ATHOL — Annual Town Meeting voters will revisit a request by the police chief to rescind Article 55 of the 1916 Annual Town Meeting to include full-time officers of the Athol Police Department in the civil service law.
The request is one of the 32 articles on the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting set to begin at 7 p.m. in Memorial Hall at 584 Main St. on Monday.
Articles to remove full-time police officers from the requirements of civil service were not taken up at the Special Town Meeting in March. The police officers’ union sought additional time to review policies and procedures. Members of the Finance Warrant Advisory Committee also said at the time they needed more information.
Voters approved release of the department’s part-time officers from civil service requirements at the meeting in the fall of 2017..
Police Chief Russell Kleber has said the change will allow more flexibility in hiring new officers, shorten the timeline to get them on the force, and insure more local input and control in the hiring process.
The final article on the warrant was generated by a citizens petition to rescind the plastic bag reduction bylaw, which will again allow so-called thin-film plastic, single-use carry-out shopping bags to be used.
Town Clerk Nancy Burnham confirmed a citizens petition was submitted and she has certified 18 of the 21 signatures are those of registered voters. Ten signatures are required to place an article on the Annual Town Meeting warrant.
Signs have popped up around town in favor of repealing the vote taken last year.
Voters will also be asked to approve $109,000 to finance accessibility improvements to the 100 Main St. building and improvements to the senior center building as recommended by the Capital Program Committee.
There are articles pertaining to the purchase of equipment and infrastructure improvements for the Athol Public Works Department’s water and sewer divisions and the funding of future revaluations and interim year value adjustments, such as statistical analysis, sales analysis, video imaging, field reviews and all other tasks deemed necessary for completion of the state -mandated requirements.
There are also articles pertaining to payment for the town’s assessments to the Athol-Royalston Regional School and Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School districts, and to operate the Department of Public Works/Water Division Enterprise Fund.
Voters will also be asked to set the salaries of several elected officers and appointed positions of various town boards, including: moderator, $200; Chairman of the Selectmen, $1,652; Selectmen, $1,377; chairman of Board of Assessors, $1,652; Assessors, $1,377; Constable, none; Board of Health chairman, $1,652; Board of Health members, $1,377; Library trustees, none; School Committee members, none.
Voters will be asked to appropriate or transfer from available funds sums of money to operate the Department of Public Works/Sewer Division Enterprise Fund, the Department of Public Works/Transfer/Recycling Enterprise Fund, and the “Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Liability Trust Fund.
Voters will be asked to reauthorize $142,500 for the following revolving funds for certain down departments (with spending limits as indicated): plumbing inspection, $20,000; recycling, $20,000; gas inspections, $2,500; waste facility debt, $60,000; trench permit, $5,000; vaccinations, $25,000; recreation, $10,000.
Other revolving fund requests include $100,000 for police detail.
The town will be asked to vote to reimburse the Stabilization Account from money received from New England Equestrian Land Management Conservation Corporation for the construction of a road in the Equestrian Park for vehicle traffic as voted at the June 13, 2011, Annual Town Meeting.
Voters will be asked to authorize the Board of Selectmen to dispose of, by sale or any other lawful means, the buildings and land comprising the former Sanders Street Elementary School and adjacent environs more particularly shown on an illustrative plan entitled “Proposed Disposition of Sanders Street School and Environs.”
Voters will also be asked to authorize the selectmen to dispose of the following parcels of land located in the town of Phillipston and identified as follows: State Road, Phillipston, Map 37, Lot 2; State Road, Phillipston, Map 37, Lot 7, Ward Hill Road, Phillipston, Map 37, Lot 3.
The town will vote to authorize the board of assessors to negotiate and execute Payments in Lieu of Tax Agreements (PILOTs) with the lessee/operator of any electric generating facility, upon such terms as the Board of Assessors shall deem to be in the best interest of the town.
The town will be asked to authorize the selectmen to acquire the land parcels and or rights in land parcels for the purpose of obtaining a secure and public right of way. This will allow for the construction and roadway safety improvements for Crescent Street over the Millers River Bridge. Another article asks the selectmen to acquire land parcels and or rights in land parcels for the purpose of obtaining a secure and public right of way. This will allow for the construction and roadway safety improvements for Washington Avenue Bridge.
Voters will also be asked to transfer from available funds money to the Capital Stabilization Fund, and to transfer a sum of money to the Stabilization Fund.