By K.B. Sherman, Contributing Writer
Grafton – At its Sept. 15 meeting, the Grafton Board of Selectmen reviewed 35 proposed articles for presentation at the Oct. 19 fall Town Meeting, and deleted six of them. Town Meeting warrant articles are proposed by the town government or through a petition submitted by voters.
In appropriations, the warrant asks voters to approve various smaller sums, plus an additional $93,917 for the School Department and an additional $88,583 in debt interest. Total requested appropriations total $270,501.
Super Park is back on the warrant with a request to take from the Surplus Account $290,000 to pay for a “play structure” at 4-6 Upton St. A total of $134,844 is being requested from the Community Preservation Fund for the Affordable Housing Reserve, the Open Space Reserve, and the Historic Preservation Reserve ($44,898 each). In addition, $140,189 is being requested to be reserved from Community Preservation Fund revenues for CPA purposes.
Two articles requesting a total of $150,000 for the Building Façade Improvement Program were deleted by the board.
An article to raise $1,000,000 for drainage repairs at private properties on Stowe Road damaged by drainage problems caused by roadway design was approved after some discussion. Paying the exact amount that might be due if the property owners simply submitted repair bills to the town, or if the town purchased the parts of the properties involved at 38 and 40 Stowe Road were discussed and rejected.
The new Department of Public Works (DPW) facility once again became an issue for discussion and an object of contention as has previously been the case. One article to raise $295,000 for facility construction documents generation was deleted, as was a second article to appropriate from debt exclusion the $13,700,000 total cost of the project. A third article that would have changed the charter of the DPW Facility Building Committee was also deleted.
An article to limit library architectural fees to $75,000 was approved, as was a proposal to transfer $385,000 from the Sewer Retained Earning Account to plan expansion and improvement.
The issue of dog nuisance is again a topic for Town Meeting. At the spring 2015 Town Meeting an article to prohibit dogs from town cemeteries and parks was defeated. For the fall meeting, the issue has reemerged as a bylaw that would require dog owners to have a dog on a leash whenever along a road in a cemetery or when in a town park and would require the owner to keep a running clean-up of dog solid emissions along the way. Violators would be fined $50 per infraction.
Following this article is one that would create a non-criminal ticketing bylaw. Under current town law, anyone issued a violation ticket for any matter must appear in district court. Under the new plan, anyone issued a ticket can simply pay the fine to the town without a court appearance unless the violator wishes to appeal the ticket in court.
An article adopting international property maintenance codes was deleted as being outside the purpose of a Town Meeting.
Marijuana matters will also be addressed. One article would create a code of conduct regarding medical marijuana and prohibiting public consumption. Fines for violation may be $300 for each offense and be enforced by the Grafton Police Department. All state and federal marijuana laws continue to apply.
The fall Town Meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 19 in the Grafton High School auditorium, 24 Providence Rd.