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Date: 12/6/2022
SOUTHAMPTON – On Dec. 13 residents in Southampton will have the opportunity to vote on 15 warrant articles as a part of the town’s Annual Town Meeting at 7 p.m. at the William E. Norris Elementary School.
Article 1 is a request to transfer $6,000 from the group health insurance account to the retirement expense account, which would complete the town’s financial obligation for fiscal year 2023.
Article 2 is two requests for transfers for Police Department operating expenses. The first of which is a transfer of $32,000 from the police wage account to the police overtime account due to unexpected staff shortages, while the second is a request to transfer $2,500 into the police expense account due to unexpected costs incurred.
Article 3 includes two requests to transfer funds for a payment toward the town’s ambulance debt. The first transfer is $68,064 into the debt ambulance principal account while the second is $850.80 going into the debt ambulance interest account. Both transfers will come out of the ambulance receipts, reserve for appropriation account.
Article 4 calls for three requests for transfers from the principal assessor salary account. The first request is for $5,000 to be transferred into the assessor consultant account for property certification, the second is for $5,000 to be transferred into the cyclical inspections account for a cyclical 10-year requirement, the third request is for $10,000 to go into the assessor expenses account for cost manual and staff expenses.
Article 5 is a request to transfer $7,500 from the town’s legal expense account to pay the settlement in the matter of Swanson v. Town of Southampton.
Article 6 is a request to transfer $20,000 from the operational stabilization account for the use of securing, maintaining, demolition or any other functions required to prepare properties for sale by the Building Department.
Articles 7 and 8 are both requests under the town’s community preservation projects. The first is a request for $100,000 from the town’s community preservation surcharges to the Southampton Greenway for the town’s local matching share of a Mass Trails grant for the design process of the greenway bicycle and pedestrian path. Article 8 is a request from the Park Commission for $3,000 from the community preservation surcharges to put up an additional Conant Park sign.
Articles 9, 10, 11 and 12 are all requests for to amend the town’s current bylaws. Article 9 is a request to replace the current Article XII, titled “Matter on public ways or places” and Article XX, titled “Littering,” with a new Article XII, titled, “Littering and dumping materials on public ways or places.” Article 10 is a request to update the language of the town’s current soliciting and canvassing bylaw. Article 11 is a request to replace the current bylaw Articles 9 and 10, regarding dogs and dog kennels, with a new article, titled “Dogs: licenses, kennels and complaints.” Article 12 is a request to update the language in bylaw XXVI, titled “Curb Cuts.”
Articles 13, 14 and 15 are all requests for new bylaws. Article 13 would require all town-owned vehicles to be marked with the town seal, or a police badge or the Fire Maltese Cross for police and fire vehicles.
Article 14 would establish an Affordable Housing Trust in Southampton. According to a press release sent to Reminder Publishing, the new trust would help raise the town’s affordable housing percentage up to at least 10 percent, the percentage required by the state. Currently the town has a 1.9 percent rating on the state’s Subsidized Housing Inventory.
By establishing the affordable housing trust, a five-member board of trustees would be appointed by the Select Board to work with other boards including the Housing Authority and Community Preservation Committee to “increase the supply of affordable housing in town in accordance with Southampton’s Housing Production Plan.”
Article 15 is a request to establish a “Humane Care and Treatment of Domesticated Animals” bylaw. This bylaw would set forth guidelines for the protection of animals in accordance with Massachusetts General Law.
Southampton’s Annual Town Meeting takes place at 7 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the William E. Norris Elementary School, which is located at 34 Pomeroy Meadow Rd.