Officials close Meeting Warrant
Published on February 28th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - Stoneham citizens will certainly have plenty to debate at his May's Annual Town Meeting, as the warrant closed this Monday with 39 proposals submitted for consideration.
And according to the Selectmen, even more measures could be placed before the assembly, if a Special Town Meeting is called within the coming weeks as suggested by some board members this Tuesday night.
This spring, residents will be asked to mull over a plethora of new revenue generating ideas, such as permitting town officials to lease out municipal parking spaces and buildings to local businesses.
But the warrant also contains the return of some old pitches as well, including requests to sell-off an Emerald Court property, to turn-over the management of the Stoneham retirement system to the state, and to rezone two areas along I-93 for billboard use.
During this Tuesday's Board of Selectmen meeting, Town Counsel Bill Solomon specifically touched upon the billboard proposal, which was shot-down by the assembly nearly a year-and-a-half ago.
Under the proposal, a strip of land near I-93, close to the Woburn line and Montvale Avenue, would be rezoned to allow for the erection of a ClearChannel billboard. A second parcel of space across the highway, near the Ira Nissan dealership, would similarly be rezoned to allow for billboards.
In return, the property owners, through ClearChannel, would contribute a generous donation to the town's coffers in exchange for passage of the article.
According to Solomon, because the billboard measure was defeated at Town Meeting less than two-years-ago, the Planning Board must vote favorably on the proposal in order for it to be considered.
Because of that requirement, the Town Counsel suggested that the article be split into two proposals, so that the Planning Board could deliberate separately on each piece of land being rezoned.
"If you go with just one article, you risk a situation where you may not be able to go forward with either," Solomon explained. "But [with two articles], the Planning Board, if it deemed one to be favorable and one unfavorable, could vote to do so."
The Selectmen will decide shortly as to whether a Special Town Meeting is required to split the billboard measure into two separate articles.
According to Selectman John DePinto, he has also brought back his failed plan to turn over management of the retirement system to the state.
Last year, DePinto unsuccessfully lobbied Town Meeting to adopt the change. The Selectman, who was criticized for suggesting that the town drop any control it has over the system, has recently pointed out that Stoneham will still retain virtually all aspects of control over the system.
If accepted, the warrant article would need to be endorsed by the State Legislature. In addition, if the shift in management doesn't save Stoneham at least $150,000 in costs, the town would abandon the plans.
Another proposal related to the retirement system will seek approval of a state law that allows towns to place retirees on Medicare.
The Selectmen, who sponsored the article in order to save health insurance costs, have argued that retirees' coverage would not be jeopardized if the proposal were endorsed at Town Meeting.
Specifically, proponents of the change have argued that the alterations would only transfer Stoneham's financial health insurance burden onto the federal government. The town would pick-up supplemental coverage for any gaps between the Medicare program and the current health insurance provider.
"We're just trying to shift the costs from the town to the federal government. [We'd only do this] as long as benefits don't get hurt," said DePinto of the article. "And I won't vote for it if it does."
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