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04/09/2020 AC Minutes Mr. Parker explained that the SB and Deborah Brown, Town Moderator, are proposing steps to streamline the town meeting process in anticipation of a virtual Annual Town Meeting (ATM). Because the original motion for Article 16: Appropriate for Public Facilities Capital Projects: a)Police Outdoor/Indoor Firing Range—Hartwell Avenue might have generated controversy, a new motion is being prepared to clarify that the project would not go forward without a State grant. Mr. Levine added that this appropriation is for design funds, and the SB agreed to pursue a business plan with surrounding towns for their use of the facility. It was Mr. Levine's understanding that the business plan would be developed before design funds would be spent. A new vote on the article was not necessary because the change in wording of the motion does not impact the budget. In response to a question about Article 19, Ms. Kosnoff explained that the purpose of using funds from the CSF is to stabilize the tax rate, and the motion is intentionally written to allow flexibility that serves that purpose. Ms. Kosnoff noted that the current proposal to take funds out of the CSF without putting funds into it, results in less such funding for future projects, but staff and the SB felt that current circumstances warranted this approach. There was discussion about parts a), b), c), d) originally included in Article 19, as discussed at this Committee's March 12, 2020 meeting. Because part a)was an appropriation into the CSF, which has now been eliminated, the original parts b), c), and d) are now parts a) appropriate funds from the CSF; b) appropriate funds into the Affordable Housing Stabilization Fund, and c) appropriate funds from the Affordable Housing Stabilization Fund. A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval of the appropriation of$750,000 into the Post-Employment Insurance Liability Fund, which is a reduction of$1.18 million from the original recommendation, as previously supported by this Committee. Mr. Levine questioned the legal obligation to use funds from the tax levy that come indirectly from the Health Claims Trust Fund for this purpose but agreed that there was no controversy in doing so. There was a roll call vote. The motion passed. VOTE: 7-0 A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval of Article 19, parts a) and b) as described above. There was a roll call vote. The motion passed. VOTE: 7-0 A motion was made and seconded to recommend approval of Article 19, part c) as described above. There was a roll call vote. The motion passed. VOTE: 5-2 Consent Agenda for the 2020 Annual Town Meeting Mr. Parker reported that, in preparation for a virtual 2020 ATM, Kelly Axtell, Deputy Town Manager, had issued three draft consent agendas and one list of time sensitive articles, as follows: • Potential consent agenda articles for presentation to the ATM for a single vote of approval. This list includes all parts of Article 19. • Potential consent agenda articles for which the motion would refer them back to the Planning Board, which would postpone them to a future town meeting. • Potential consent agenda articles (mostly citizen petitions)for which the motion would refer them back to the SB, which would postpone them to a future town meeting. • A list of five articles that are time sensitive, to be addressed individually. In the past, an article or part of an article that was not supported unanimously by key committees would not be included on a recommended consent agenda. Discussion about the inclusion of Article 19 Part c) on the consent agenda for the 2020 ATM included the following comments/opinions: 2