TOWN OF
Franklin, SS.
To either of the Constables of the Town of
In
the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, you are hereby directed to
notify and warn the inhabitants of said town, qualified to vote in elections
and in town affairs, to meet for the purpose of electing officials, by ballot, the
polls will be opened at twelve o’clock in the afternoon and may be closed
at seven o’clock in the evening at Sawyer Hall in Heath on Friday, the
Ninth day of May, 2008.
SELECTMAN 3 YEARS
MODERATOR 3 YEARS
BOARD OF ASSESSORS MEMBER 3 YEARS
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBER 3 YEARS
FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBER 1 YEAR
PLANNING BOARD MEMBER 5 YEARS
LIBRARY TRUSTEE 3 YEARS
DOG OFFICER 1 YEAR
CONSTABLE 1 YEAR
CONSTABLE 1 YEAR
And you are further directed to notify and warn the
inhabitants qualified to vote in town affairs to meet at the
Article 1: To hear the reports of the Town Officers and to act thereon.
Article 2: To choose all necessary officers not elected by ballot for the ensuing year.
Article 4: To see if the Town will vote to establish, in accordance with the provisions of MGL c. 44, § 53E ½, a revolving fund for the Senior Center to deposit receipts received from donations or generated by Senior Center activities and to use the deposits to pay for costs associated with the normal operations of the Senior Center. Said sum not to exceed $1,000.00 in FY 2009. Said funds to be expended by the Senior Center Coordinator or the Board of Selectmen, or take any action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 5: To see if the Town will vote to establish one revolving fund in accordance with the provisions of MGL c.44, § 53E ½, for the Conservation Commission, Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals to deposit receipts received as application fees for hearings related to conservation commission, planning and zoning issues, and to use the deposited receipts to pay for costs associated with the hearings. Expenditures from the fund will be limited to $1,000.00 during the next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008 and ending June 30, 2009. Said funds to be expended by the Conservation Commission, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, or the Board of Selectmen. The fund is subject to reauthorization at each subsequent annual town meeting with the balance in the account transferring to the general fund revenues if not reauthorized, or take any action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 6: To see if the Town will vote to establish, in accordance with the provisions of MGL c.44, § 53E ½, a revolving fund for the dog officer for the purpose of depositing receipts and fines received in connection with the regulation and control of dogs by the dog officer for the purpose of paying costs and expenses related thereto. Said sum not to exceed $2,000.00 in FY 2009. Said amount to be expended at the direction of the Dog Officer or the Board of Selectmen, or take any action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 8: To see if the Town will vote to
withdraw from the
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 9: To see if the Town
will vote to accept the provisions of G.L. c.140, §147A which provide that
all money received from dog licenses or recovered as fines under any dog bylaw
be paid into the treasury of the Town, and further, to amend the General Bylaws
of the Town: Dog Bylaws, Sections 1(a) and (b), 3(a) and (b), and 4(b), as set
forth below, with bolded and underlined text to be inserted and strike-through
text to be deleted, or take any action related thereto.
Sec. 1. Licensing: The owner or
keeper of a dog kept within the Town of or pursuant to a kennel
license as provided in this Bylaw when the dog attains the age of six (6)
months and annually thereafter.
a. The annual fee for individual licenses shall be set for the following categories:
i. Unspayed females or males not neutered
ii.
Dogs neutered or spayed, males not neutered
b.
The annual kennel licenses fees shall be set for
the following categories:
NOTE: Issuance of a kennel
license does not indicate approval by the Planning Board for operation of a
kennel.
i.
4 dogs or less—Owners of fewer than four
dogs may obtain a kennel license in lieu of licensing those dogs individually.
ii.
5 to 10 dogs
iii.
More than 10 dogs
Section 3: Fee Schedule
a. Licenses
i. $10.00 Unspayed females or males not neutered
ii.
$5.00 Spayed
or neutered dogs, males not neutered
iii.
Kennel Fees:
$10.00 4 dogs or less
$25.00 5 to 10 dogs
$50.00 10 or more dogs
iii. Late license fee $25 per dog
Section 4:Enforcement and Penalties
b. Whoever violates any provision of these Regulations may be penalized by a noncriminal disposition process as provided in G.L.c. 40, s.21D. If noncriminal disposition is elected, then any person who violates any provision of this By-Law shall be subject to a penalty in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each offense. Each day or portion thereof shall constitute a separate offense. If more than one, each condition violated shall constitute a separate offense.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 10: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $250,464.00 for the Elementary School Construction Debt Payment, or take any action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 11: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate a sum of money under the provisions of MGL c.90 to be expended for roadway improvements and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a contract with Massachusetts Highway Department for such purposes, or take any action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 12: To see if the Town will vote to transfer
$50,000.00 from Free Cash to the General Fund to reduce taxes in Fiscal Year 2009,
or take any action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 13: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $711,777.00 to be used for payment of the Mohawk Trail Regional School District Operating Assessment, or take any other action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 15: To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $61,663.00 to be used for payment of the Franklin County Technical School Operating Assessment, or take any other action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 16: To see if the Town will allow the Franklin County Technical School to establish a stabilization fund in accordance with MGL c 71, § 16G1/2, or take any other action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 17: To see if the Town will allow the Franklin County Technical School to transfer funds from the school district’s Capital Assessment Fund to its stabilization fund, in accordance with MGL c 71, §16G1/2, for the purpose of remodeling and making extraordinary repairs to the school district’s facilities and grounds, or take any other action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 18: To see if the Town will vote to approve the appointment by the Board of Assessors of one of its members to a part-time clerk position under its supervision in accordance with MGL c. 268A, § 21A, and to set the salary for that position at $4,992.00 in accordance with the provisions of MGL c. 41, §4A,or take any action related thereto.
Submitted by the
Board of Assessors
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 19: To
see if the Town will vote to approve the appointment by the Board of Health of
one of its members to the position of clerk of the Board of Health under the
supervision of the Board of Health in accordance with the provisions of MGL c.
268A, § 21A, and to set the salary for that position at $3,000.00 in
accordance with the provisions of MGL c. 41, § 4A, or take any action
related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 20: To
see if the Town will vote to amend the Heath Protective Zoning Bylaws, by
adding
section 6.5
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 21: To see if the Town will vote to amend the Heath Protective Zoning Bylaws as follows:
(a) by amending the Use Regulations Schedule, Section 4.2, by adding the words “also known as Manufactured Housing” after the words “Mobile Home” in the Residential Use section;
(b) by amending the Use Regulations Schedule, Section 4.2, by changing the use regulation of Mobile Homes in District A from Y to SP and District B from N to SP;
(c) by amending Definitions, Section 4.4.3, regarding Manufactured Home; and Section 4.10.2 regarding Mobile Homes;
(d) by amending the Camper/Trailer Regulations, Section 4.10.3, by adding “2. Property owners with permanent dwellings or mobile homes are allowed to have a Camper/Trailer on their property for temporary occupancy for no more than two weeks per calendar year and in accordance with the Heath Board of Health Regulations.” Under Section F. District B:.
(e) by amending Definitions, Section 9, regarding
as shown in bold type on the handout provided at the Town Meeting and as on file in substantial form with the Town Clerk, or take any action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 22: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to borrow up to $85,000 for the purchase of a new Highway Department truck, or take any action related thereto.
Recommended by the Finance Committee
Article 23: To see if the Town will vote to accept and approve the petitioned resolution regarding the licensing and decommissioning of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, as written below, or take any action related thereto.
WHEREAS the Town of Heath lies approximately 16 miles southwest of the Entergy Nuclear corporations Vermont Yankee nuclear power rector in Vernon, Vermont;
WHEREAS the residents of Heath and other neighboring towns have an inalienable right to have their voices heard regarding possible threats to the health, safety, and general well-being of themselves, their property, and the surrounding environment arising from the continued operation of the Vermont Yankee reactor; and,
WHEREAS the people of Heath, and people everywhere, want a safe, renewable, and affordable energy supply for themselves and future generations;
THEREFORE, we the citizens of Heath call for:
1. The rejection of Entergy Nuclear’s application to re-license the Vermont Yankee reactor for an additional 20 years beyond the scheduled expiration of its current 40-year license in March of 2012;
2. The decommissioning of the Vermont Yankee reactor on or before its license expiration date in March of 2012, to be followed by immediate efforts to decontaminate the reactor site, employing current workers at full pay and utilizing the safest and most effective technologies available;
3. The development and implementation of strategies for full re-employment of displaced workers after decontamination operations have been completed; and
4. Immediate efforts on the part of individuals, businesses, municipalities, and state governments to replace the electricity now provided by the Vermont Yankee reactor with a combination of energy conservation and efficiency measures and sustainable sources of power that are safe, renewable, and affordable, and that provide safe jobs at livable wages.
We further direct the Heath Town Clerk, upon passage of this resolution, to send copies to Heath’s state representative, state senator, congressional representative, U.S. senators, the governor of Massachusetts, and the Vermont Senate, House of Representatives, and Governor, with an accompanying cover letter stating that this resolution was passed on May 10, 2008, by the residents of Heath at their Annual Town Meeting.
Submitted by Citizen
Petition
Not with the purview
of the Board of Selectmen
Not within the purview of the Finance Committee
Article 24: To see if there is any other business for discussion to come before the Town Meeting, or take any action related thereto.