By Bonnie Adams, Government Editor
Northborough -Voters will gather at Algonquin Regional High School Monday, April 23, to review and decide the fate of the 52 articles on this year's Annual Town Meeting (ATM) warrant.
The town's fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget is projected to be $53.83 million; approximately 59.5 percent of that is for the town's schools, including Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School.
Voters will also be asked to approve a transfer of $802,000 for necessary repairs and renovations at the Town Hall. The funds would be transferred from other capital projects that have already been completed and have no outstanding financial obligations. $705,941 of this transfer is left over from the 119 Colburn St. remediation, which was for a Brownfield cleanup at the site of the former Northborough Fish and Game Club.
Town officials will also ask voters to approve $350,000 in Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds for the Town Hall project, which is estimated at a total cost of $1.15 million. CPA funds are derived from a voter-approved surcharge of up to 3 percent on a community's local property tax surcharge; those funds are matched by the state for the express purpose of purchasing open space, historical preservation and low-income housing. According to Town Administrator John Coderre, due to this financing strategy, there will be no additional tax impact of the Town Hall project.
Article 31 will request that voters approve $500,000 for a feasibility study to assess a potential addition and/or repairs at the Lincoln Street School. If approved, the town would be eligible to apply for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority for reimbursement of up to 48 percent of the costs.
Several Capital Improvement items are also on the agenda including: $350,000 for a new fire engine; $56,000 for a new one-ton service truck and $153,000 for a sidewalk plow, both of which are for the Department of Public Works; $250,000 for Lyman Street well repairs; and $400,000 for an emergency generator at Melican Middle School.
There are also six citizens” petitions on the warrant, including one that, if approved, would require voters to present photo identification before being allowed to cast a vote in state and national elections.
The complete ATM warrant and other financial documents can be found on the town's website, http://www.town.northborough.ma.us/.
