-STURBRIDGE-
By Jennifer Grybowski
Turley Publications Reporter
Voters discussed a variety of issues when Sturbridge held its Annual Town Meeting and Special Town Meeting June 6 at the high school.
Before the meeting began, however, Board of Selectmen Chair Thomas Creamer took some time to thanks the volunteers, Town Administration Shaun Suhoski, Police Chief Thomas Ford, the fire department and department of public works for their service in cleaning up after last week’s tornadoes. He also addressed those who have suffered damage, promising to do everything he and the board can to help them rebuild.
After a request from Robert Briere to postpone the meeting, due to the fact that the Finance Committee report was not available as much ahead of time as usual, was defeated, the meeting began.
The budget
Articles 1 and 2 passed quickly but there was some discussion on Article 3 – the budget. Although most of the questions asked by residents were answered with simple clarifications, there was dissention on a few items.
Regarding the Town Clerk’s salary, Town Clerk Lorraine Murawski made a statement concerning her administrative assistant. She said she has for the past nine years been trying to get her clerk’s salary equitable to the work she performs, getting nowhere with the Personnel Board. So she made a substitute motion that $1,000 be transferred from her own salary, to the wages of her clerk. The substitute motion passed.
There was also some discussion surrounding permitting software purchase of $10,000 to be made by the Planning Board. Town Planner Jean Bubon explained that the software would be used by any of the town’s departments that issue permits. Board of Health Chair Linda Cocalis spoke in opposition of the purchase.
“This has never been evaluated by the Technical Committee,” she said. “The Board of Health is not likely to sue this. Before we vote on it, it should be put out to bid and appropriately evaluated.”
Suhoski responded that he felt the software is going to serve the town efficiently and save taxpayers money in the long run. The item passed as written, effectively passing the budget as written.
Betterment funds
Article 15 dealt with the distribution of Betterment funds. These funds are raised through a special hotel/motel tax. Resident Craig Moran, in a substitute motion, asked his fellow voters to consider taking $37,000 out of the Betterment fund to purchase a new emergency response vehicle for the fire chief. He explained that the chief’s current vehicle, a 2000, has over 90,000 miles, and had ongoing problems.
“It’s not in good enough shape to serve as an emergency response vehicle,” Moran said. “We are putting the chief and the public in a bad position when the chief is on the road driving at high speeds in that vehicle. We need to take care of the public safety people that take care of us.”
Finance Committee member Arnold Wilson explained that anyone with a betterment request needs to come before the committee with a proposal. Resident Ginger Peabody wanted to know why the fire chief himself hasn’t come forward to ask for the vehicle. Finance Committee Chair Kevin Smith said he had come through Capital Planning and that the vehicle was slated to be addressed soon. The substitute motion was defeated and Article 15 passed as written.
Conflict of Interest
Article 45 deals with conflicts of interest between family members serving in various capacities throughout the town. The Finance Committee did not recommend the article, saying further study is needed to understand it. The Board of Selectmen did recommend the article, with a substitute motion further clarifying the language.
Several people spoke passionately for and against the article. Selectmen Creamer and Mary Dowling were both in favor of the article and Dowling read a lengthy statement in support. Selectman Mary Blanchard, whose son once served on the police department and whose husband currently serves on the Planning Board, spoke out against the article.
“This needs a lot more homework,” Blanchard said.
Resident Thomas Chamberland, who serves along with his four brothers in several capacities in town, also spoke out against it. He said it attacks family, the very core of the community and that people unmarried, living together are in the same position but aren’t affected by the bylaw.
“This is wrong,” Chamberland said.
The article was defeated in both the substitute motion. Then the article was passed over.
Other items of interest
Article 13, which asked the town to approve the Pay As You Throw trash program passed.
The town took on $1,620,800 in debt when it approved Article 22, a DEP-required upgrade to a water treatment facility in town.
Article 20, asking the town to support funding for the new roof at the junior high was passed over because borrowing will not be needed due to lower anticipated costs of the project. Articles 39, 41, 42 and 43 were also all passed over.
All other articles were passed as written.
Special Town Meeting
Substitute motion for article 32, which transferred funds to pay for Burgess Elementary School roof snow removal, was made reducing the cost from $40,925 to $18,000. That was passed unanimously. All other Special Town Meeting articles passed as well.
Leave a Reply