ROCKPORT — Registered town voters will head to Rockport High School on Monday to consider 11 items on the Special Town Meeting warrant. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m.
On the warrant are a number of financing items — questions asking to pay last year’s bills, spend Community Preservation Fund money on several projects, and fund the rehabilitation of the South Tower on Thacher Island and repairs at Bradley Wharf and Granite Pier.
Select Board member Laura Evans encourages residents to attend the meeting, especially because of the affordable housing measure found in Article E.
“I think it’s critical for people to come,” Evans said. “Because we’re going to be voting on the (Community Preservation Committee) money for the town’s Affordable Housing Trust. … It’s really critical for us as a town.”
The state’s Chapter 40B law requires that at least 10% of housing stock in every Massachusetts community be affordable to lower and middle-income households. Rockport’s subsidized housing inventory is 3.79%, according to Rockport’s Housing Production Plan, filed earlier this year.
Town Administrator Mitchell Vieira said the primary items on the warrant are seven projects that have been vetted and recommended by the Community Preservation Committee and endorsed by the Select Board.
“The projects cover a variety of areas in affordable housing, historic preservation open space and recreation,” Vieira said. “These are typically the focal point of the fall Town Meeting.”
The doors at Rockport High School open for voter check-in at 4:30 p.m. and the meeting is expected to begin at 5:30 p.m. The meeting, Vieira said, will take place in the school’s auditorium.
The warrant and Voter’s Booklet is available under the Town Meeting tab on the town website, www.rockportma.gov.
“Residents are encouraged to review the materials prior to the meeting if able,” Vieira said.
The warrant articles for Monday’s special Town Meeting are:
A. Pay for bills of previous fiscal years.
B. Raise money to be added to Articles 5, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6, 6A and/or 6B of the April 6, 2024, annual Town Meeting.
C. Receive the annual report and recommendations of the Community Preservation Committee.
D. Deposit money from the Community Preservation Fund for fiscal 2025 for:
Community Housing Reserve Account.Open Space/Recreation Reserve Account.Historic Preservation Reserve Account.
E. Finance these projects from the Community Preservation Fund:
$200,000 to be spent under the direction of the Thacher and Straitsmouth Islands Town Committee working with the Community Preservation Committee for the restoration and rehabilitation of the South Tower on Thacher Island.$376,000 to be spent under the direction of the Department of Public Works and the Community Preservation Committee to conduct repairs and stabilization work at Bradley Wharf.$30,700 to be spent for under the direction of the Select Board and the Rights of Way Committee, along with the Community Preservation Committee, for the completion of trail mapping aimed at enhancing access to open space in town.$140,000 to be spent for the restoration and rehabilitation of the Granite Pier Boat Ramp, seawalls and surrounding areas.$150,000 to be spent for the restoration, rehabilitation and repair of the softball fields at Pingree Park on Story Street and at the school complex on Jerden’s Lane.$36,000 as a grant to the South End Association to be spent for the restoration, rehabilitation and improvement of a portion of Sandpiper Park on South Street.$420,000 to be placed in the Rockport Affordable Housing Trust Fund, to be administered by the Rockport Affordable Housing Trust Board of Trustees to be used for purposes consistent with the Community Preservation Act.
F. Allow town trust funds to be invested in accordance with state law, regarding the “Prudent Investment Rule.” The rule is a legal guideline that requires trustees to invest and manage trust assets in a way that a prudent investor would.
G. Authorize a municipal charges lien on real estate property within the town for certain town charges and fees.
H. Pay for costs associated with the initial year of the collective bargaining agreements between the town of Rockport and the Massachusetts Coalition of Police, Local 154.
I. Pay for capital outlay items for the Water Enterprise.
J. Appropriate for capital outlay items for the Sewer Enterprise.
K. Increase the fee charge for each written demand issued by the Town Collector from $15 to $25 to be added and collected as part of the taxes due.
Stephen Hagan can be reached at 978-675-2708 or at shagan@gloucestertimes.com.