Thank you to the Board of Selectmen for permitting us to post the Annual Town Meeting's Town Warrant on the Wrentham Voter Guide. Formatting on this page is true to the original document.

 

You can see the original Town Warrant *pdf on the Town's website.

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Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting June 3, 2024

Town of Wrentham

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Norfolk

 

To the Constables of the Town of Wrentham in the County of Norfolk;

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Greetings:

You are hereby required in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to notify and warn qualified voters of said Town of Wrentham to assemble at the King Philip Regional High School, 201 Franklin Street, Wrentham, MA at 7:00 PM on Monday, June 3, 2024 then and there to act on the following articles:

 

Article 1:      Annual Report

To see if the Town will consider the reports of the Town Officers or any committee or commission and act thereon, or take any other relative action thereto. (Select Board)

 

Article 2:     Fix Salaries for Elected Officials

To see if the Town will vote to fix the salary and compensation of all elected officials of the Town as provided by MGL c. 41 §108 as amended, or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

 

Article 3:     FY24 Snow & Ice Expenses

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, appropriate by transfer from available funds in the treasury, or appropriate by transfer from funds previously appropriated to other accounts, a sum of money to supplement the current Fiscal Year 2024 operating budgets, or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

 

Article 4:     Prior Year Bills

To see what action the Town will take with regard to unpaid bills outstanding, or overdrafts from prior year(s), to vote to raise and appropriate, to appropriate by transfer from unappropriated available funds in the treasury, or appropriate by transfer from funds previously appropriated to other accounts, a sum of money for the same, or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

 

Article 5:    FY25 Water Enterprise Fund Budget

To see if the Town will vote to raise through Water Enterprise Fund Revenue or transfer from any available source of funds, such sums of money as may be necessary to defray the regular expenses of the Water Enterprise Operating Budget for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2024 (Fiscal Year 2025), or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

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Article 6:     FY25 Operating Budget

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate or transfer from any available source of funds, such sums of money as may be necessary to defray the regular expenses (Operating Budget) and approve the Operating Budget of the Town for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2024 (Fiscal Year 2025), or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

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Article 7:     Capital Budget

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, appropriate by transfer from available funds in the treasury, appropriate by borrowing, or appropriate by transfer from funds previously appropriated to other accounts, a sum of money to fund capital items, or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

 

Article 8:     Water System Improvements

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, appropriate by transfer from available funds in the treasury, appropriate by borrowing, or appropriate by transfer from funds previously appropriated to other accounts, a sum of money to fund water system improvements, or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

 

Article 9:     Stabilization Funds

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, appropriate by transfer from available funds in the treasury, or appropriate by transfer from funds previously appropriated to other accounts, a sum or sums of money to one or more of the Town’s Stabilization Funds, or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

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Article 10:    Other Post-Employment Benefits

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, or transfer from available funds or appropriate by transfer from other accounts, a sum of money to the Town’s “Other Post- Employment Benefits (OPEB)” Trust Fund established by Town Meeting June 2012, or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

 

Article 11:    Establishment of Animal Control Revolving Account

To see if the Town will vote to amend Chapter 18-7, paragraph E of the authorized Revolving Funds, of the Wrentham Town Code by adding one revolving fund to the table as follows:

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or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

 

Article 12:    Revolving Fund Expenditures

To see if the Town will vote to authorize the total expenditures for the following revolving funds pursuant to MGL c. 44, §53E ½ for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024 to be expended in accordance with bylaws heretofore approved:

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or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

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Article 13:    Collective Bargaining

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, to appropriate by transfer from available funds in the treasury or appropriate by transfer from funds previously appropriated to other accounts, a sum of money to fund the Wrentham Clerical Union Contract, or take any other action relative thereto. (Finance Committee)

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Article 14:    Community Preservation Act

(more details are available on the Community Preservation page)

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate or reserve from the Community Preservation Fund annual revenues in the amounts recommended by the Community Preservation Committee for committee administrative expenses, community preservation projects and other expenses in Fiscal Year 2025:

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Appropriations:

From FY2025 estimated revenues for committee administrative expenses: $16,000 From FY2025 estimated revenues for bond payments: $49,400

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Reserves:

From FY2025 estimated revenues for Historic Preservation Reserve: $40,800

From FY2025 estimated revenues for Community Housing Reserve: $40,800 From FY2025 estimated revenues for Open Space Reserve: $40,800

From FY2025 estimated revenues for Budgeted Reserve: $220,200

or take any other action relative thereto. (Community Preservation Committee)

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Article 15:    Delaney Elementary Playground Construction

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $190,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance of the Community Preservation Fund, for the purpose of funding the Delaney Elementary Playground Construction. Funds appropriated must be used by June 30, 2026 or will be returned to their source, and no longer be available for expenditure on this project, or take any other action relative thereto. (Community Preservation Committee)

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Article 16:     ADA Compliant Automatic Doors

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $80,000 from the Community Housing Reserve account, for the purpose of installing ADA compliant automatic door openers at Bennett Gardens. Funds appropriated must be used by June 30, 2026 or will be returned to their source, and no longer be available for expenditure on this project, or take any other action relative thereto. (Community Preservation Committee)

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Article 17:      Metacomet Greenway Engineering Design Study

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $200,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance of the Community Preservation Fund, for the purpose of funding the Metacomet Greenway Engineering Design Study. Funds appropriated must be used by June 30, 2026 or will be returned to their source, and no longer be available for expenditure on this project, or take any other action relative thereto. (Community Preservation Committee)

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Article 18:     Senior Living Communities

To see if the Town will vote to amend Chapter 390-13.5 “Senior living communities” of the Wrentham Town Code, as follows (new language underlined, deletions  ̶s̶t̶r̶i̶k̶e̶t̶h̶r̶o̶u̶g̶h̶):

 

§390-13.5(A) Purpose

(3) To provide for a type of housing development that reduces the demands on municipal services by encouraging  ̶m̶a̶x̶i̶m̶i̶z̶i̶n̶g̶ energy efficiency, renewable energy opportunities, and cluster design;

 

§390-13.5(B) Applicability

(1)(a) Minimum tract size: a tract of land consisting of not less than 20 acres ̶.̶ , of which at least 75% is not jurisdictional wetlands.

(1)(c) Adequate P ̶p̶ublic water available at the street frontage;

 

§390-13.5(D) Basic requirements

 

(3) add the following sentence to the end of the paragraph:

The first 15’ of all setbacks shall be preserved as natural vegetation or professionally landscaped trees/plantings.

 

(8) add subsection (f) to read as follows:

Amenity structure parking shall meet the on-site parking requirements of Section 6.4.

 

(9)(a): The minimum width of paved roadways shall be  ̶2̶2̶  24 feet.

 

(9)(b): add the following sentence:

The sidewalk shall be built in accordance with the Subdivision Rules & Regulations, as amended.

 

(11) An SLC shall have an amenity structure design to allow for a variety of year-round passive and active recreational activities, indoors and outdoors, that support the residents of the SLC. Such uses that may be considered are community programming spaces, fitness/therapeutic spaces, educational, recreational, and accessory spaces; areas for neighborhood meetings and event space and any other amenities and opportunities that are intended to create and promote an integrated neighborhood-type environment as determined by the Planning Board.

 

§390-13.5(E) Affordable housing.

(3) The selection of qualified purchasers or qualified renters shall be carried out under a marketing plan approved by the Planning Board and shall comply with the Executive

Office of Housing and Livable Communities’ (EOHLC)  ̶D̶H̶C̶D̶’̶s̶  Local Initiative Program guidelines.

 

(8)(d) An equivalent fee in lieu of units may be made. The Planning Board may allow a developer of nonrental dwelling units to make a cash payment to the Town through its Affordable Housing Trust, or similar entity for each AHU required herein. The cash payment per unit shall be in accordance with the following formula: two times an amount equal to 80% of area median income as determined annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

 

§390-13.5(H) Development standards.

(8) Walking trails shall be accessible to all abilities and installed throughout the project to the extent feasible. The preference is to have these trails first located around the perimeter and then throughout the site.

 

or to take any action relative thereto. (Planning Board)

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Article 19:     Tree Mitigation Funds

To see if the Town will vote to appropriate by transfer from Free Cash the sum of

$15,939 for tree planting to be overseen by the Town’s Tree Warden, or take any other action relative thereto. (Planning Board)

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Article 20:     Adjusted Asset Limit for Clause 17D

(more detail about Articles 20, 21, 22 on the BOA Articles page)

To see if the Town will vote to accept General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 17E, which authorizes an annual increase in the asset (whole estate) limit for exemptions granted to senior citizens, surviving spouses and surviving minors under General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Class 17D, by the percentage increase in the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for the previous year as determined by the Commissioner of Revenue, to be effective for exemptions granted for any fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2024, or to take any action relative thereto. (Board of Assessors)

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Article 21:     Adjusted Income and Asset Limits for Clause 41C 

To see if the Town will vote to accept General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 41D, which authorizes an annual increase in the income (gross receipts) and asset (whole estate) limits for exemptions granted to senior citizens under General Laws Chapter 59, Section 5, Clause 41C, by the percentage increase in the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for the previous year as determined by the Commissioner of Revenue, to be effective for exemptions granted for any fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2024, or to take any action relative thereto. (Board of Assessors)

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Article 22:     Senior Tax Work-off Program (Angel Provision)

To see if the Town will vote to adjust the exemption provided for under Chapter 59, Section 5K, by allowing an approved representative, for persons unable, to provide such services to the Town, or to take any action relative thereto. (Board of Assessors)

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Article 23:     Citizen’s Petition

To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to file a Home Rule Petition with the Great and General Court amending Chapter 116 of the Acts of 2014, by deleting current section (a) “there shall be a town moderator elected for a term of 1 year” and replacing with (a) “there shall be a town moderator elected for a term of 3 years.” or to take any action relative thereto. (Citizens Petition)