Phillipston OKs override, police and DPW increases

 

Phillipston Police Chief Kevin Dodge explains the reasons he needs to add a new officer to his force during consideration of the proposed FY20 town budget at Wednesday’s annual town meeting. Greg Vine 

By GREG VINE

For the Athol Daily News

Published: 5/10/2019 9:45:28 PM

Modified: 5/10/2019 9:45:16 PM

 

PHILLIPSTON – A $93,000 Proposition 2 ½ override was likely the article that drew most voters to Phillipston’s annual town meeting Wednesday night, but there was plenty of other important business for residents to attend to. Voters had to weigh the approval of a proposed fiscal year 2020 municipal operating budget of just over $2 million, a Narragansett Regional School District budget of nearly $1.7 million, and new zoning regulations governing retail marijuana establishments.

The override was approved by the comfortable margin of 60 to 12, with a handful of voters withholding judgment either way. The measure, which provides Phillipston’s share of the cash needed to plug a deficit of nearly $1.1 million in the NRSD FY20 budget, now goes before voters at the annual town election on Monday, May 20. Templeton voters will take up the override at their annual town meeting this coming Wednesday, May 15. Approval at that time sends the question to the annual town election, also scheduled for May 20. Failure on Wednesday effectively kills the measure.

Several specific line items in the proposed FY20 municipal operating budget prompted questions and, in some cases, opposition.

Department of Public Works 

A proposed increase in payroll for the Department of Public Works generated the first significant discussion of the night. The town’s Finance Committee had recommended just over $184,000 for DPW pay, which includes funds for employee health insurance, overtime and vacation pay, and other benefits. That represented an increase of nearly $41,000 over the current fiscal year.

David Manty, who also happens to work for the DPW, voiced opposition to the increase.


“What this figure is saying,” Manty argued, “is, ‘we are going to hire another person.’ I don’t feel that the Highway Department needs another employee, because the town is already strapped for cash and we’re going to be considering an override later in the warrant.”

He then made a motion to reduce the proposed line item to $143,551, the amount approved for FY19.

While saying he could, if necessary, manage to operate the department at the lower rate, Public Works Director Tenney urged voters to abide by the FinCom recommendation.

“We have plenty of work to be done on our highways,” said Tenney, “Sometimes things take a little bit longer because there are only three of us. One of us has to do payroll and all of the other things that go along with the job. We also have vacation time, sick time, stuff like that. So, there are plenty of times that we are very short-handed. I was asked if we could use an additional employee and, honestly, we could. I can respect whatever the taxpayers want – as long as you don’t mind waiting a little bit longer for something to get fixed or a pothole to be filled.”

The Finance Committee pointed out that funds needed to be included to accommodate increased insurance costs, and some other expenses.

As a result, voters approved – 43 to 29 – an amendment to Manty’s motion which provided a Highway Department payroll line item of just under $150,000 for FY20.

Police Department 

An increase of just over $40,000 in the Police Department payroll also generated some questions.
“Primarily,” said Police Chief Kevin Dodge, “this is a part-time agency. Of the people that we have, they have full-time jobs. Sometimes, shifts at the last minute will go unfilled, especially on weekends.”

“We understand that peoples’ full-time careers come first,” he said, “but as we see things moving forward, there’s going to be a retail marijuana facility in Phillipston, with the potential for cultivation facilities. By having a full-time officer, that would give us three. I just think, the way things are going, by adding to our roster there would be less potential for unfilled shifts.”

“We would still have our part-time officers,” Dodge concluded, “but we could rely more and more heavily on a full-time officer.”

Ultimately, voters decided overwhelmingly to support the increase in the police payroll.

Zoning Bylaw Approved 

A proposed zoning bylaw regulating the location of retail marijuana businesses was also approved by a wide margin. The bylaw will limit the opening of cannabis retailers to an area along the Route 2A corridor, the same location where voters previously allowed the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries. The new regulations also apply to cultivation and manufacturing facilities.

Voters did amend the bylaw, prohibiting cannabis businesses of any kind within 500 feet of any area where children are likely to congregate. The original proposal set the limit at 300 feet, but voters decided to go along with recommendations from the state’s Cannabis Control Commission that the larger buffer zone be employed. Communities may, with voter approval, reduce that zone but may not increase it beyond the 500-foot limit.

 

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