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Politics & Government

Town Meeting Wraps Up -- Until May 9

Monday night had Town Meeting rolling along. Below is a rundown of articles and actions from the seventh night of Lexington's annual Town Meeting.

 

Annual Town Meeting worked through most of its remaining business on Monday, April 23,  before adjourning until Wednesday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. when high interest articles dealing with and the Dana Home hit the floor. 

Here's a look at Monday night's action at :

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Article 4 - Appropriate FY2013 Operating Budget (amendment)
Motion: Line item 2210 (payment on funded debt) reconsidered that $4,367,186 be changed to $4,767,186.
Vote: Passed unanimously.
What it means: $400,000 more will be appropriated into the FY2013 operating budget for payment on funded debt to “ease the taxpayer's debt burden” according to the selectmen.

Article 5: Appropriate FY2013 Enterprise Fund Budgets
Motion: To approve both the Water and Sewer Division for the Department of Public Works budgets for FY2013.
Vote: Passed unanimously.
What it means: Budgets were approved and sums will be paid from water receipts and a combined $500,000 from the Town's retained earnings.

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Article 18 - Appropriate to Post Employment Insurance Liability Fund (amended)
Motion: Instead of the $1 million in the original article that was be used from the general and unreserved fund balances to pay for Lexington's Post Employment Insurance Liability Fund as established by Chapter 317 of the Acts of 2002, Town Meeting amended, at the behest of the Appropriation Committee, to cut the funding in half, down to $500,000.
Vote: Passed.
What it means: Instead of the intended $1 million, $500,000 will be appropriated to Lexington's Post Employment Insurance Liability Fund from the general and unreserved fund balances. The Appropriation Committee cited their reasons to recommend the cut backs were because a $1 million appropriation would hurt Lexington's overall capital infrastructure and the money should be used elsewhere for present and future causes.

Article 21: Establish and Appropriate to Specified Stabilization Funds
Motion: $87,572 be given to the Transportation Demand Management Fund to create the Public Transportation Stabilization Fund.
Vote: Passed unanimously.
What it means: $87,572 will be given to the Transportation Demand Management Fund and used to establish a Public Transportation Stabilization Fund, an effort to support and study public transportation in Lexington.

Article 25: Amend FY2012 Operating and Enterprise Budgets
Motion: Various funds be amended and appropriated for various town expenses: Regional Schools, DPW, Community Development Personal Services and Expenses, Finance Personal Services and MIS Expenses; for the current fiscal year budget as approved in Article 4 last year and amended last November 14 at special Town Meeting. Further, that $92,042 be appropriated from the town's general fund and unreserved fund balance. Extra causes for funds cited at Town Meeting were unforeseen expenses for technology and other repairs for schools and town departments, some due to winter storms.
Vote: Passed unanimously.
What it means: For the current fiscal year, Regional Schools funding will raise from $1,702,930 to $1,781,972 (+$79,042). Public Works Personal Services and the DPW funding will raise from $3,486,798 to $3,378,208 (+$90,590). Community Development Personal Services and Expenses will raise from $971,373 to $964,073 and from $148,822 to $156,122 respectively, (+$7,300). Finance Personal Services and Expenses will raise from $1,148,807 to $1,083,807 and $435,844 to $500,844 respectively, (+$65,000). MIS Expenses will raise from $399,464 to $412,464 (+$13,000). A total of $254,932 increase for this year's budget.

Article 31: Amend General Bylaws – Town Meeting Warrant
Motion: To indefinitely postpone the vote to change how the Lexington public receives Town Meeting information through the mail to combat the slow mailing process until next annual Town Meeting.
Vote: Passed unanimously.
What it means: Article 31 has been tabled until next year's Town Meeting.

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