ROYALSTON – The town’s Selectboard met Tuesday afternoon to address several issues relative to the special town meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, July 30. A voter guide instructing residents on the ins and outs of participating at town meeting was quickly approved by the board. The document will be distributed as voters enter the meeting.
Determining a location of the gathering took a bit more discussion. The legal posting for the meeting announced it would take place at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, but a decision has been made to move it.
“Ordinarily we hold special meetings here in Town Hall,” said board Chair Christine Long, “because special town meetings typically do not get a lot of attention. But, as the discussion developed, we began to feel maybe that’s not enough. The room in (Town Hall) holds maybe 70, 75 – in that range – and we thought perhaps we’d better go with something bigger.”
“The two most practical suggestions,” she said, “were the Royalston Community School, where the auditorium holds considerably more, and the fire station here in town. The fire station hosts dinners and other events there. They move the fire trucks out and put out chairs, and that’s a doable spot as well.”
Board member Roland Hamel said he would prefer to see the meeting take place at RCS.
“My only concern,” said board member Deb D’Amico, “was getting the word out so that people don’t come here (Town Hall) at five of seven, only to find out that they then have to drive to the community school.”
Hamel said he would try to place two lighted, flashing sign boards in town informing residents of the change in location.
“What we are going to do,” Long explained, “we are going to convene the meeting here. The town moderator, the town clerk, and at least one of us will be here for that. They’ll open the meeting and then someone will make a motion to move the meeting.”
D’Amico pointed out that someone will need to be at RCS to let voters gathered there know what is happening. As a result, actual deliberations on the six-article warrant likely will be delayed until 7:15 p.m.
A motion to move the meeting to Royalston Community School, offered by Hamel, was approved unanimously by the board.
While there are several spending proposals on the special town meeting warrant, town officials believe a crowd as large as 200 or 300 could show up to vote on two articles that would change town bylaws relative to marijuana cultivation facilities.
Damon Schmidt, who has plans to construct such a facility in town, submitted a citizen’s petition asking the town to consider increasing the limit on the such of cannabis cultivation operations from 10,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet. A second article proposed by Schmidt would limit those types of businesses in Royalston to a single operation.
Active campaigns have been mounted by both those opposed to, and those in favor of, the proposed changes. Opponents cite concerns over traffic, property values, odor, and other issues. Proponents claim the operation could provide jobs and additional tax revenue for Royalston.
The town’s Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the zoning articles at 7:30 p.m. tonight (July 25) at Town Hall.