SOUTHBOROUGH – An article pertaining to the MBTA Communities Overlay District and a request to join the Metrowest Emergency Communications Center will be among the decisions to be made by residents at a Special Town Meeting on Monday, Sept. 30.
The overlay district is Article 8 of the warrant.
For Annual Town Meeting in March, the Planning Board was to present three subdistricts – an area around the MBTA station in Cordaville; land around 34 St. Martin Drive; and the area around Madison Place. However, the state determined that the first subdistrict near the MBTA station did not meet state requirements. The Planning Board withdrew the warrant article and made several requests to the state’s Executive Office of Housing and Living Communities.
The purpose of the overlay district is to allow more multifamily housing as of right.
The article has been brought back for Special Town Meeting, and it has received support from the Select Board.
Article 9 brings back a request that had been turned down by residents twice before – to join a regional emergency communications center.
The Select Board decided to evaluate the feasibility of joining a regional center. To that end, the board created an in-house team of the police and fire chiefs, the town administrator and two Select Board members.
The team visited three operating centers, and two other centers in the process of being formed. In addition, the team surveyed several police and fire chiefs; and it held discussions with state 911 managers. It also conducted several meetings to collect public input.
The team recently recommended to the Select Board that the town join the regional communications center currently being formed for Westborough and Grafton.
The decision would be based on the Town Meeting vote, as well as successful negotiation for an Intermunicipal Agreement.
Within the 18-article warrant, residents will also decide on amending the town’s Personnel Salary Administration Plan; whether to delete the Solid Waste Disposal Committee and Consumer Advisory Commission, both of which have been inactive for several years; the provision of meeting minutes; dealing with abandoned funds, or “tailings;” and to establish a special revenue fund for cable access.
The entire warrant is available at https://www.southboroughma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4061/Special-Town-Meeting-Warrant
The Special Town Meeting will convene at 7 p.m. at Trottier Middle School, 49 Parkerville Road.
Voters can bring their children and sit with them in the cafeteria, which will be equipped with full audio/video coverage, and voters will be able to ask questions, etc., from the cafeteria.
Parents must supervise their children at all times – babysitting will not be provided.
The Girl Scouts will have food and beverages for sale in the hallway. Only beverages in containers with a secure lid such as a YETI or a water bottle are allowed in the auditorium. No food will be allowed in the auditorium.
Extra handicapped parking spaces will be set aside near the front doors.
The Town Meeting webpage with information that may be helpful to those planning to attend is https://www.southboroughma.gov/884/Town-Meeting-Information
