Trash, override discussion expected at Town Meeting
Published on May 2nd, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - Two Selectmen stymied their counterparts' unannounced and last ditch efforts to reinstitute a trash fee in time for this Monday's Annual Town Meeting.
Last Thursday, Selectman George Seibold relinquished his chairman's gavel in order to lobby in favor of restoring the garbage charge after a lengthy discussion on the wisdom of pursuing a $3 million override instead of the refuse fee.
"I still fee very strongly about having the trash fee [in our Town Meeting budget]," Seibold said. "That way we know, the departments know, the town-side knows, and the school side knows."
The Chairman's motion came just moments after former Selectman Darin Leahy directly requested that the Selectmen hold an open and public hearing on the matter, should the town officials decide to restore the $160 fee for the third consecutive year.
"I do want to make a motion that we bring up the trash fee to vote on," said Seibold, who made it clear this week that he would rather reinstate the charge than roll the dice on a $3 million override.
"But the gentlemen just said we should hold a public hearing," Selectman John DePinto responded incredulously, referring to Leahy's prior comments.
Selectmen Robert Sweeney and Frank Vallerelli both backed Seibold's motion, but because the matter was not included on the agenda for discussion, John DePinto and Paul Rotondi's nay votes shot down the motion - it required a four-fifths majority.
Last year, during a similarly unannounced discussion, the Selectmen successfully added the trash fee to the agenda just days after the electorate rejected a non-binding ballot question on the rubbish fee.
A subsequent vote at that meeting not only restored the charge, but tacked on another $10 to the per residential-unit fee. With DePinto and Rotondi torpedoing their three counterparts efforts to potentially restore a garbage fee, it now appears that town officials will have to trust in the so-called "Rotondi plan", which calls for a $3 million override.
However, the Selectmen do have one more meeting scheduled just prior to the start of this Monday's Town Meeting, and a trash fee could possibly again be brought-up for discussion at that time. Sure to cause a stir during the annual assembly, the gathering is being asked to approve an FY'08 operating budget that includes a contingent appropriation for an override, which must pass at both Town Meeting and the election polls before the $3 million tax increase is appropriated. Although Rotondi, who authored the five-year financial blueprint, did gain an endorsement of his plan from a majority of School Committee and Finance Board members, Sweeney has not signed the agreement. Seibold, who has penned his name to the proposal, has made it clear that he doubts an override will pass, while DePinto signed the agreement, but warned that he will lobby against a tax increase if Stoneham's employee unions don't negotiate new contract deals before the special election.
Should the $3 million appropriation fail at either Town Meeting or during a special summer election - likely to be held on June 19 - town officials have proposed a number of other warrant articles to help plug the financial gap. A large portion of those proposals will seek to create special funds for newly instituted field-use, recycling, and other such fees, while a number of others seek to lease the Senior Center barn, DPW garage bays, Fire Station, and municipal parking spaces. The Town Meeting electorate will also mull over cost-savings proposals, such a controversial plan to shift over control of the retirement system to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, if a $150,000 savings can be realized in administrative costs. The warrant also features measures that would potentially create huge savings by allowing the town to join the Group Insurance Commission for health insurance negotiations and require retirees to enroll in the federal Medicare program. Lastly, the Selectmen have again revived two warrant articles that have failed in recent years, including a plan to sell a developable plot of land on Emerald Court and a proposal to permit the construction of billboards near I-93, close to the Woburn-line.
Town Meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. this Monday night.
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