Ten articles, $51M, 72 people Town Meeting goes quietly
Published on May 15th, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - Seventy-two voters represented all of Stoneham last Thursday in passing a budget of more than $51 million at the continuance of the Annual Town Meeting.
The Annual Town Meeting adjourned on Monday, May 6, with 10 articles left. Discussion was brief on Thursday, and the work was completed within a couple of hours.
For fiscal year 2003, the town will operate with a budget of $51,476,564, as presented and approved in Article 10.
Coming up with a balanced budget has been a chore for town officials who predicted declining state aid and rising costs for items such as health insurance. Despite this, the town has done a good job, according to Selectmen Chairman Anthony Kennedy, in finding a balance that maintains current levels of service and avoids layoffs.
The department requiring the biggest chunk of the $51 million is the public school system, which is slated to receive in excess of $21 million, with the caveat that it still needs another $113,000 in the fall for heat and electricity.
A Police Department budget of $3.5 million likewise was not an easy one to develop but, according to Finance Board Chairman Richard Gregorio, all parties have worked hard to maintain the current level of service.
Despite the tough times, the town has made it a priority to add two firefighters in the Fire Department.
“We recognize that the Fire Department is understaffed,” said Kennedy.
An independent study performed on the Fire Department found that four additional firefighters are needed, but “this is the best we can do with the money available,” Kennedy added. The Fire Department budget for fiscal 2003 is approximately $2.7 million.
Also noteworthy for fiscal 2003 is the Finance Board’s decision to not fund the town’s Reserve Fund this spring. The Reserve Fund is an account set up for extraordinary or unforeseen expenses. Gregorio said that requests for Reserve Fund transfers typically are not made early in the year, thus the Finance Board recommended waiting for fall Town Meeting to fund this account.
Gerry Street resident Fred Kranefuss called the rises in costs “phenomenal” and asked if the town was discussing plans for a Proposition 2 1/2 override.
“We don’t expect it,” Kennedy said, adding that the town previously had built up its savings account in order to combat a tight economy such as this.
Selectman Mary Pecoraro added that town boards and department heads will continue to work closely through the year as they have during the budget development process, “so we don’t find ourselves in January in a major crisis.”
Another article that brought members of the small crowd to the microphone was Article 17 which asked the town for $8,000 to fix a drainage problem on private property at 148 Franklin Street.
The property is owned by John DeGeorge and has a long history of flooding due to illegal filling that took place in the early 1970s of which the town was aware.
Steele Street resident Norman Norton was chairman of the Conservation Commission back when the illegal filling occurred. Norton eventually got it stopped, but for DeGeorge the damage had been done. Norton visited DeGeorge’s property recently and spoke in support of the article on Thursday.
Norton credited DeGeorge with taking into consideration the town’s best interests by waiting for the Franklin Street construction project to get underway to get the problem addressed so that the street would not have to be dug up twice.
“When something affects one, it affects us all,” said Norton.
Franklin Street resident Armand Calabrese said it was the town’s responsibility to remedy the problem, while Green Street resident Terri Ghannam reminded voters that the Board of Selectman supported the article.
“I think 25 years is long enough for a cellar to be flooded,” she said.
“We can put an end to it tonight,” said Selectman Charles Smith.
The only dissenting voice was that of Stephen Geary who spoke on behalf of the Finance Board which recommended unfavorable action on the article. Among its objections, the Finance Board said that the issue was a moral and not legal one, and therefore the town was not obligated to correct the problem. Also, paying for repairs on private property could set a precedent for subsequent requests, Geary said.
But Pecoraro said this particular situation was unusual, one which she believed would not set a precedent.
The article needed a two-thirds vote to pass, and it secured one.
While DeGeorge has tried many things over the years to resolve the drainage problem on his property, “shoveling against the tide” as he calls it, he said the work that D&R Construction (the firm awarded the Franklin Street contract by the state) will do in conjunction with the Franklin Street project is his best bet.
“Once that’s done, then I’ll do what I have to do to restore my property,” he told the Independent, including replacing a deteriorated patio and restoring an eroded lawn.
DeGeorge said he is grateful to those who spoke on his behalf on Thursday and to those who have supported him through the years.
Other warrant articles addressed on Thursday were as follows:
Article 9 called for transfer from available funds the sum needed to balance the fiscal year 2002 budget. Both the Finance Board and the Board of Selectmen recommended indefinite postponement since the matter was already addressed on Monday in a warrant article of the Special Town Meeting. Voters agreed.
Article 11 asked voters to fund replacement of two roofs at the DPW to the tune of $225,000. A new roof was necessary, said Smith to “...stop the leaks and make it a safer place to work.” Finance Board member Ben Caggiano agreed, stating that to replace the 27 year old roofs now would mean avoiding the risk of tragedy later. Voters approved.
Article 12 received approval of $300,000 for continuing the town’s ongoing water construction project, which includes replacing approximately one mile of water mains and about 400 water meters each year.
Approval of Article 13 has allowed the town to access interest-free funds from the MWRA for the purpose of local water pipeline rehabilitation and construction projects. The MWRA has allocated $1,736,360 to Stoneham, but the town can only draw $500,000 per year. Funds are paid back interest free over a 10-year period.
Article 14 was also approved by voters and allows the town to spend $250,000 to continue the capital improvement program on the town’s sewer systems. Caggiano stated that although MWRA sewer rates continue to increase, they will not rise as significantly as they would without the improvements. He also credited the DPW for doing an excellent job with the program thus far.
Similarly, Article 15 supports the town’s sewer system improvement program by allowing the town to access up to $478,900 in grant money and interest free MWRA loans. Loans are paid back over a five year period. Voters approved.
Article 16 was approved and allows the town to repair a drainage pipe at 41 Elm Street. $25,000 is needed to repair the pipe which is owned by the town but lies on private property. Approval also gives the town access to the pipe via an easement on the property. The pipe services the neighborhood adjacent to 41 Elm Street.
Approval of Article 18 authorizes the town to accept as public ways the following streets: David Circle, from Mauriello Drive to the cul-de-sac; Kenwood Avenue, from previous acceptance to Mauriello Drive; and Mauriello Drive, from Summit Road to the cul-de-sac. Each of these streets has been previously constructed under Planning Board standards and needs little or no construction work in order to meet the qualification of acceptance.
Subscribe and get Home Delivery of The Independent
Save 36% off the newstand price — that's like 18 FREE issues!