2003-11-17-STM-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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November 17, 2003 Special Town Meeting, cont... .... 10:58 p.m. Following a voice vote on Article 2, part"B", the Moderator called for a standing vote, tallied as follows: Precinct Yes No 1 11 7 2 9 6 3 3 17 4 1 13 5 6 11 6 2 13 7 4 11 8 5 12 9 3 15 At Large 4 13 Total 48 118 10:58 p.m. On a vote of 48 in-favor and 118 opposed, the Moderator declared the Motion under Article 2, Section "B" NOT ADOPTED. 11:03 p.m. Deborah Brown, pr.7, served Notice of Reconsideration on Article 2, parts "A" and `B". 11:04 p.m. Andrew Friedlich, pr.5. ARTICLE 4: ZONING BY LAW CD-6 to CRO: 12-18 HARTWELL AVENUE MOTION: That this article be indefinitely postponed. John Farrington, representing owners of 12-18 Hartwell Avenue explained the Article would be resubmitted at the next Annual Town Meeting. 11:04 The Moderator declared the ADOPTED. 11:05 p.m. Daniel Busa, pr.1. ARTICLE 5: SAFE HAVENS MOTION: That, a petition to the General Court, accompanied by a bill for a special law relating to the Town of Lexington to be filed with an attested copy of this motion be, and hereby is, approved under Clause I of Section 8 of Article II, as amended, of the Articles of Amendment to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to the end that legislation be adopted precisely as follows, except for clerical or editorial changes of form only: PETITION FOR A SPECIAL ACT RE: THE SAFE PLACEMENT OF NEWBORNS AND INFANTS IN THE TOWN OF LEXINGTON Whereas,the General Court finds and declares that a serious public emergency exists with respect to the safety and health of newborns and infants in the Town of Lexington due to parents that abandon them;and Whereas,unless parents of newborns or infants are not protected from prosecution for their abandonment of a newborn or infant then the incidents of newborns discarded into trash receptacles or abandoned in public places will continue to occur;and Whereas,the serious public emergency should be met by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts immediately,with due regard for the rights and responsibilities of the Town of Lexington. Therefore this act is declared to be in the public interest. Section 1. Acceptance of Newborns and Infants Placed by Parents or Lawful Agents of Parents with Authorized Employees of Designated Facilities, Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary and in order to promote the public good,the Massachusetts department of social services ("department")shall accept for placement into foster care any newborn or infant child seven(7)days of age or younger("newborn or infant"or"child") that is voluntarily placed with a hospital emergency room licensed under general laws chapter 111, section 51 in the Town of Lexington("designated facility"), or left at a police station in the Town of Lexington, or at a fire station in the Town of Lexington for transport to such hospital emergency room(by activating the EMS system)by a parent of a newborn or infant or by a legal agent of said parent. A voluntary placement under these provisions shall not constitute an automatic termination of parental rights or an abrogation of