Town Meeting is the legislative body of the town, acting much like our legislative counterparts at the state and federal level to fund a budget and establish bylaws.
– Peter Cooper, Jr., Charlton Town Moderator
Article 1. Election
PASSED – ON MAY 2ND, 2015 PURSUANT TO TOWN ELECTIONS
Article 2. Town Reports
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 3. Litigation
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 4. Bylaw – Sale of Surplus Property
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 5. Inter/Intra Departmental Transfer for Fiscal Year 2015
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 6. Town Budget
AMENDMENT 1 – Take $11,432 from EBC Director, leaving balance of $1, and have funds be added to Director of Planning
AMENDMENT 1 PASSED – 77 FAVOR, 43 OPPOSED
AMENDMENT 2 – Take $9,937 from Zoning Enforcement Officer, leaving balance of $1, and have funds be added to the Building Commissioner
AMENDMENT 2 FAILED – VOICE VOTE TAKEN
ARTICLE 6 – MOTION PASSES WITH 2/3rds MAJORITY
Article 7. Water Department Budget (Enterprise Fund)
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 8. Sewer Department Budget (Enterprise Fund)
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 9. Transfer of Funds to and from Stabilization Fund Account
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 10. Capital Items and Related Contracts
AMENDMENT 1 – Remove $10,000 to come from Stabilization for Fay Mountain Farm
AMENDMENT 1 FAILED – RESCINDED
ARTICLE 10 – MOTION PASSES – Unanimously
Article 11. Cemetery Perpetual Care
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 12. Reauthorization of Revolving Funds
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 13. Classification Plan Update
MOTION – To postpone Article 13 indefinitely
MOTION FAILS – VOICE VOTE TAKEN
ARTICLE 13 – MOTION PASSES WITH MAJORITY VOTE
Article 14. Personnel Bylaw Amendment – Definitions –
“Work Week: four or five “work days” totaling not more than 40 hours, as determined by the Board of Selectmen for a particular positions
Work Day: For purposes of calculating holiday pay and personnel leave, a work day shall be the weekly number of hours an employee in a particular position is required to work on a regular basis per her or his job description, divided by the number of days in a regular work week for such position, all as determined by the Board of Selectmen.”
PASSES – Unanimously
Article 15. Government Study Committee
AMENDMENT 1 – No member of the committee may be a current member of the Board of Selectpersons members or the Town Administrator (d)
AMENDMENT 1 PASSED – Unanimously
AMENDMENT 2 – Change appointments by committees to direct elections of members
AMENDMENT 2 FAILED – NO SECOND
AMENDMENT 3 – All such members shall be residents of the Town of Charlton (e)
AMENDMENT 3 CHANGE – Change “residents” to “registered voters”
AMENDMENT 3 CHANGE PASSED – Unanimously
AMENDMENT 3 PASSED – Unanimously
ARTICLE 15 – MOTION PASSES BY MAJORITY VOTE
Article 16. Zoning Bylaw – Large-Scale Ground-Mounted
“Any landscaping plan for a proposed Large-Scale Ground-Mounted Solar Photovoltaic Installation shall include details showing that such installation would be adequately shielded from any neighboring residence, roadway and abutting land uses.”
ARTICLE 16 – MOTION FAILS – 56 FAVOR, 49 OPPOSED – 2/3RDS MAJORITY NOT MET
Article 17. Citizen Petition
“To see if the Town will vote to amend its zoning by-laws by adding the following provisions to the definition of an “Accessory Building” in Section 2.1:
Provided however, that in the Agricultural zoning district on lots not less than eight (8) acres located within 500 feet of an interstate railroad, the definition of an Accessory Building shall include a building for garaging a commercial motor vehicle by the person who owns and resides on the property, provided further, that any such accessory building shall be set back not less than 100 feet from any street or other abutting property other than such railroad.”
MOTION – To postpone Article 17 indefinitely
MOTION PASSES – Unanimously
ARTICLE 17 POSTPONED
Article 18. Citizen Petition
“To amend the 3.2.2.4 recreational uses bylaw in an agricultural zone to exclude the use for motorsports training and racing of all motorized vehicles such as motorcycles, automobiles, snowmobiles, snowmobiles, ATV’s, and all other off-road vehicles with motors and engines.”
MOTION – To postpone Article 18 indefinitely
MOTION PASSES – Unanimously
ARTICLE 18 POSTPONED
Article 19. Citizen Petition
“To establish standards of noise control for off-road vehicles within the municipality of Charlton, Massachusetts to minimize the impact of noise from the operation of such vehicles on residents of the municipality and the environment.”
MOTION – To postpone Article 19 indefinitely
MOTION PASSES – Unanimously
ARTICLE 19 POSTPONED
MEETING ADJOURNS AT 10:30 PM
Jordan Willow Evans 