Belmont Town Meeting members voted Wednesday night to ask the Massachusetts Legislature for permanent permission to hold hybrid town meetings.
According to former Town Moderator Mike Crowley, who presented the motion, Belmont would join Lexington, Concord, and Wayland, which have already made the push.
A hybrid meeting allows members to attend remotely if they can’t attend in person.
Right now, the town holds hybrid meetings under a temporary, COVID-era permission granted by the state. That permission lapses in 2027.
“As long as it is temporary authority, there is a risk that it goes away,” Crowley said.
Discussion on the floor focused on the flexibility granted by the hybrid model. Precinct 7 representative Michael McNamara urged passage, saying the hybrid model allows for people who might be shut out of Town Meeting to participate.
The model is popular: On the first night of Town Meeting, 61% of members attended remotely.
The measure passed 244-6-0.
The next step will be for the Select Board to file the home rule request with the Legislature.
Community Preservation
What is 16 feet tall, aggressive, and living in the wetlands near the old incinerator site off Concord Avenue?
The answer is phragmites, and Town Meeting voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday night to set aside $65,000 to combat the invasion.
The money will come from the Community Preservation Act.
According to Mass Audubon, phragmites is native to Europe and Asia. It grows quickly enough and densely enough to threaten the biodiversity of both plant and animal species in the area.
Conservation Commission member Mark Smith noticed the stand towering over the native cattails last year.
“It is surrounded by highly valuable environmental lands,” he said.
Included in that valuable land are several vernal pools, vital habitat for amphibians, he said.
The reeds are removed by cutting them back, then applying herbicide to the cut stems.
“I am confident we can be successful,” Smith said.
The project was approved 238-6-4.
Town Meeting members also approved $35,000 from the CPA to add benches and a patio around the newly donated flagpole at Brendan Grant Field.
There was no discussion, and the request passed 245-1-4.
Life Saving Service
The town will now offer paramedic training after members voted to appropriate $125,000 for a pilot program.
Emergency medical technicians can provide basic life support, according to Fire Chief David DeStefano. A paramedic is more highly trained and able to administer more sophisticated life-sustaining care in the field.
“It is like the emergency department rolled up to your door,” he said.
Right now, there is a critical shortage of paramedics, according to DeStefano. A recent list of people eligible for hire had just 170 names statewide, he said.
The money will cover the training and overtime needed to cover the shifts missed while the trainee is away.
Most of the concerns from Town Meeting members were about retention.
“What commitment would be required of those who took advantage of this program to stay with the Belmont Fire Department?” asked Precinct 3 member Liz Allison.
According to Select Board Chair Matt Taylor, who presented the article, the question is at the forefront, and details are being discussed with the union.
The pilot program will last two years, at which time it will be assessed, Taylor said.
The vote was 227-7-3.
Town Meeting adjourned at around 10:30 p.m. and will reconvene on Monday, May 18, at 7 p.m.
Beagle Award
Precinct 3 member Vincent Stanton won the second Beagle Award. His name was drawn from a pool of members who kept their comments to under 90 seconds. His prize is preferred parking at the next session.
