ROYALSTON – A large crowd is expected at the Royalston Community School for Tuesday night’s special town meeting as voters consider a couple of big-ticket spending articles, as well as proposed changes in zoning bylaws relative to marijuana cultivation facilities. Residents won’t know until meeting time, however, just how much money they are being asked to spend.
The first article on the warrant is simply a housekeeping measure to transfer cash from the town’s stabilization fund to pay bills remaining from FY19, which ended June 30.
Article 2 asks voters to transfer monies from available funds for the purchase and installation of a new engine for the Public Works Department’s grader. The vehicle has been out of commission for several months, and Royalston has been dependent on the generosity of Phillipston for the use of that town’s grader. DPW Director Keith Newton has estimated the cost of the engine at around $50,000.
Voters will also decide whether to borrow a large sum of cash to be used for “abating hazardous materials and replacing the roof at the former Raymond School. In December, the Selectboard approved just over $5,300 in emergency spending to patch the roof, but the move was seen as a temporary measure. The total cost of the project has been estimated at around $200,000. If approved at town meeting, the measure will be presented to voters as a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion at a special election in September.
The first three articles on Tuesday’s warrant require the approval of at least two-thirds of the voters in attendance.
The fourth article on the warrant seeks approval to abolish the town’s Sewer Commission. The move would require consent of the state Legislature. If the commission is abolished, the Selectboard would take over its responsibilities.
The big draw for Tuesday night’s meeting is expected to be a change in zoning bylaws, proposed by citizen petition, which would allow for the construction of marijuana cultivation/manufacturing operations of up to 100,000 square feet. The current bylaw limits such facilities to 10,000 square feet. The petition was initiated by Damon Schmidt, a partner in Royalston Farms, which has signed a host community agreement to establish a cultivation operation off of South Royalston Road/Route 68. Schmidt argued at a public hearing last Thursday that, if his business proves as successful as he expects, he will need the ability to expand.
Opponents argue the construction of a 100,000 square foot facility, were it to happen, would ruin the rural nature of the town of about 1,300 residents.
The final article on the warrant would limit the construction of cannabis cultivation operations to a single facility. Schmidt noted at Thursday’s hearing that voters could amend the article to allow for as many of the businesses as they see fit.
The town meeting will first be called to order at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, because that was the location specified in the official posting. A motion will then be made to move the gathering to RCS. Voters are urged to go directly to the school, where debate and voting will likely get under way at around 7:15 p.m.