26 Warrant Articles face town voters on May 1
Published on March 15th, 2006
STONEHAM, MA - Stoneham citizens will decide upon the fate of 26 warrant articles at the Annual Town Meeting this May 1, including 22 measures pitching financial proposals.
In a 4-1 vote, the Selectmen slapped a favorable recommendation on the boldest and perhaps most controversial warrant article, which seeks approval to appropriate an unspecified amount of funding to attach an indoor athletic facility and separate skating rink onto the Stoneham Arena.
Originally proposed by rookie Selectman George Seibold as a revenue generating idea, proponents of the renovation plan have suggested that the new construction could annually pipe as much as $600,000 into Stoneham’s ailing coffers.
According to Town Administrator Ron Florino, who has estimated that the construction project could cost anywhere between $3 million to $5 million, the proposal must generate at least $500,000 in net gains if the borrowing costs are to be kept from affecting the town’s cash-strapped general budget.
The only Selectman to vote for an unfavorable recommendation on the measure, Tony Kennedy argued that unlike every other multi-million dollar capital plan the town has pursued in recent years, Seibold’s proposal was never subjected to an in-depth study.
“I am against this article. To be clear, I think it’s important to have a feasibility committee to talk about all the needs of the people. And at this time, I couldn’t support something like this,” explained the veteran Selectman, saying all four new elementary schools, the police station, and the fire station had been studied by such a group.
Without discussion, the Selectmen also unanimously endorsed a separate measure related to the operations at the Stoneham Arena that would empower Town Administrator Ron Florino to lease out the facility’s concession stand, pro shop, and vending machines to a third party for up to five years.
Presently being run by Stoneham Youth Hockey, the Selectmen authorized Florino to enter into an agreement with the non-profit sports group last year to construct the snack shop.
At the time, Town Counsel Bill Solomon drew up an agreement for a six-month term, a time period intended to prevent town officials from having to seek bids on the lease agreement.
Because the sports group would be incurring all the costs associated with the construction of the concession stand, Florino and the Selectmen had reasoned that it would be unfair to solicit requests-for-proposals (RFP’s) until Stoneham Youth Hockey had recuperated those costs.
Specifically, Article 14 would allow Florino to enter into a three-year lease with a private party and extend that original agreement for two option years thereafter.
Two warrant articles reportedly prepared by Selectman John DePinto are also likely to draw considerable debate at this May’s Town Meeting.
With both measures being approved unanimously without discussion, Article 8 would transfer the custody and duties associated with running Stoneham’s retirement system to state officials, rather than with the current day town-run Retirement Board.
DePinto, who has been critical of the Retirement Board in recent months after the group allegedly refused to advertise an opening on the board to all interested parties, has suggested that Stoneham might save money from the move.
Before becoming official, Article 8 would have to be approved by the entire state legislature, should citizens accept the proposal.
Surfacing again for at least the third time in as many years, Article 7 will again seek approval to sell a town-owned property on Emerald Court.
Pitched by DePinto less than six months after a similar proposal was defeated at last October’s Town Meeting, the Selectman has joined fellow board members and the School Committee in insisting that the proposal would act as a way to generate revenue in the face of difficult financial times.
Currently owned by the School Committee, the parcel has been deemed to have no future educational use. Last October, town officials claimed that the sale of the land could generate as much as $250,000 in one-time revenues.
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