April 17, 2019 by Carol Britton Meyer
Town Meeting is just around the corner, and a record crowd is expected -- in particular, to consider and vote on the proposed water company acquisition. Remember, every vote counts!
The meeting is scheduled for next Monday, April 22, in the High School gym, 17 Union St., beginning at 7 p.m.
Town Clerk Eileen McCracken has had a number of calls from citizens asking if they can vote absentee on the acquisition warrant article because they are unable to attend Town Meeting. "You have to be present at the actual Town Meeting to vote on an article," she said. However, registered voters can submit an absentee ballot in town and other elections under certain circumstances, including the April 27 town election.
"The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Please check in early so we can start on time," said Town Moderator Michael Puzo, who will lead the meeting. "We have 45 articles on the warrant, so there is much to decide. Remember, Town Meeting is Hingham's legislature and you are the legislators."
Visit the town website at https://www.hingham-ma.gov/ for full details, and be sure to check out the Hingham Anchor's easy-to-understand Town Meeting Primer -- where to check in, where you can sit once the gym is full, shuttle bus service, and other important info, at https://hinghamanchor.com/town-meeting-primer-what-to-expect-at-your-first-town-meeting/
The town is prepared to accommodate up to 3,950 participants among the Hingham School gym, auditorium, cafeteria, and three over-sized classrooms -- plus the Middle School auditorium, if necessary.
The four articles related to the proposed acquisition of the water system (#10-13 on the agenda), the Foster School article related to funding for major maintenance needs, and the proposed ban on single-use plastic bags will likely draw the most attention, although every warrant article is important.
Here's a snapshot of these and a few other key articles:
* Water company acquisition articles relate to the proposed approximately $114 million purchase (not including borrowing costs, capital expenditures, or maintenance); appointing the Hingham Selectmen as water commissioners; establishing a (self-supporting) water system enterprise fund; and appropriating money to cover transition costs if the proposed acquisition wins voter approval. A two-thirds affirmative vote is required to approve the acquisition because a borrowing is involved. (See your copy of the town warrant for full details.)
A group called Citizens for Hingham Water aims to inform residents of the reasons why buying the system makes sense, in their opinion -- including the expected substantial savings and the benefits of local control as well as the consensus among study committee members that no "showstoppers" to moving forward with the purchase were identified.
Nearly $50 million in savings is projected over the 30 years the debt would be repaid. With completion of the payments -- in 2049 -- total savings are projected to increase to $7.4 million per year.
In contrast, another group -- Keep Aquarion -- is explaining all the reasons they believe such a purchase would not be wise. Their concerns relate in part to environmental issues, the purchase price and related costs, governance issues, and potential other capital projects that are under consideration.
However, acquisition supporters say that water company revenues under town ownership would cover the cost of the debt and would not affect other capital projects.
* The Foster School Extraordinary Maintenance Capital funding article proposes an appropriation of $350,000 to pay for prospective extraordinary maintenance needs. This could include boiler maintenance or replacement, electrical upgrades/repairs, and roof maintenance -- as needed to provide preventative maintenance to ensure the safe operation of the school and to avoid the risk of a major building disruption.
The town is currently waiting to hear back from the Massachusetts School Building Authority about its recent submission of a third Statement of Interest requesting partial state reimbursement for renovation of Foster or a new school.
* A ban on single-use plastic check-out bags would become effective later this year while encouraging more-widespread adoption by shoppers of reusable shopping bags.
* $195,000 is requested for the completion of the design plans for improvements to the Rte. 3A/Rotary/Summer Street corridor that include updated traffic signals, improved signage, lane markings, sidewalk improvements, traffic islands, and redesign alternatives for the Rotary to make the harborfront more pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly.
The permanent implementation of the pilot "road diet" program from last summer involving the elimination of one lane in each direction from Summer Street to the Rotary -- deemed a success by town officials with some changes -- is included in the overall $9 million Rte. 3A project. Most of the cost will be paid for by the state.
* The Community Preservation Committee is recommending the allocation of $725,546 from the town's Community Preservation Act funds (paid for by a tax surcharge approved by Town Meeting in the early 2000s to be used only for open space acquisition, community housing, historic preservation, and certain recreation projects):
* $300,000 toward potential affordable housing opportunities;
* $29,921 to stabilize the historic Old Ordinary Museum and the Annex at 21 Lincoln Street;
* $60,000 for the Rec Commission to conduct a comprehensive study of the town's athletic fields and tennis and basketball courts;
* $121,651 to restore the mechanisms of six bells in the Memorial Bell Tower;
* $120,000 for additional funding to complete the Bathing Beach bathhouse/concession stand;
* $24,445 to be used by the School Committee to rehabilitate/restore the Plymouth River School Playground;
* $19,528 to continue restoration and conservation of veterans' markers and monuments in the Liberty Plain Cemetery;
* $50,000 for the CPC's administrative fund.
All votes are taken first as voice votes and called by the moderator. If the moderator is in doubt or seven voters rise to question the moderator’s call, then a standing vote is taken, unless either the Advisory Committee or 50 voters promptly call for a paper ballot vote, in which case a paper ballot vote (referred to some as a "secret ballot") and not a standing vote, will be taken.
There have been paper ballot votes at two Annual Town Meetings going back to 2000 and at two Special Town Meetings:
* 2009: Special -- Naming East School
* 2010: Zoning Recreation Field Overlay District (Ward Street fields)
* 2011: Special - Vote on new Middle School project
* 2013: High School turf field
Be sure to bring your warrant to the meeting. A copy was mailed to every Hingham household. It has a hard-to-miss neon green cover!