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Date: 10/27/2021
LONGMEADOW – The town of Longmeadow will host a Special Town Meeting on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. at the Department of Public Works (DPW) Garage, 170 Dwight Rd. There are 19 articles to be considered. While most are financial matters, there is also a zoning change and changes to the Town Charter to consider.
Article 1 asks the town for $100,000 for the engineering and design for the Longmeadow Street Transportation Improvement Project. This is the third of four equal payments toward a preliminary study of a project to widen Longmeadow Street/Route 5, improve six traffic signals and create bike lanes. If the town does not complete the preliminary survey and 25 percent of the design, it is not eligible for state funding for the reconstruction/reconfiguration.
Article 2 addresses a gap in funding for the daycare salaries line item. At the Annual Town Meeting in the spring, the salaries for the town’s daycare program at the Greenwood Center were only funded for February through June of 2022. This was done at a time when a full year’s operation of the daycare center was in question. The $100,000 requested at this meeting would cover salaries from October 2021 through January 2022. All salary expenditures are repaid to the general fund from daycare fees.
Article 3 asks voters to approve $315,000 for a prior year’s bill from the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission. The estimated costs of Water Supply and Transmission increased by 8.29 percent for fiscal year 2021 (FY21) due to Capital Outlay and high usage during the dry FY21 period. While $1.3 million was budgeted, the costs were $1.6 million.
In article 4, $80,000 from the Sewer Retained Earnings account would go to fund the FY22 Sewer Enterprise Fund operating budget. The Select Board previously voted to utilize the $80,000 to offset a proposed increase in the sewer rate from $2.66 per 100 cubic feet to $2.82 per 100 cubic feet. With the $80,000 offset, the rate would be $2.70 per 100 cubic feet.
Article 5 seeks to pay from available funds $17,021.61 for prior year’s bills. The town has remaining bills for emergency repair work at Longmeadow High School, batteries for the high school’s floor machine and a prior bill for temporary services at the DPW.
The purpose of Article 6 is to increase the Fire Department’s FY22 operating budget by raising and appropriating $70,000. Three factors have led to this request. EMS call volume has increased 34 percent in the last five years and there has been a 21 percent increase in combined first responder calls, while the FY21 ambulance revenue was down 13 percent, to $850,461.23, Finally, two full-time firefighter/paramedics were added to the FY21 budget before the start of the pandemic, but were removed out of caution. Because call volume has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, the two personnel are needed. The funding would be used overtime and the salary increase would be offset by a forecasted increase in ambulance revenues.
Article 7 requests $300,000 be transferred from available funds to pay for expected legal expenses. Two issues are expected to require legal services: protecting the town’s interests in regards to Eversource’s proposed metering station and pipeline expansion and litigation of the asbestos cleanup that preceded construction of the DPW facility on Dwight Road.
Article 8 would put $500,000 in the OPEB Stabilization Fund, to move closer toward fully funding the Other Post-Employment Benefits liability. This is the town’s legal and contractually obligated benefits for retired town employees, such as health care and life insurance benefits.
Article 9 seeks to raise and appropriate $169,806 from the FY22 Community Preservation Fund revenues to be equally between the CPA’s Open Space, Community Housing and Historic Preservation accounts. M.G.L. Chapter 40B requires in each fiscal year, the town must spend or reserve at least 10 percent of the annual community preservation Fund revenues for each of the CPA’s community preservation purposes.
Article 10 would add $1.3 million to the Operating Stabilization Fund, which is essentially a municipal savings account. The money would come from available funds and not add to the tax rate. According to the Select Board’s policy, all free cash amounts over $500,000, not used to balance the budget shall be transferred into the Town’s Operational Stabilization Fund. This will help improve future credit rating opinions.
Article 11 is needed to tie up details related to the town’s Historical Commission. The town had not previously accepted MGL Ch. 40 section 8D, which is needed to authorize the creation of such a body.
Similarly, Article 12 would add language to the town bylaw regulating the Historic Commission. As it is, the bylaw contains language regarding two distinct entities with different purposes: the Historic Commission and the Historic District Commission. The new language clarifying the issue, Section 2-810 would read:
“Longmeadow Historical Commission
“a. The Longmeadow Historical Commission operates under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, Section 8d. The Commission shall adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of its business not inconsistent with the provisions of the aforementioned laws; or this Bylaw, as the case may be. These rules and regulations will be on file with the town clerk.
“b. The mission of the Longmeadow Historical Commission is to identify, preserve, educate, and advise the town of Longmeadow, both its citizens and its government, about its unique historic heritage using the methods described in Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, Section 8d.
“c. As authorized by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 40, Section 8d, the town has authorized the Select Board to appoint up to seven members; each to a three-year term.”
Article 13 asks the town to adopt a directive considering climate change in all appropriate decisions and planning processes and taking action to prepare for the impacts of a changing climate, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop and implement a comprehensive climate action plan. The goal is to continue Longmeadow’s work to be a Green Community and to create a plan to help Longmeadow prepare to face of threats posed by climate change.
Article 14 seeks to change the Zoning District for 86,400 square feet of land from Residence A-1 District to the Business District. The two parcels sit adjacent to the Longmeadow Shops and would be eligible for development as commercial businesses.
Articles 15 through 19 ask the town to approve amendments to the Home Rule Charter as recommended by the Charter Review Committee in its 2018 report.
Article 15 adds the following language regarding the Select Board’s oversight of the town manager, “Reappointment of the town manager shall be by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Select Board.”
Article 16 adds to the powers and duties of the town manager laid out in the charter. The added sections of text is as follows:
“B. To appoint and remove, subject to the civil service laws where applicable, all department heads, all officers subordinate to the town manager, the assistant assessor, and all subordinates and employees for whom no other method of appointment is. provided in the charter, except appointments made by officers of the commonwealth. Appointments of department heads made by the town manager shall not become effective until presented to the select board for approval and approved. If neither approved nor rejected by the select board by the completion of two successive meetings of the select board, the appointments shall be deemed approved. Appointments of department heads made by the town manager shall not become effective unless approved by the Select Board within fifteen days. All employees of the town other than those who come under the jurisdiction of the school committee and the superintendent of schools as provided by the constitution and general laws of the commonwealth or who are appointed by officers of the commonwealth or who are appointed by the select board, pursuant to Section 3-2(c), are subject to the jurisdiction of the town manager as provided in this section (5-2).
“R. To serve as a public information officer for town departments and agencies in order to maximize distribution of reports and documents utilizing both printed and electronic means, including the town’s website, to keep the community informed of significant town matters. To coordinate a public 7 communication program for town departments and agencies in order to maximize distribution of reports and documents utilizing both printed means and the town web site.
“S. To apply for, accept and expend grant funds to coordinate grant application and oversee adherence to conditions of grants received by the town.
“T. To insure the town maintains emergency preparedness plans and trains facilitates trainings so as to be proficient in the use of such plans.
“W. To consider environmental, sustainability and energy efficiency when managing town programs and resources.”
Article 17 simply changes the word “letter” to “notice” in regard to the town manager notifying the Select Board of the choice for acting town manager in their absence.
Article 18 examines section of the charter concerned with the notice and removal of the town manager. The vote by the Select Board would require “four of its members” instead of the existing “the majority of all of its members.”
Article 19 changes the word “fiscal” to financial” in section 2-10 regarding the finance committee.
The deadline to register to vote in the Special Fall Town Meeting is Oct. 22. Residents can register at the Town Clerk’s Office at 20 Williams St.
For this Special Fall Town Meeting, the garage door bays will be open so residents should be prepared for cooler temperatures and should dress warmly. Masks will be required for all attending.
The Longmeadow Board of Health, with the support of Big Y Pharmacies, will be hosting a COVID-19 and flu vaccination before the start of the Special Fall Town Meeting. Anyone seeking a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, or a flu shot, can receive one at the DPW, 170 Dwight Road from 4 to 7 p.m. Contact the Longmeadow Board of Health at 565-4140 or email health@longmeadow.org to make an appointment.