[0:10] On behalf of the League of Women Voters, we are going to read the Williamstown town warrant today. I'm Stephanie Boyd, Chair of the Williamstown Select Board. And I'm Fred Putter, Chair of the Williamstown Finance Committee. So, without further ado, we will dive into Article 1, Election of Town Officers. To choose one select board member for a one-year term, two select board members for three-year terms, and the election occurs on May 12th, 2006.

[0:38] After this document is gone to printer, election results are posted on the town website.

[0:45] And number two, reports of town committees to see if the town will vote to accept the reports

[0:51] of the select board, the town manager, and all other officers and committees and act thereon.

[0:58] Article three, a preparation for debt service.

[1:01] To see the town will vote to raise and appropriate or appropriate from available funds

[1:05] to some of $343,000 or any other sum to pay interest and

[1:10] maturing debt which take other actions related there too.

[1:15] Article 4, capital improvement program.

[1:17] To see if the time will vote to raise an appropriate or

[1:20] appropriate from available funds to some of $1,450,000

[1:25] or any other sum for the following capital expenditures and

[1:29] take any other actions related there too.

[1:33] Article 5, Williams town sewer department.

[1:37] To see if the town will vote to appropriate

[1:39] from estimated sewer receipts,

[1:41] the sum of $466,000 or any other sum,

[1:45] to pay the interest of maturing debt

[1:46] and for charges, expenses, and outlays

[1:48] of the sewer department,

[1:49] would take any other action

[1:51] in relation there, too.

[1:53] Article 6, the Music Water Quality District.

[1:56] To see if the town will vote to appropriate

[1:58] estimated sewer receipts,

[2:00] the sum of $1,087,000 or any other sum to pay the interest in maturing debt and for

[2:06] Chargers expenses and outlays to the huzark water quality district were taking the other

[2:11] action in relation there too. Article 7 is the water department. To see if a time of

[2:18] oak to appropriate missmated water receipts the sum of $715,000 or any other sum to pay interest

[2:26] ensuring debt and for charges, expenses, and other delays of the water department or take any other action in relation there too.

[2:35] Next is the water rate article 8.

[2:38] To see if the time will in accordance with section 7, chapter 606, the X and the X in resolves of 1941

[2:47] to vote to approve municipal water rate of $4.04 per 100 cubic feet of water

[2:54] as fixed by the select board at their meeting of April 13, 2016, to be effective July 1st.

[3:01] Sorry, that was 2006.

[3:04] To be effective July 1st, 2026, we'll take any other reaction in relation there, too.

[3:12] Transportation Department, Article 9.

[3:15] To see if the time will vote to appropriate from estimated transfer station receipts

[3:20] or other available funds, the sum of $249,000 or any other sum, to pay the interest

[3:27] maturing debt and for charges, expenses and outlays of the transfer station

[3:31] department, including the cost of public trash removal or take any other action

[3:37] in relation there too. Article 10 is the chapter 90 highway funds to see if the

[3:44] time will vote to raise an appropriate from chapter 90 funds that are or may

[3:48] become available to the town during the fiscal year for capital projects and to authorize

[3:53] the treasure to borrow such amounts and anticipation of reimbursement by the Commonwealth would

[3:59] take any other action in relation there too.

[4:01] I'll say that a few times today, Article 7 to fund other post-employment benefits.

[4:09] To see if the town will vote to transfer from the General Fund unreserved fund balance to

[4:14] some of $50,000 to other post-employment benefits liability trust fund, established on the

[4:21] visions of Massachusetts Journal law chapter 32b, section 20, would take any other actions

[4:27] related there too.

[4:31] Article 12 is the Revolving Fund Spending Limits. To see if the time will

[4:36] vote to set annual spending limits for Revolving Funds for fiscal year July 1, 2026 to June 30

[4:45] under the provisions of Massachusetts General Chapter 44 Section 53e and a half, if that's possible.

[4:58] Next is the largest sum of money. It's Article 13 to fund general government.

[5:03] To see if the time will vote to raise and appropriate or appropriate from available funds,

[5:08] the sum of $10,902,000 or any other sum to pay the interest,

[5:15] maturing debt, and for charges expenses not lays for several town departments,

[5:20] including the executive, the administration of finance, community development,

[5:24] public safety, public works, and human services.

[5:28] Article 14, the finance committee reserve fund.

[5:32] To see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $50,000

[5:36] For the Finance Committee Reserve Fund, we're taking any other actions related there too.

[5:43] Article 15 is for the Northern Berkshire Vocational Regional School District, also known as

[5:49] McCann School.

[5:51] To see if the time will vote to raise and appropriate or appropriate from other funds,

[5:55] the sum of $344,000, or any other sum, being Williamstown's share of the Northern Berkshire

[6:02] a vocational regional school district's fiscal year 2027 budget or take any other reaction

[6:09] any action related there too.

[6:13] Article 16, Monk Raylock Regional School District, you see if the time will vote to raise and

[6:18] appropriate or appropriate from available funds, the sum of $16,843,000, or any other sum being

[6:28] Williamson's share of the Mount Graylock Regional School District's fiscal year 2027 budget

[6:34] would take any other action related there, too.

[6:39] And before I turn over to Stephanie, I'll do Article 17, Resin prior boring authorization

[6:46] to see if the town will vote to rescind the unused barring authority voted under previous

[6:51] town meetings, articles, or act any other manner related there, too, and this relates to the

[6:56] barring for the Cable Beals project.

[6:59] Stephanie?

[7:00] Thanks, Fred.

[7:02] I will start off with Article 18, which is a citizens petition to ban second-generation

[7:08] anti-coagulant rodenta sides or escars.

[7:12] Article 18 says to determine whether the town will authorize the select board to petition

[7:17] the general court for special legislation substantially in the form below.

[7:22] That notwithstanding chapter 132 B of the general laws or any other general or special

[7:28] law to the contrary, the town of Williams town may by ordinance prohibit the application

[7:33] of second-generation anti-quagalant rodenticides within the town of Williams town, including application

[7:40] of such pesticides by licensed commercial applicators as defined in 333 CMR-10, except as

[7:49] allowed by the Board of Health to remediate a public health condition.

[7:53] And then there is much longer text there which you can read at home.

[7:59] Our next article is also a citizen's petition, article 19, to prohibit the land application

[8:05] of sewage sludge-derived materials.

[8:08] To see if the town of Williamstown will vote to amend chapter 27 environmental hazards

[8:14] of the Code of the Town of Williams Town by inserting a new Article III entitled Prohibition

[8:20] of the Land Application of Sewage and Sewage Sludge Derived Materials, as set forth below

[8:26] or take any other action relative there too.

[8:32] And the next article is a third-citizens petition reduction of single-use bags.

[8:42] article 20 to see if the town of Williams town will amend the general by laws

[8:48] by revising chapter 27 article two as follows. This is going to be the most

[8:56] confusing article because it's got a lot of crossouts and yes it's difficult to

[9:00] actually just everyone really take a read of this one yeah just a lot of cross

[9:05] out and adding in some. Okay and then we will move ahead to article 21. Print

[9:17] fee digital notices for the town of Williams Town. To see if the town will

[9:22] vote to authorize and we press the select board to petition the Massachusetts

[9:26] General Court for special legislation to allow the town to satisfy requirements

[9:31] for legal notices set forth in the general laws by allowing the publication of notices in local

[9:38] digital newspapers, print media, or both as a town shall determine. And Article 22, property tax

[9:48] exemption. To see if the town will vote to adjust the relevant income and asset limit exemptions,

[9:55] pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 59 Section 5,

[10:00] Clause 41C, for both single and married tax filers,

[10:05] increasing the income limit to $44,000 for a single individual,

[10:10] and 66,000 for a married couple, and increasing the asset limit

[10:15] to $100,000 for both single individuals and married couples,

[10:20] pursuant to the authority granted to the town

[10:22] under chapter 29 of the Acts of 2026 or take any other action there too.

[10:30] Article 23, seasonal community designation to see if the town will vote to

[10:35] accept the seasonal community designation as provided for in general laws

[10:40] chapter 23b, section 32b, or take any other action relative there too.

[10:51] Article 24

[10:52] or detached accessory dwelling units.

[10:55] To see if the town will vote to amend chapter 70, 3.3,

[11:00] use regulation schedule, and chapter 77.1D,

[11:04] second dwelling units by changing the following.

[11:08] Changing the use regulation schedule

[11:10] by changing detached accessory dwellings

[11:13] in the RR1 zoning district from no to yes.

[11:16] and deleting the section below a detached accessory dwelling unit may be constructed on a parcel containing a two-family dwelling only if the two-family dwelling has been in existence for at least five years.

[11:31] And the principal dwelling on a parcel containing a detached accessory dwelling unit shall not be eligible for conversion from a single to a two-family dwelling for at least five years following the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

[11:44] and deleting the attached accessory dwelling unit shall require one parking space and

[11:50] deleting conditions and requirements, review process, non-conforming lot requires a special

[11:58] permit by the ZBA and existing non-conforming structure requires a special permit by the

[12:03] Z-Zoning Board of Appeals.

[12:07] Article 25 Property Acquisition to see if the town will authorize a select board to acquire

[12:16] by purchase gift or other means a portion of the property located on 374 new Ashford

[12:22] Road and described in a deed recorded with the Berkshire Northern Registry of Deeds in

[12:27] book 1832 page 71 which portion contains 8.25 acres more or less and any access and utility

[12:36] the easements apparent to their two for general municipal purposes on such terms and conditions

[12:44] as the select board deems appropriate or take any other action in relation there

[12:48] to.

[12:49] Ready to get through this.

[12:50] That was good.

[12:52] All right.

[12:52] The last articles are the community preservation articles.

[12:57] First one is Article 26 for Community Expenses to see if the time will vote to hear and act

[13:03] on the report of the Community Preservation Committee for Fiscal Year 27, Community Preservation

[13:08] Act budget, and to appropriate from the Community Preservation Fund FY 2027 estimated annual

[13:15] revenues to some of $5,000 to meet the administrative expenses of the Community Preservation Committee

[13:21] for FY 27 and take any other action in relation there too.

[13:26] In Article 27, Community Preservation Recreation to see if the town will vote to appropriate

[13:32] from the Community Preservation Fund FY 2027 estimated annual revenues for recreation purposes

[13:38] under the Community Preservation Act to fund a grant to San Springs Pool and Recreation Center

[13:44] in the amount of $20,000, which funds shall revert to the CPA fund if not expanded by June 30,

[13:51] 2027, to renovate and expand its recreation facilities in accordance with the application submitted

[13:57] to two and recommend it by the CPC and to authorize the town manager to enter into a grant

[14:03] agreement with the organization upon such terms and conditions as may be appropriate and

[14:08] to authorize the select board to accept property interests as may be appropriate or take

[14:13] any other action in relation there too.

[14:15] Article 28 is treaty housing to see if the town will vote to fund a grant to the Williams

[14:22] of affordable housing trust in the amount of $145,000 in unrestricted funds for

[14:27] initiatives and programs related to furthering affordable housing in Williams Town, including

[14:32] the acquisition of land and accordance with the application submitted to and recommended

[14:36] by the community preservation committee to authorize a town manager to enter into a grant agreement

[14:42] with the organization upon such terms and conditions as may be appropriate and to authorize

[14:48] a select board to accept property interest as maybe appropriate. What take any other

[14:52] action, any other action in relation there too? Article 29 Community Preservation Recreation

[14:58] to see if the town was

[15:00] Vote to appropriate from the CPC Fund FY 2027, estimated annual revenues for recreation purposes under the Community Preservation Act to fund a grant to Purple Valley Trails, town of Williams Town, in the amount of 350,000, which funds shall revert to the CPA Fund, if not expanded by June 30, 2027. And this has the same conditions as the previous articles.

[15:26] Archaeal 30, a Community Preservation Recreation to see if the town will vote to fund a grant

[15:32] to the Williamstown Royal Lands Foundation in the amount of $7,700, which fund the

[15:38] Assembly Board to the CPA, if not expended by June 30th, for the pre-construction phase

[15:43] of the Margaret-Lindley Park Accessful Trail in Bridge Project in accordance with the application

[15:48] and all the other requirements that was mentioned before.

[15:52] I'm going to have to go back to Article 29 because I probably should have mentioned

[15:56] that this $350,000 will be for the replacement of the current skate park with a modern

[16:03] cast-in-place concrete facility.

[16:05] There you go.

[16:07] Article 31, Community Preservation Open Space.

[16:10] To see if the town will vote to appropriate from the Community Preservation Fund 2027 estimated

[16:16] annual revenues for open space purposes under the CPA to fund a grant to the

[16:21] Williamstown Agricultural Commission in the amount of $25,000 to create an

[16:27] agricultural preservation fund to provide for future agricultural lands

[16:31] preservation projects in accordance with the application submitted to and

[16:36] recommended by the CPC. Article 32, Community Preservation Historic Preservation.

[16:42] This is a trifecta.

[16:44] So the Sea of the Town will vote to divide grants to a

[16:49] naught of $62,408 in three parts.

[16:54] The first part would be $20,323 to images cinema to

[17:00] renovate and preserve the future structure known as images

[17:03] theater in Williams Town.

[17:05] Two to vote for $25,000 to be granted to the Williams town

[17:10] rural lands foundation to renovate and preserve for the future its historic

[17:18] barns and three four thousand dollars to be granted to the Williamstown Historical

[17:23] Museum to renovate and preserve for the future and historic doctors buggy all of

[17:30] which are subject to the same restrictions we mentioned before and finally I just

[17:36] just like to remind everybody that on Tuesday, May 12th, at 7 o'clock, we begin opening

[17:43] the polls for our election. The polls are open from 7 to 8 p.m. at the elementary school

[17:50] and on Tuesday, the 19th of May, at 7 o'clock, we will have our annual town meeting again

[17:58] at the Williamstown Elementary School located at 115 Church Street.

[18:02] with daycare provider. I believe they'll be child care at the youth center.

[18:09] Yes. So thank you for joining us today and we'll see you at town meeting.

Untitled meeting

Transcript