LONGMEADOW –  The Town of Longmeadow is hosting a Special Town Meeting on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at Longmeadow High School, 95 Grassy Gutter Rd. The Town encourages residents to attend Town Meeting and vote on the 11 Warrant Articles.

Warrant Article One

Warrant article one is in place to see if the Town will vote to transfer $55,920.69 from the Solid Waste/Recycling Enterprise Retained Earnings account for the purpose of paying Bills of Prior Year. The Finance Committee recommends this article.

In the explanation, the warrant explains there was a “timing error” that began at the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 where only 11 monthly payments were made to the Solid Waste/Recycling hauler, leaving an appropriation balance of just over $76,000 that was closed into the Retained Earnings account. Continuing, in FY 2017, 12 monthly payments were made to the hauler covering June 2016 through May 2017. In FY 2018, 13 monthly payments were presented to the Accounting Office that would have covered June 2017 through 2018.

“The appropriation was not ample to cover the 13 monthly payments presented and thus the June 2018 invoice was stopped in order to get the service dates aligned with the proper fiscal year timetable of payments,” the warrant reads.

Warrant article one requires a 9/10ths vote to pass.

Warrant Article Two

Similar to article one, article two is in place to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $435.35 for the purpose of paying Bills of Prior Year. This article is recommended by the Finance Committee.

The warrant explanation shares that through the internal review of a departmental payroll, a minor Fair Labor Standard Act infraction was discovered. It involved the non–payment of wages at the rate of time and one–half to a couple of non–exempt employees of said department. This infraction was rectified for FY 2018, and through advice of labor counsel, it was suggested that the Town audit the last two fiscal years’ departmental payrolls to discover and rectify any of the same issues. From the audit of the FY 2016 and FY 2017 payroll records, there were a few other infractions. The appropriation of funds will allow the Town to rectify the prior year infractions.

Warrant article two requires a 9/10ths vote.

Warrant Article Three

Article three is to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $132,3000 from the FY 2019 Community Preservation Fund revenues for CPA Fund Balance: Reserve for Open Space $44,100; CPA Fund Balance Reserve for community Housing $44,100; and CPA Fund Balance Reserve for Historic Preservation $44,100. Warrant article three is recommended by the Finance Committee.

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) requires Town meeting to appropriate or reserve for future appropriation at least 10 percent of the estimated annual CPA revenue for Open Space, Community Housing and Historic Preservation. Town approval of this article will satisfy the FY 2019 requirement. At the moment, the FY 2019 State matching share is estimated at 11.5 percent of our current year’s estimated revenues; surcharge $370,000 and other miscellaneous revenues $25,000 and State match $46,000.

Warrant Article Four

Warrant article four consists of seemingly complicated verbiage, which ultimately explains that the article is an administrative correction that is required under the amended MGL Chapter 44 Section 20 to bond authorizations made after the November 2016 effective date of the statute.

“It mainly impacts the May 9, 2017 authorizations for the new DPW Facility (Article #10) and the Dwight Road Improvement District (Article #14) and the May 8, 2018 authorization for the new Council on Aging Facility (Article #14),” the warrant reads. “It allows the Town to structure its bids on bonds being sold in such a way to attract competition through the use of premiums and thus lowering the True Interest costs the Town pays on the financing.”

The article continues, stating that it does not increase the amounts authorized to be borrowed. Any premiums received are to be used as part of financing the project and may be used to reduce the amount actually issued by like amounts. Part B of the article allows future borrowings under existing appropriations that have been previously authorized by town meeting to be structured in a similar manner without further town meeting action.
(A1) appropriate $1,345,000 from the premium paid to the Town upon the issuance of the bonds for the Department of Public Works (DPW) facility project issued on Aug. 28 to pay costs of such capital project; (A2) appropriate $110,000 from the premium paid to the Town upon the issuance of the bonds for the Dwight Rd. Improvement District infrastructure project issued on Aug. 28 to pay costs of such capital project and to reduce the amount authorized for such project by the same amount; (A3) transfer any remaining premiums, net of issuance costs, to the Premiums Reserved for Capital Projects account and (B) supplement each prior vote of the Town that authorizes the borrowing of money to pay costs of capital projects to provide that, in accordance with Chapter 44 Section 20 of the General Laws the premium received by the Town upon the sale of any bonds or notes thereunder, less any such premium applied to pay project costs and the amount authorized to be borrowed for each such project will be reduced by the amount of any such premium so applied.

Article four is recommended by the Finance Committee and requires a two thirds vote to pass.

Warrant Article Five

Warrant article five is in place to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from available funds from the General Fund, $50,000 to the Retirement of Long Term Debt and $367,096 to Interest on Long Term Debt. From the Sewer and Enterprise Fund to $55,173 to interest on Long Term Debt, and from the Water Enterprise Fund $67,495 to interest on Long Term Debt. These additional amounts to the FY 2019 operating budget will satisfy the first year’s debt service on the DPW Bond, which was issued on Aug. 28, 2018. This will minimize the impact to the tax rate with the water and sewer rates over the life of the bond. This warrant is recommended by the Finance Committee.

Warrant Article Six

Article five is to see if the Town will vote to transfer from available funds in the Treasury the sums, $250,000 to the Operating Stabilization Fund.

“Per policy of the Select Board, all free cash, which is synonymous with “available funds in the Treasury” amounts in excess of $500,000, once the Town’s fiscal year’s budget is balanced and related financial matters covered, shall be transferred into the Town’s Operational Stabilization Fund,” the warrant explains.

The transfer will help improve future Moody’s credit rating options. The July 1, 2018 balance in the Operational Stabilization Fund was $3.52 million. This warrant article is recommended by the Finance Committee.

Warrant Article Seven

To supplement the FY 2019 budgetary accounts, article seven is being voted on to see if the Town will raise and appropriate $130,000. The article lists Health Insurance–Employee as $75,000 and Liability Insurance as $55,000.

“The FY 2018 Employee Benefits/Liability Insurance function ended up fiscal year 2018 with a $1,870 deficit. This function includes 10 specific accounts. Within the function, the FY 2018 Employee Health Insurance account was $111,021 in the deficit and the Liability Insurance account was $18,218 in deficit,” the warrant explains.

It continues, explaining that the deficits were mainly covered with excess funds in the other accounts within the function. The FY 2019 increase in the Health Insurance budget correlated with the percent increase in premiums, but starting off $111,000 in the red potentially means the town may end up with the same deficit at the end of FY 2019.

“The FY 2019 Liability Insurance account was increased by $35,000. FY 19 premiums for Property/Casualty Insurance, Workers’ Compensation Insurance and Police/Fire Accident Insurance have already been paid in amounts exceeding the FY 2018 premiums by $70,000. Funds within the Employee Benefits/Liability Insurance function can only be used for the function purpose and would revert to the General fund if unexpended at fiscal year-end.” This article is recommended by the Finance Committee.

Warrant Article Eight

Warrant article eight involves the transfer from available funds in the Treasury the sum of $37,000 for the purchase of five in–car video systems for the Police Department. These are dash mounted audio and video recording systems that are intended to provide unbiased accounts of events that occur between the police and the public. Benefits listed regarding this technology include enhancing officer safety, facilitating evidence gathering, gathering of information of suspects, training of new officers, protecting the department from law suits, refuting allegations of officer misconduct, enhancing professionalism and performance and promoting transparency. This article is recommended by the Finance Committee.

Warrant Article Nine

Warrant article nine is in place to see if the town will vote to transfer $40,000 from the Sewer Retained Earnings account to replace two channel grinders at the Emerson Rd. Pump Station. Channel grinders have a four to six year life span. The current set was purchased in 2014 and the teeth are nearly worn out. JWC Environmental is the direct supplier for the core replacements and quoted an estimate of $40,000. Article nine is recommended by the Finance Committee.

Warrant Article 10

Warrant article 10 is to see if the town will vote to transfer $28,800 from the Water Retained Earning account, $28,800 from the Sewer Retained Earnings account and $28,800 from the Capital Stabilization Fund for a total of $86,400 for the purpose of purchasing a Department of Public Works (DPW) replacement skid steer. Currently, the DPW has a 1995 bobcat skid steer loader which experienced a component failure that has made it cost prohibitive to repair.

Warrant article 10 requires a two-thirds vote in the case of transfers from a stabilization fund. This article is recommended by the Finance Committee.

Warrant Article 11

Article 11 is in regard to the prohibition on non–biodegradable single–use plastic bags. The article is to see if the town will vote to amend the General Bylaws of the Town of Longmeadow by adding a new Article 2 Chapter 500 Section 2–516. Currently, more than 80 communities in Massachusetts have implemented similar bans.

While the article is lengthy, in summary it suggests that the purpose of the amendment would show that Longmeadow is combating the devastating long–term environmental effects and a need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Within six months of the bylaw taking effect, no store in Longmeadow would be able to provide a single–use carryout bag to a customer at the point of sale.

The warrant article definition offers several clarifications of the definitions of compostable bags, recyclable paper bags and reusable grocery bags.

As far as penalties and enforcement goes, the Director of the Longmeadow Department of Health or other administrator as assigned by the Town Manager will have the authority to enforce the bylaw. Each store will comply with the bylaw, and if it is determined that a violation has occurred the Director shall issue a warning notice to the Store for the initial violation. The penalty for each violation that occurs after the issuance of the warning notice shall be no more than $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second offense and all subsequent offenses. No more than one penalty is allowed to be imposed upon a store within a seven day period. The store shall have 15 calendar days after the date that a notice of violation is issued to pay the penalty.

All of the requirements set forth in the bylaw would take effect within six months of passage.