WARRANT TOWN OF ABINGTON

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS SPECIAL TOWN MEETING

PLYMOUTH, SS.

GREETINGS. In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of said Town, who are qualified to vote in Town affairs, to meet in

                                              ABINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

                                    201 RICHARD FRANCIS GLINIEWICZ WAY
                            IN PRECINCT FOUR IN SAID ABINGTON, ON MONDAY,
                                           THE 13^TH OF NOVEMBER, 2006, AT 7:00 IN THE EVENING

 

Then and there to act on the following articles:

Article 1: To see if the Town will vote to transfer from Free Cash the sum of Three Hundred Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($325,000.00) to fund the Stabilization Fund, or take any other action relative thereto.

Amended to $400,000. 

BY TOWN MANAGER

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This is consistent with the financial polices set forth by the Selectmen and the Town Manager.

 

            Article 1 approved unanimously.              

Article 2: To see if the Town will vote to transfer from Free Cash the sum of Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400.000.00). and from the sale of town owned land the sum of Two Hundred Nineteen Thousand Four Hundred Ninety Nine Dollars ($219,499.00) to fund the Capital Improvement Trust Fund, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY TOWN MANAGER

 

Amended to $529,179

 

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This is consistent with the financial polices set forth by the Selectmen and the Town Manager.

 

                Article 2 approved unanimously.              

Article 3: To see if the Town will vote to transfer Six Hundred Fourteen Thousand Six Hundred Eighty Dollars (S614,680.00) from Capital Improvement Trust Fund, Two Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars ($220,000.00) from Chapter 90 Funds, Two Hundred Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($215,000.00) from the Sewer Enterprise Undesignated Fund Balance; and One Hundred Ten Thousand Dollars ($110,000.00) from the Golf Undesignated Fund Balance for the following Capital Improvements:

Replace Fire  Alarm Receiving Equipment	$25,000.00
Firefighting equipment	$15,000.00
Replace C-2	$12,000.00
Pickup Truck – Highway Dept.	$40,000.00
Sidewalk Program	$40,000.00
Drainage Program	S20,000.00
35kGVWTruck	$120,000.00
Road Capital Program	$100,000.00
Snow Equipment	$25,000.00
Island Grove Swimming Dock	$50,000.00
Field Maintainer	$21,000.00
Bath House Roof	$15,000.00
Color Printer – Plotter for Maps and Charts	$6,000.00
Computer Software and Server Replacement	$35,000.00
Technology – School Department Upgrade	$106,680.00
Ford Taurus – School Department	$ 14,000.00
Summer Street upgrade	$200,000.00
SMH Cover Replacement	$15,000.00
VOIP Project – Voice Over Internet Protocol	$ 75,000.00
Landfill Capping	$115,000.00
Cart Path improvements	$45,000.00

 

 

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This is the second year of the Town Manager's Capital Improvement Plan, and it is fully funded.

            Article 3 approved unanimously.              

Article 4: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds the sum of Three Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy Dollars ($3,970.00) for payment to North River Collaborative for an unpaid bill for FY2006, or take any other action relative thereto.                                                                                                                                                                          

BY TOWN MANAGER

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. North River Collaborative provides Medicaid billing services for the Town. Last year's receipts received from Medicaid were greater than the Town had anticipated.

 

            Article 4 approved unanimously.              

Article 5: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate the sum of Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500.00) for the purpose of funding the Dam Safety Phase I Inspection for the Island Grove Pond Dam, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY TOWN MANAGER

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This was an unforeseen bill and it is also mandated by the State.

 

            Article 5 approved unanimously.              

Article 6: To see if the Town will raise and appropriate One Hundred Thirty Thousand Dollars ($130,000.00) to fund and implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Town of Abington and the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Local 393, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY BOARD OF SELECTMEN

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. The police have been without a contract for the past year and a half. This represents a three percent increase in salaries and retroactive compensation (from 7/1/2005).

 

            Article 6 approved unanimously.              

Article 7: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of one Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,800,000.00). or any other sum of money, for constructing, and originally equipping a Senior Center building; to determine whether this appropriation shall be raised by borrowing or otherwise; to determine whether this appropriation shall be made contingent upon a Proposition 2 ½  debt exemption vote; or to take any other action relative thereto.

Amended by Bond Counsel – town authorized to borrow

BY COUNCIL ON AGING

The Finance Committee recommends passing over this article. We do not have the funds to a support such new construction at this time. The Town Manager advised us that the tax rate impact on such a Bond for a Senior Center for the first year would be an additional $32.46 assessed in taxes on a median house value of $359,000.00.

 

            Article 7 approved by 2/3 majority.              

 

Article 8: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate One Million One Hundred Ninety One Thousand Dollars ($1,191,000.00). or any other sum of money, for the replacement of windows at the Early Childhood Center; to determine whether this appropriation shall be raised by borrowing or otherwise; to determine whether this appropriation shall be made contingent upon a Proposition 2 ½  debt exemption vote; or to take any other action relative thereto.

Amended by Bond Counsel – town authorized to borrow

 

BY SCHOOL COMMITTEE

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This is part of the Town Manager's Capital Plan for Year 2007 and maintains an existing structure and investment of the Town. It will, however, require a Debt Exclusion as there are no existing funds to finance such a bond. The Town Manager advised us that the tax rate impact of such a Bond for new windows on the Early Childhood Center for the first year would be an additional $21.62 assessed in taxes on a median house value of $359,000.00.

 

                Article 8 approved by 2/3 majority.              

Article 9: To see if the town will vote to transfer from article 11, of the November, 2005 Special Town Meeting, the sum of Eighty Five Thousand Four Hundred Thirty Nine Dollars and Fifty Cents ($85,439.50) for completing the surveys, plans, studies, architectural designs and engineering and any other documentation required for the construction of a new grade 5-8 middle school as recommended in the long-range master plan for school facilities prepared for the Abington School Department by Strekalovsky H it Raymond LLC, Architects and Planners, August 2004, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY SCHOOL COMMITTEE

 

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. These funds were approved at the November, 2005 Special Town Meeting. This article further defines the usage of these funds for our middle school project.

 

            Article 9 approved unanimously.              

 

Article 10: To see if the Town will vote to transfer from Sewer Undesignated Fund Balance the sum of One Hundred Seventy Thousand Dollars ($170,000.00) to reline approximately 1.000 feet of ductile iron sewer main on Brockton Avenue, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY BOARD OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. Currently, this sewer main is allowing groundwater into the system. This relining will save the Town money in those additional sewer costs.

 

            Article 10 approved unanimously.              

Article 11: To see if the Town will vote to transfer from Sewer Undesignated Fund Balance the sum of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) to the Town of Rockland for the
purpose of paying Abington's proportionate share of Sewer Treatment plant upgrades in the Town of Rockland, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY BOARD OF SEWER COMMISSIONERS

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This is the Town of Abington's share of the responsibility as part of the Joint Water Works.

 

            Article 11 approved unanimously.              

Article 12: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Water Commissioners to transfer from the Water Undesignated Fund Balance the sum of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00), to be used with a like amount from the Town of Rockland for the replacement of 31 skylights at the Great Sandy Bottom Treatment Plant, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY WATER COMMISSIONERS

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. The roof was recently replaced. Replacing these windows is the next phase for maintaining the Great Sandy Bottom Treatment Plant roof.

 

            Article 12 approved unanimously.              

Article 13: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Water Commissioners to transfer from the Water Undesignated Fund Balance the sum of Thirty Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($37,500.00), to be used with a like amount from the Town of Rockland for heating and ventilation upgrades to the Great Sandy Bottom Water Treatment Plant, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY WATER COMMISSIONERS

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This article reflects further maintenance required at the Great Sandy Bottom Treatment Plant.

 

            Article 13 approved unanimously.              

Article 14: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Water Commissioners to transfer from the Water Undesignated Fund Balance the sum of Seventy Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) for the completion of the rock excavation at the Hannigan Reservoir Expansion, or take any other action relative thereto.

Amended  “to be used with a like amount from the Town of Rockland”

BY WATER COMMISSIONERS

 

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This will remove the debris from the rock excavation at the Hannigan Reservoir Expansion Project.

 

            Article 14 approved unanimously.              

Article 15: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Water Commissioners to transfer from the Water Undesignated Fund Balance the sum of Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) for the purpose of purchasing a Pickup Tuck, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY WATER COMMISSIONERS

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This will purchase a pickup truck for Abington.

 

            Article 15 approved unanimously.              

Article 16: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Water Commissioners to transfer from the Water Fund Balance designated for Systems Development the sum of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), to be used with a like amount from the Town of Rockland for lighting upgrades to the Great Sandy Bottom Water Treatment Plant, or take any other action relative thereto.

Amended  “to be used with a like amount from the Town of Rockland”

BY WATER COMMISSIONERS

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This reflects our share of the cost for better lighting at the Great Sandy Bottom Treatment Plant.

 

            Article 16 approved unanimously.              

 

Article 17: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Water Commissioners to transfer from the Water Fund Balance designated for Systems Development the sum of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) for the purpose of purchasing security equipment for the protection of the Town's water supply, or take any other action relative thereto.

Amended  “to be used with a like amount from the Town of Rockland”

 

BY WATER COMMISSIONERS

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This reflects our share of the cost for security monitoring at the Great Sandy Bottom Treatment Plant.

 

                Article 17 approved unanimously.              

  Article 18: To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of Seventy Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) for the installation of a chemical feed system at the Hannigan and Great Sandy Bottom Water Treatment Plants, and cost incidental and related thereto; to determine whether this appropriation shall be raised by borrowing from the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust or otherwise; or to take any other action relative thereto.

   Amended by Bond Counsel – town authorized to borrow

 

BY WATER COMMISSIONERS

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This reflects our share of the cost for replacing an aging chemical feed system at the Hannigan and Great Sandy Bottom Water Treatment Plants. It will be raised by borrowing from the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust.

 

                Article 18 approved unanimously.              

Article 19: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of Two Thousand Two Hundred Eighteen Dollars and Seventy Five Cents ($2,218.75) to cover an unpaid bill for Partner's Home Care, Visiting Nurse, or take any other action relative thereto.

BY BOARD OF HEALTH

 

The Finance Committee recommends approval of this article. This is an unpaid bill from FY2006.

 

                Article 19 approved unanimously.                

Article 20: To see if the Town will vote to amend the Town of Abington By-Laws by adopting a Demolition Delay By-Law as Chapter 36 as follows:

            Article 20 was withdrawn.              

Demolition of Historically Significant Buildings Section 1. Intent and Purpose

This by-law is adopted for the purpose of preserving and protecting, significant buildings within the Town of Abington which constitute or reflect distinctive features of the architectural, cultural, political, economic or social history of the Town; and encourage the preservation and restoration rather than the demolition of such buildings.

Section 2. Definitions

2.1 "Building"— any combination of materials forming a shelter for persons, or property.

2.2 "Significant Building or Structure"- any building that is at least 75 years old or a portion thereof and meets one or more of the following criteria:

(a) Is listed on the National Register of Historic Places or State Register, or is subject of pending application for listing on said National or State Register;

(b) Is importantly associated with one or more historic persons or events, or with the broad architectural, cultural, political, economic or social history of the Town of Abington or the Commonwealth, of Massachusetts or United States of America;

(c) Is historically or architectural, significant in terms of period, style, method of building construction, or association with a famous architect or builder either by itself or in the context of a group of buildings

2.3 "Structure" - any edifice, object or building of any kind that is constructed or erected and requires more or less permanent location on the ground or attachment to an object with permanent location on the ground.

2.4 "Commission" - the Abington Historical Commission.

2.5 "Building Inspector" — the person occupying the office of Building Inspector or otherwise authorized to issue demolition permits.

2.6 "Demolition"- the act of pulling down, destroying, removing, or razing a building, or commencing the work of total or substantial destruction with the intent of completing the

Remainder of this article to be updated on this web site at a later time.

Article 21:     Request for rezoning of North Abington Business District was passed over by a 2/3 majority.