SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Warrant Article Explanations
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
6:30 p.m.
ARTICLE 1 EXPLANATION. The warrant article for the building project requests voter permission to borrow the entire cost of the project. The actual debt assumed by Southwick for this project is approximately $24,383,982. The Massachusetts School Building Authority has contractually agreed to contribute $42,678,266. Granville and Tolland assume the remaining cost.
All three buildings are listed in the article with their respective reimbursement rates. The reimbursements for Woodland and Powder Mill are standard for repair projects. The reimbursement for the renovation/addition of the high school is more generous due to incentive points earned through regionalization.
A vote to approve the borrowing moves the project forward to a ballot vote (January 31, 2012) to exclude the cost from the limitations of Proposition 2 1/2.
A vote to not approve the borrowing brings this proposal to a stop and essentially forfeits the $42,678,266 MSBA grant. Their web site states “…a failed vote likely will result in the school district being required to submit a new Statement of Interest to the MSBA and await a second invitation from the MSBA to enter the feasibility study phase of the MSBA process.”
ARTICLE 2 EXPLANATION. This authorization will allow for a short term loan to help offset the estimated expenses due to the October 29, 2011 storm. Funds were expended for initial phase I response to clear roads, Phase II road side debris removal, required FEMA monitoring services, debris grinding at the Transfer Station and DPW and Police overtime costs. Applications are being prepared for submittal to FEMA, FHA, and other federal agencies if necessary and State Government to secure reimbursements. Town Officials are working with our Congressional and State Legislators to obtain funding similar to what was done for other towns who experienced earlier storms. As the reimbursements are received they will lower the final net cost to the Town. Town
Officials will be coming back to a future town meeting to appropriate the net balance to clear our books of the loan.
ARTICLE 3 EXPLANATION. Today FIRE/EMS/Police/Emergency Management are extremely technology dependent. During the severe thunderstorms this past summer the police department was hit by lightning. This subsequently caused severe damage to radio equipment and electronics and all police, fire, and DPW radio systems went off line. We need to take this step to provide adequate protection to the buildings housing the vital components of these systems so that when inclement weather occurs, we can continue to provide the emergency services our residents require. Fire, Police, Emergency Management and Selectmen support this appropriation.
ARTICLE 4 EXPLANATION. An employee went out on medical leave for 2 months. Funds to pay for temporary help in the employee’s absence were taken from the Town Complex Overtime account leaving that account short.
ARTICLE 5 EXPLANATION. This vote allows the use of newly released state aid in the current fiscal year to be used for DPW road paving purposes so the Town can continue to address infrastructure needs.
ARTICLE 6 EXPLANATION. For years, Cemetery Salaries for the Sexton, Secretary and Laborers were paid from the Cemetery Budget and the Perpetual Care Expendable Trust Fund. Perpetual Care is funded by interest earned on the Perpetual Care Non-Expendable Trust Fund. The interest these days has dwindled down drastically and is now insufficient to pay for these salaries.
ARTICLE 7 EXPLANATION. This article will provide additional funds to the Water Division line item for contracted equipment. The funds in this account were depleted because of the need to replace the well pump motor on well number One and rebuild the removed motor to be used as a spare. The ten thousand dollars requested will be used for contracted equipment needs through the rest of this fiscal year and offset the current deficit as well.
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