After a relatively lengthy debate Monday night, Town Meeting voted down a proposal by Select Board Chair Matt Taylor to create parking benefit districts.
The article, which failed 44 to 163 with 19 abstentions, sought permission for the town to redirect revenue from parking into a fund that benefits the commercial parking districts from which the money originates. Taylor estimated the startup cost would be roughly $150,000 to update parking meters that have phone app capabilities.
While many who spoke on the first night of the special Town Meeting this week were receptive to the idea of parking benefit districts, most felt it was premature and wanted more information gathering.
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“Two weeks ago, there was a great deal of concern among the Warrant Committee members with regard to taking anything from the General Fund,” said Precinct 7 Town Meeting member Peg Callanan. “The town budget is lean, and to go into the general fund and take any amount out is just not something we should be considering. There needs to be more discussion, and that hasn’t happened among the business owners and with the Comprehensive Capital Budget Committee.”
Precinct 5 Town Meeting member Julie Crockett questioned the timing of the initiative, given the work underway on the Belmont Center Overlay.
“This is not right for Belmont, at least not right now,” she said.
Other articles discussed on Monday night included a near-unanimous vote to appropriate $135,000 from the Capitalization Stabilization Fund to cover the feasibility study and schematic design costs for a potential roof replacement project at the Chenery Upper Elementary School. Chris Doyle, chair of the Comprehensive Capital Budget Committee, said this project was the final in a three-part series at Chenery. The other projects included replacing the boilers and installing heating, ventilation and air conditioning units.
Town Meeting also voted to appropriate $225,000 in state aid to Belmont Public Schools to purchase an Elementary Literacy Program, and an additional $101,507 to purchase new building and permitting software. The current permitting system, according to Town Administrator Patrice Garvin, “is antiquated.”
“We are lean on the town side,” she said. “We need to look at ways to manage staff time and what they’re spending their time on, and how they prioritize. We need to start using technology to leverage better use of staff time.”
Article 11, then, authorized the transfer of $300,000 to the Override Mitigation Fund, an account established to mitigate the impact of future overrides, according to Select Board Vice Chair Taylor Yates.
A handful of articles on Monday night helped to codify in the town’s bylaws changes that were made in past elections, such as amending Board of Assessor and Treasurer to appointed positions, and bringing the town’s kennel bylaw into compliance with state law.
Town Meeting was adjourned after nearly four hours of debate, with several more articles to be discussed on Wednesday.
