Editor’s note: This article will be updated as Town Meeting approves the articles.
SOUTHBOROUGH – Southborough Town Meeting is currently underway at Trottier Middle School. In total, there are 13 articles on the warrant.
Article 1
Planning Board Chair Meme Luttrell presented Article 1 to add a Tree Protection Bylaw.
The warrant states that “the intent of the bylaw is to put in place a process for the maintenance of Public Shade Trees, including but not limited to, trimming, cutting, planting and the removal of dangerous or damaged trees within the public right of way and to protect the town from unnecessary tree removal and to maintain the New England character and charm of the Town of Southborough.”
The tree warden in Southborough is the Select Board, and the board has designated an employee in the Department of Public Works as its designee.
According to Luttrell, the bylaw is needed the law is not being consistently followed in Southborough, and it would establish a more consistent process. She said it would make compliance easier.
Luttrell said the bylaw would only apply to public shade trees in the public right-of-way and wouldn’t infringe on personal property. Further, she said it wouldn’t create new a regulation.
Fines for violations will be promulgated by the Planning Board and Select Board.
“It’s another measure for us to be protective,” said Planning Board member Marnie Hoolahan.
Voters asked several questions, including about instances when the drip line fell on private property, situations where roots grow into septic systems and whether the Tree Warden designee’s decision would be able to be overridden. Some residents advocated for hiring a tree warden.
Several amendments were made to the bylaw on the floor of Town Meeting, including that the Planning Board will promulgate a tree replacement policy. Three amendments failed.
Ultimately, the article failed.
Article 2
Planning Board member Marnie Hoolahan voted to indefinitely postpone designating roads as scenic roads, noting the time.
Article 3
Proposed by the Select Board, the article will transfer $100,000 from the overlay surplus account to address public shade trees that need to be removed.
It was approved.
Article 4
This article will raise and appropriate $14,209 to fund the economic cost for the fire union collective bargaining agreement and be retroactive July 1.
It was approved.
Article 5
Article 5 would raise and appropriate $10,000 to pay the deductible for property damage not covered by insurance.
It was approved.
Article 6
This article would allow the Select Board to grant easements to National Grid to facilitate the installation of electric vehicle charging stations for hybrid and electric vehicles at the Public Safety Building and/or other town-owned locations where there is parking.
The easements would expire Dec. 31, 2027.
Select Board member Sam Stivers said he wasn’t aware of any other locations on the horizon.
“For now, it’s the public safety building,” Stivers said.
Stivers said the language regarding other locations was in the article to add flexibility if there’s an opportunity to add charging stations.
Currently, Southborough owns one hybrid vehicle and plans to purchase another, according to Director of Facilities John Parent.
Planning Board member Marnie Hoolahan moved to remove language regarding “and/or other town owned property in which there is currently parking for vehicles.” Her motion failed.
Ultimately, the article passed.
Article 7
Proposed by the Select Board, this article would adapt a bylaw that all citizens petition warrant articles be delivered to the board’s office no later than 30 days prior to Town Meeting.
Select Board members said they need time to consider citizen petitions.
Select Board member Andrew Dennington said the two citizen petitions on the warrant had been submitted Sept. 19. Select Board Chair Kathy Cook said the board and Advisory Committee had only one meeting to consider the petitions.
Resident Debbie DeMuria, who has two citizen petitions on the warrant, said petitions arise because “government isn’t working.”
She advocated for citizen petitions to have the same cut off date as other articles.
Her sentiments were echoed by other residents.
Others voiced their support for the 30 days time frame, saying residents would then know when the petition needed to be submitted by and residents would have learn about the article.
The article was approved.
Article 8
This article was proposed by Town Clerk Jim Hegarty and Moderator Paul Cimino, and it would define the methods of voting that the moderator may determine to use at Town Meeting, including electronic technology like clickers.
Hegarty said if it passed, they would be rented for a Town Meeting and voters could use them for a test run.
Cimino said it would save time on hand counts and close votes.
It was approved by voters.
Article 9
Voters considered raise and appropriating for two capital projects: $5,000 for clickers and $29,000 for the pavement management system.
It was indefinitely postponed by voters.
Select Board member Lisa Braccio said the clickers would be funded through American Rescue Plan Act funds, and Southboro]ugh received a grant for the pavement management system.
Article 10
Voters approved this article which will transfer $12,500 from the overlay surplus account to convert and upgrade the assessors’ real estate software.
Article 11
Article 11 would transfer $14,000 from the overlay surplus account to contract professional appraisal services to conduct cyclical inspections of residential properties in Southborough.
It was approved.
Article 12
This citizen petition was proposed by Debbie DeMuria and Rebecca Deans-Rowe and would request the Select Board to restrict the placement of flags in the Old Burial Ground to the official American flag.
This article ultimately failed.
Read more about the citizen petitions in future Community Advocate coverage.
Article 13
This citizen petition was proposed by DeMuria and Kevin Farrington and would have authorized the Select Board to accept a gift of land from St. Mark’s known as St. Mark’s Triangle.
It was indefinitely postponed.
