Canton’s annual town meeting kicks off Monday, May 13

By Jay Turner

Canton’s annual town meeting gets underway this coming Monday, May 13, and it’s shaping up to be another action-packed affair with $113 million in appropriations on the table and proposals ranging from a new town pool to the elimination of single-use plastic bags at retail.

Town meeting returns Monday in the CHS auditorium. (Jay Turner photo)

With a total of 46 articles on the warrant, this year’s town meeting will likely require at least a few sessions to sort through all business, and in accordance with town bylaws, a lottery system will be used to determine the order that articles are acted upon.

Some of the articles, including all zoning changes as well as the proposed borrowing authorization for the town pool project, will require a two-thirds vote for approval while the remaining measures will require a simple majority.

Key zoning changes this year include articles 33-39, which collectively seek to modernize the regulations for medical facilities, including “substance abuse detoxification or treatment centers,” which previously had not been expressly defined or regulated in the bylaws.

Regarding the Bolivar pool proposal, voters will be asked to sign off on a 20-year debt-exclusion override in order to construct a brand new pool, deck, bathhouse and kids splash pad on the site of the existing pool, which officials have indicated is in serious need of repair. The project would cost the average taxpayer $33 per year and would require subsequent approval in a May 28 special election.

A related proposal, outlined in Article 26, would pave the way for new landscaping at the entrance to the pool and provide the town with access to nearby private land for walking trails. In exchange, the town would grant a right-of-way easement to the owners of Waterfall Hills, an abutting residential property, so they could relocate and improve their entranceway.

Other notable proposals on the warrant include Article 27, which would eliminate single-use plastic check-out bags due to environmental concerns; Article 21, which would authorize a special tax agreement with the owners of the former Reebok headquarters; and Article 24, which would enable selectmen to set reduced speed limits on local (non-state) roads without needing prior state approval.

Town meeting will wrap up with the appropriation of the FY20 operating budget, which the Finance Committee has recommended at $95.9 million — a 4 percent increase over FY19.

The first ATM session will begin at 7 p.m. on Monday in the CHS auditorium and will adjourn around 11 p.m. Deliberations will resume on Wednesday, May 15, with subsequent sessions (if needed) to be held on consecutive Mondays and Wednesdays until all business has concluded.

See page 15 of this week’s Citizen for a closer look at this year’s ATM warrant. Special May Subscription Promo: $25 for 1 year for new in-town subscribers.

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