Results of Special Town Meeting

October 29, 2001


Worcester, ss.

To any Constable of the Town of Lancaster in the County of Worcester,

GREETINGS:

In the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby directed to notify and warn the inhabitants of the Town of Lancaster qualified to vote in the elections and Town affairs, to meet in the Banquet Hall of the Chan Shun Dining Commons of Atlantic Union College, 53 Prescott Street, in said Lancaster on Monday, the twenty-ninth day of October, at 7:00 o'clock in the evening, then and there to act on the following Articles:

Town Meeting approved motion to allow moderator to declare two-thirds majority by sight on issues requiring such votes; any objection from the floor would require hand counts of the individual votes.

ARTICLE 1
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to amend the vote taken under Article 11 of the May 7, 2001 Annual Town Meeting as follows:  To take $12,000 from available free cash to be expended by the 350th Anniversary Committee for 350th Anniversary Celebration related expenses; further, that $4,700 be taken from available free cash to be expended by the Lancaster Cultural Council for 350th Anniversary Celebration activities as allowed under the Local Cultural Council Matching Incentive Program Grant guidelines and in agreement with the 350th Anniversary Committee, or act in any manner relating thereto. Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed

ARTICLE 2
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to take $21.40 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Police Department to pay an FY2001 outstanding bill to Clinton Hospital for services rendered, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 3
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to take $86.04 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Fire Department to pay an FY2001 outstanding bill to Schofield Power Equipment for services rendered, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 4
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to take $78.83 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Community Development & Planning Department to pay an FY2001 outstanding bill to VoiceCom for services rendered, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 5
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to take $3,500 from the Stabilization Fund to compensate the Electrical Inspector ($3,000) and Assistant Electrical Inspector ($500) for FY2001 unpaid wages, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 6
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to amend the Personnel Compensation Wage and Salary Scale by increasing all amounts by 3½% effective July 1, 2001, a copy of said Wage Scale on file in the Town Clerk’s Office, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 7
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to raise $40,000 and take $87,622 from Stabilization Fund to supplement various FY2002 Wage Budget line items for the purpose of funding non-unit wage increases, or act in any manner relating thereto.  The Finance Committee will make a recommendation from the floor.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 8
Board of Selectmen
Board of Public Works

 To see if the Town will vote to amend the FY2002 Water Enterprise Fund Budget, as adopted under Article 7 of the May 7, 2001 Annual Town Meeting, for the purpose of funding FY2002 non-unit wage increases, or act in any manner relating thereto.  The Finance Committee will make a recommendation from the floor. (various line item changes)
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 9
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to take $35,453 from the Stabilization Fund to supplement several FY2002 Expense Budget line items, or act in any manner relating thereto.  The Finance Committee will make a recommendation from the floor.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 10
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to take $3,000 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Town Accountant to purchase computer system hardware, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 11
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to take $29,875 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Police Department to purchase a new police cruiser, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 12
Board of Selectmen

To see if the Town will vote to take $16,000 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Fire Department to purchase new radio equipment, or act in any manner relating thereto.  The Finance Committee will make a recommendation from the floor.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 13
Board of Selectmen

To see if the Town will vote to take $15,000 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Board of Selectmen to repair and/or replace school zone flashing safety beacons, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed

ARTICLE 14
Board of Public Works

To see if the Town will vote to take $9,000 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Board of Public Works to purchase a new hydraulic sander and appurtenances, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 15
Board of Public Works

To see if the Town will vote to take $10,000 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Board of Public Works to make repairs to department buildings, or act in any manner relating thereto. Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 16
Board of Public Works

To see if the Town will vote to take $8,500 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Board of Public Works to conduct environmental compliance audits of department facilities, or act in any manner relating thereto.  The Finance Committee will make a recommendation from the floor.
Passed (declared two-thirds)

ARTICLE 17
Board of Public Works

To see if the Town will vote to take $5,000 from the Stabilization Fund to be expended by the Board of Public Works to contract with private tree services for the removal of dead and hazardous trees along public ways and for associated expenses, or act in any manner relating thereto.  Recommended by the Finance Committee.
Passed unanimously

ARTICLE 18
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to rescind the votes taken under Article 23 of the May 19, 1997 Annual Town Meeting and Article 16 of the May 7, 2001 Annual Town Meetings and to adopt the following general bylaw in place thereof, or act in any manner relating thereto:

Numbering of Buildings

1. Street numbers shall be attached to each residential dwelling, business, industry, and all other buildings in the Town of Lancaster, Massachusetts.

2. The number shall be made of permanent, weather-proof materials, shall be not less than four (4”) inches and not more than six (6”) inches in height and in contrasting color to the building surface, and shall be clearly visible from the street or roadway upon which the structure fronts.

3. Any structure that is not visible from the street or roadway shall have the assigned number posted on a suitable support or mailbox located on the same side of the property it is addresses at the primary entrance to the driveway that serves such structure.  Mailboxes must have the house number posted on both sides.

4. The Building Inspector is authorized to assign, correct and verify address numbers.

5. It shall be the responsibility of the property owner to obtain, display, and maintain the assigned street number within ninety (90) days of passage by this by-law.

6. The fine for any violation of this bylaw will be $50.00 per violation.  Each day that a violation exists shall constitute a separate and continuing violation subject to the penalty as provided herein.

7. This bylaw shall be enforceable by the building inspector, the building inspector’s designee(s), and the police department of the Town of Lancaster.
Motion to table until brought before the Plannning Board passed after considerable discussion.

ARTICLE 19
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to adopt the following general bylaw, or act in any manner relating thereto:

Construction Working Hours

1. All work including, but no limited to, construction, remodeling, yard work with machinery, street work and utility work shall be subject to the following hours:

Monday – Friday:  7:00 a.m. - Dusk
Saturday:      8:00 a.m. - Dusk
Sunday:      9:00 a.m. - Dusk

2. All emergency work for streets, utilities and snow removal shall be exempt from this provision.

3. The fine for any violation of this bylaw will be $50.00 per violation.  Each day that a violation exists shall constitute a separate and continuing violation subject to the penalty as provided herein.

4. This bylaw shall be enforceable by the building inspector, the building inspector’s designee(s), and the police department of the Town of Lancaster
Motion defeated.

ARTICLE 20
Board of Selectmen

To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to grant a release deed for nominal consideration to the A.C.M.C. Limited Partnership – No. 1 for that portion of the Duval Road being shown on a plan prepared by Whitman & Bingham Associates, Inc. dated August 30, 1999 and recorded with Worcester District Registry of Deeds in Plan Book 746, Plan 34 and filed with the Town Clerk described and bounded as follows:  Northerly by land of A.C.M.C. Limited Partnership No. 1 464.70 feet more or less; thence Easterly by land of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 60 feet, more or less; thence Southerly by land of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 460.25 feet, more or less; thence Westerly by the terminus of the previously discontinued portion of Duval Road 60 feet more or less to the point of beginning; and, further, to see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire by gift and to accept a turnaround easement for vehicular traffic over land owned by A.C.M.C. Limited Partnership No. 1 and shown on the above referenced plan upon such terms and conditions as the Board shall determine appropriate, for the purpose of a public way, or act in any manner relating thereto.
Passed; declared two-thirds

ARTICLE 21
Board of Selectmen

 To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to execute a boundary line agreement with The First Church of Christ for the purpose of establishing the common boundary line between the Town and The First Church of Christ and to release any interest the Town may have in land owned by The First Church of Christ and to accept any interest in land The First Church of Christ may have in land owned by the Town, on such terms and conditions as the Selectmen shall determine, and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to acquire such property for general municipal purposes, and endorse the boundary line in the handout {at the meeting (with boundary indicated being the Town Geen side of the driveway in front of the Bulfinch Church around behind the Horse Sheds)}.or act in any manner relating thereto.
Passed; declared two-thirds

 And you are directed to serve this Warrant by posting up attested copies thereof at the South Lancaster Post Office, the Center Post Office, the Fifth Meeting House and the Town Hall, in said Town fourteen days at least before the time for holding said meeting.  Hereof fail not and make due return of the Warrant with your doings thereon to the Town Clerk at the time and place of meeting aforesaid.

SELECTMEN OF LANCASTER

James J. Ford, Jr., Chairman
Alexandra W. Turner, Clerk
Steven A. Hilliger, Member