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Date: 4/28/2021
WILBRAHAM – The town of Wilbraham will host its Annual Town Meeting on May 10 in the Minnechaug Regional High School Auditorium at 7 p.m. The warrant has 41 articles for residents to consider and vote upon. While several are routine consent agenda formalities, many articles weigh finances against services and a few are bylaw amendments.
Finance Articles
Article 6 is a vote on the town’s FY2022 operating budget of $45.9 million, roughly $3.5 million over what was spent in FY2021. The budget will be attached to the warrant as usual for review.
Article 13 rescinds the borrowing of $300,000 for a fire truck ladder that was approved at a previous town meeting. No extra cash would come back to the town, however, Wilbraham would not borrow the money, and the action “improves our financial position in the eyes of the rating agencies,” which gives the town greater borrowing ability in the future.
Article 19 would fund the Fiscal Year 2022 Reserve Fund, which exists to meet “unforeseen and extraordinary” costs that arise during the year. The Finance Committee must approve transfers from the Reserve Fund. Likewise, Article 22 would add to the stabilization fund and capital stabilization fund, essentially municipal savings accounts. The money for both of these articles would be sourced from a mixture of free cash, existing funds and raised through taxes.
Article 21 funds Other Post-Employment Benefits Liability Trust Fund (OPEB). This fund pays for healthcare and any other expenses that the town is contractually obligated to provide after retirement. While $27,578 would come from a combination of water, sewer, solid waste and ambulance receipts, $500,000 would be raised and appropriated for this article.
Capital Projects
Article 14 asks voters to pay for capital projects from the town’s “free cash” account, which contains any money left over at the end of each fiscal year. The total cost of the projects is $894,100. The warrant states that the use of free cash for these expenditures would save the town an estimated $214,344 in interest associated with a bond.
The Department of Public Works (DPW)/Highway Department is seeking to spend $15,000 of free cash on a pickup truck and $50,000 on a service truck with a lift gate. The town would use $33,000 from enterprise funds to pay for the rest of this expenditure and will be voted on in Articles 23, 24, and 25. The DPW is also asking for a $90,000 truck to replace an existing one at the end of its life. A separate expense of $150,000 is requested for sidewalks and guardrails.
The Recreation Department is requesting a total of $50,600 for the purchase of an aerator, vehicle life, roller and a vehicle tamper.
The Facility Maintenance Department put in for $45,000 to buy a new boiler for the Wilbraham Public Library, a condenser system tank at Memorial School for $33,000 and $100,000 in general repairs.
The IT Department is seeking $92,000 for Network Core Modernization Equipment while replacing asbestos tiles at Wilbraham Middle School with a vinyl composite tile would cost $100,000.
The Fire Department has submitted grants for a new fire truck and additional hose equipment. If the grants are awarded, the town’s portion of the cost would be $35,000 and $10,000, respectively. The capital funds are contingent upon receipt of the grants. Also on the fire department’s list of expenditures is a new command vehicle for $50,000, hydrant gates and two thermal cameras.
Finally, the Assessor’s Office has $65,000 in consulting fees and the Department of Weight and Measures has asked for $1,000 for gas proofers.
Article 20 would require $150,000 in a mix of free cash, money from the Stabilization Fund and funds raised and appropriated to repave, resurface and seal Wilbraham’s streets.
Bylaw Amendments
Article 26 adds a definition of and zoning restrictions for nanobreweries. As defined, the businesses sell 6,000 barrels annually or less of specialty beer malt liquor or ale. In addition to the zones that microbreweries can operate within, nanobreweries would be allowed in neighborhood office zones and neighborhood shopping zones.
Article 27 changes the weight limit on pickup trucks, vans, light panel trucks and sport utility vehicles that can be parked or stored in residential areas. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) would be increased from 10,500 pounds to 11,500 pounds.
Article 28 would change the Large-Scale Ground-Mounted Solar zoning bylaw. Many of the alterations are language changes in the interest of clarity. Other changes increase the responsibility of the business owner/operator to abide by the town’s stormwater regulations.
The majority of the changes, however, focus on the visual and environmental impacts of solar field projects by adding additional setbacks, fencing and vegetative screening, minimization of glare, and attention to preserving wetlands, steep slopes and hilltops, visual amenities and scenic views, tree, vegetation, and soil. Options for enforcement of regulations by the town have also been clarified.
Article 30 allows a PILOT (pay-in-lieu-of-taxes) agreement for the solar project to be developed at 126V Beebe Rd. PILOT agreements stabilize the amount of revenue the town receives over the life of the project, rather than experience the fluctuations inherent in tax revenue.
Article 39 changes language in the Comprehensive Stormwater Bylaw to comply with federal and state mandates to regulate stormwater and other illicit water discharges. The new language lays out the DPW’s ability to enforce the law through criminal or civil penalties, as well as “non-criminal disposition.”
Community Preservation Items
Articles 31 through 35 are requests for projects funded through various community preservation accounts. Article 31 appropriates $15,000 for Community Preservation Commission administrative and operating costs from the Undesignated Fund.
Article 32 would preserve town records with $5,145 from the Historic Fund.
Article 33 requests $300,000 from the Budgeted Reserve Fund to develop and implement a Master Plan for a Recreational Complex focused at 540 Stony Hill Rd. It would also include funding for the construction of pickleball courts, outdoor synthetic year-round ice skating rink, dog park and bike paths. The estimated total project cost is $525,000, of which the Wilbraham Parks & Recreation Department has committed $225,000 from grants and gifts.
Article 34 would use $17,563 from the Budgeted Reserve Fund to build a split-rail fence between Stony Hill Road and the town-owned Country Club of Wilbraham Golf Course.
Also at the golf course, Article 35 would construct an asphalt cart path between holes 1 and 9 with $31,500 from the Budgeted Reserve Fund. The warrant states that the path can be used during winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The Country Club has committed to contributing $3,500 and would be responsible for ongoing maintenance.
The last two articles were placed on the warrant with a split vote by the Board of Selectmen with Robert Russell and Carolyn Brennan voting “Yes” and Robert Boilard voting “No.”
Article 40 would adopt a local meals excise tax at the rate of 0.75 percent, raising the tax of restaurant meals from 6.25 percent to 7 percent. The Finance Committee was also split on their approval of this article. The funds collected will be distributed back to the town from the state quarterly.
Article 41 calls for the adoption of non-partisan elections for town officials. The change would require the town to petition the state for a special Home Rule legislation eliminating a primary or caucus for the nomination of town officers. Party designations would also be absent from town office candidates on election ballots at regular or special town elections.
The full warrant can be found at wilbraham-ma.gov.