJORITY
ARTICLE 5. The Town of Southwick voted to appropriate and transfer from FY2012 State Local Aid Receipts the sum of $77,144.00 for the DPW Road Paving Account, or take any other action relative thereto.
PASSED
MAJORITY
ARTICLE 6. The Town of Southwick voted to transfer the sum of $14,000.00 from the Sale of Lots fund to the Cemetery Salary Account to take any other action relative thereto.
PASSED
MAJORITY
ARTICLE 7. The Town of Southwick voted to appropriate and transfer from Water Retained Earnings the sum of $10,000.00 to supplement funds in the Water Division Line Item for contracted equipment to cover a current deficit in that line item and to provide funds for contracted equipment needs for the remainder of the fiscal year.
PASSED
MAJORITY
A Motion was made and seconded to dissolve the Special Town Meeting at 9:18 PM.
UNANIMOUS
A TRUE COPY ATTEST:
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Michelle L. Hill, Town Clerk
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