Heat. Hey, Heat. order. I am informed by the town clerk that a quorum is present. So, if each town meeting member will take his or her seat, uh we will uh begin the continuation of this special town meeting.
Before we begin, uh we are >> Before we begin, we are very honored to have a number of visiting dignitaries from overseas and I wish to introduce
them and they are at the front of the hall. Anatoli Siva who's chairman committee on local self-government state of Duma of the Russian Federation Sergey Aovvalof chairman committee on the federation and regional policy state of Duma of the
Russian Federation Alexander Kotenkov deputy minister for nationalities and regional policy government of the Russian Federation Anatoli Slatikov from the city of Aishvsk and head of administration and
mayor of the city of Aishvk. And the moderator recognizes uh Selectman Mcketric Kathy Duny, chair of the order of selectment, >> Russia. And uh we hope they enjoy seeing a town meeting which is truly the truest
form of democracy. And so we welcome you to the history of Milton. And from our uh own Milton High School, we have um caps from the high school.
We >> if I might Mr. moderate it. We what we have distributed is copies of uh excerpts from Hamilton's history of the town of Milton giving the history of the Milton town meeting and also a book on the suffk resolves which of course was signed in Milton
and we feel that it is very fitting that uh the delegation would come to Milton because this town meeting is really a spin-off of the oldest town meeting in America that was established in the town of Dorchester in 1633. And we were of course part of Dorchester
at that time. So we are in fact an extension of the oldest town meeting in the country. And so they are here tonight to see how we do it. So we wish to welcome them. >> Thank you very much. Thank you. We were on article 18, which is to see
what sum of money the town will vote to appropriate transfer from available funds or otherwise provide to supplement the appropriation for the 12-month period beginning July 1, 1994 for health and sanitation for animal inspections under article 30 of the 1994 annual town
meeting and to act on anything relating there too. The recommendation of the warrant committee is that the sum of $1,400 be appropriated for the purposes set forth in this article. Does any member wish to speak on this? If not, all those in favor of the recommendation of the warrant committee say I. I
>> those opposed unanimously carried. Uh at this time the moderator recognizes Ann Coglin the chairperson of the library study committee for the purposes of making a motion. Uh an Cogland town meeting member uh
precinct 7. The library study committee moves to consider article 20 before article 29. >> 19 >> I mean sorry 19. >> It's been moved in sec it's been moved and seconded to change the articles the
in terms of when they'll be considered to move article 20 before article 19 and the moderator recognizes an Coglin to speak to the motion. Uh we do this because it will make the presentation of background information we think more
logical. We also believe that it will help in dealing with the many questions that we know will be asked concerning the library project and both articles. >> Does anyone else wish to speak to the
motion? If not, all those in favor of the motion say I. >> Those opposed. The motion is carried. We will now consider article 20. Article 20 is to see what sum of money the town will vote to appropriate to finish preliminary designs and to prepare a
site plan for a new Milton Public Library, to authorize the library trustees to accept gifts and to apply for and use federal and state funds. and in connection with the planning and designing described above to authorize the library study committee appointed
pursuant to the vote under article 25 of the 1993 annual town meeting to employ the services of an architect to prepare working drawings and specifications to employ the services of such other professional consultants as the committee shall deem advisable and to
report to the selectman no later than December 1, 1994, all in the name and behalf of the town and to act on anything relating there too. And the recommendation of the warrant committee is that the sum of $30,000 be appropriated for the purposes set forth
in this article. The moderator recognizes the chair of the warrant committee, Mary Fitzgerald. Under this article, the library study committee is requesting the $30,000 and it will include some of the items that you you see in your warrant. I'd like to
make a minor correction under the comment third line down. These plans would include a design for the interior of the building, not the exterior. Basically, the total cost of the project is $50,000.
The library trustees donated $10,000 last year for the use of the committee. They have again donated $10,000 this year. and warrant committee recommends the $30,000 to go with it. We
feel that the library study committee has demonstrated the need for a new library. The moderator recognizes Anne Coglin, chairperson of the library study committee. >> Before I make my remarks, I would like to introduce the members of the
committee. Paul Buchanan, Marjgerie Jeff, Philip Murphy, Russell Tmaine, and exeicio on this committee, Glenn Kaufman, who is the director of libraries.
I would like to do three things in my remarks. I would like to give you some background on what the committee has done since July of 1993. I'd like to then talk about the cost of completing the work of this study
committee and then lastly under article 20 talk about the needs for the library. The library building study committee was established under article 25 of the annual town meeting of 1993
to study space and physical plant needs of the library. At that time, no appropriation was made for the work of this committee. At the 1994 annual town meeting, we
requested an appropriation to hire a consultant to prepare preliminary drawings and a site plan. No appropriation was possible last March because of the budget constraints. As Mary has already indicated, the
library trustees gave us a grant of $10,000. With this money, we first went through the request for proposal that RFP process during February, March, and
April of this year. And second, we hired the architectural firm of Fineold Alexander Associates. With these limited funds and with our architects, we have number one
confirmed and refined the extensive needs assessment and building program prepared by Glenn Kaufman and his staff. Incidentally, from this we were able to
determine the size requirement of the building. If it is a new building, we would need 36,000 gross square feet. If it were to be renovation addition,
it would be 39,000 gross square feet. And I'd like you to remember that the cost of the building is dependent upon the gross square feet.
We had the architects also investigate three sites of our choosing and I will deal with these details in article 19. Let me go on to the cost of completing
the work of this study committee. The costs are based upon figures supplied by fineold Alexander Associates and the final product will be the preliminary plans.
The steps that we must take are first to designate a site for the architect and then the architect will do those preliminary plans. Now the preliminary plans consist of the following.
The building with the layout of all rooms as has been indicated. Parking and then the total cost. Now the factors in the total cost are as follows. There will be the building cost
which I've already indicated is directly related uh to size and it will be building cost that will be reimbursed if we were to receive state money. The second part of the total cost will be
the furnishings, the computer technology and landscaping. Now we will use the material from these preliminary plans. First of all, we would need these to by
March 2nd of 1995 apply for the state funding. Later, we would use these plans for the town for approval by town meeting members, very likely if we were to be successful at the May town meeting.
Again, I will talk more about state plans under article 19. To accomplish what I have just described and Mary has already given you, we do need $40,000 more.
You know that the library trustees have just voted another 10,000. Therefore, we are asking for the $30,000 for the purposes of this committee as set out in article 20.
Let me go on and talk about the needs of the library as determined by this committee. And I'd like to speak first about the building. Let's look at the age. The original
library building is 90 years old and the children's edition is 36. As to the conditions of the library, there are problems with ceilings, walls, floors. I know you're all very well
aware about the glass floors on the older stack area that these have been clo closed off for safety reasons. Also in terms of the conditions of the building, the heating is uneven,
the ventilation is poor, and there is minimal air conditioning for staff and none for users. As to space in this building, the total usable space in our current library is
14,000 square ft. The needs analysis, as I have already indicated to you, is over twice that amount. And I would remind you for a new building, 36,000 gross square feet. For an addition
renovation, 39. There is space need for materials, for services, for meeting rooms, for new technology. It is also true that current space is inefficient for delivery of services and
the library lacks a full handicap accessibility. Lastly, as to the parking, it is currently limited to staff parking with one space available for a
handicapped person and there is no off streetet parking for users. A new library will correct these deficiencies. I would like to say one more word and that is that the new library, no matter
which site it is on, will result in the closing of the branches as has recently been voted by the trustees. During the question period, I have asked Glenn Kaufman to speak about the accommodations that one would use in
relationship to closing the branch libraries. In conclusion, then I repeat, we would like $30,000 to complete the work of this committee. And thank you. Does anyone else wish to speak to the
article? >> All those in favor of the recommendation of the warrant committee say I. >> I. >> Those opposed, recommendation carries. >> Article 9. Well, we've taken a vote now that you be can be recognized if you like, but >> this is on article 20.
>> Yes, I'm about to go to 19. If you wish to speak on that, >> I'll speak on article 19. >> Okay. >> And that's next to see what site the town will approve for the location of a new Milton Public Library. See if the town will vote to authorize the board of selectmen to acquire said land if
necessary by purchase, eminent domain or otherwise. To see what sum of money the town will vote to raise or appropriate, transfer from available funds or otherwise provide for said purpose, including the costs arising out of said acquisition. to authorize the board of
selectmen to accept gifts, to enter into any agreements on behalf of the town, and to take all other action necessary, to obtain partial or full reimbursement for said cost from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts andor the United States government, and to use said funds for
said purpose, and to act on anything relating there, too. And the moderator recognizes uh the chair of the warrant committee, Mary Fitzgerald, for the warrant committee's recommendation under article 19. >> I believe everyone should have a copy of
this. There was a handout recommended that the care, custody, and control of the land described below be transferred to the board of library trustees for the purpose of location of a public library.
and that the board of selectmen be authorized to take any action necessary for this purpose. The subject land is the land shown on the town of Milton assesses map as section D block 40 lot 18
section D block 40 lot 19 and a portion of section D block 52 lot 4 containing approximately 1.75 acres known as the former Bose school site Point of order.
>> Uh, yes, sir. >> You didn't take the no vote. You interrupted it when you decided to address her. >> Under Article 20. >> Under Article 20. >> I'd be more than happy to take the vote again. I do believe I do believe I took a no vote. And if if you'll just wait
there, Mary. All those in favor of the Warren Committee's recommendation under article 20 say I. >> Mr. Moderator. >> Mr. Moderator. >> Mr. Reaffirm the vote. Uh Mr. Mullen, you wish to be recognized? >> I do. Peter Mullen, precinct 3.
>> Okay. Mr. Mullen. Mr. Mullen. >> Uh I will recognize you just as soon as the person I've already recognized is finished. And that's Mary Fitzgerald at the moment. >> Okay. Okay. Well, I guess I would raise a point of order, Mr. >> What is your point of order? >> Um, if you reopen the question with
regard to 19, I'd like to speak to it and ask a question. >> If I you reopen which question? >> I'm sorry. Uh, with regard to 20. If you've reopened it, I'd like to ask if >> that has been voted on and I reaffirmed the vote because one town meeting member
>> you didn't take. >> Well, I'm missing something because I believe I just took the vote again now that >> No, Mr. Mullen, as I see it, interrupted me after I got the no, and I consider that to be a vote. Am I incorrect on that? Does anybody wish to speak to
that? All right, then. I will take yet a third vote. And >> I would ask to speak to the article first and ask a question before it's voted on. >> No, I'm going to take the vote because I moved the question and I I'm actually on article 19, Mr. Mullen, but uh I want to
be as civil and courteous as possible. And so I will recognize you and only you uh before I take the next vote as long as the present person I've recognized is finished. And uh Mary Fitzgerald, have you finished your comments?
>> Do you know Mary Fitzgerald, do you know where we are now? >> Do I dare to open my mouth? >> Yes, I do. >> Point of order, please. >> You're recognized for a point of order. I can't understand that where we have this wonderful opportunity
to instruct the Russians on what true democratic process is when we don't take a no vote and don't ask for any discussion on an article. >> Okay. All right. Listen, >> I can't believe what has happened. >> I I have I thought I corrected that
problem, sir, by suggesting I'm going to take the vote again. I believed perhaps incorrectly that I did take the no vote. And in case I didn't, I'm taking a vote again on article 20. All right. Then we will return to article 19. And I'm recognizing and Mr. Mullen uh who wishes
to speak before I take the vote on article 20. So we are back at that stage and let make no mistake uh that that is exactly where we are. Now is anybody confused as to where we are? We are back on article 20. I'm going to take a vote very shortly, but Mr. Mullen would like
to speak. Mr. Melon >> in the text of article 20 um it provides that the committee is to report to the selectman no later than December 1, 1994. And my question is what the impact of
that date is and whether it has any impact on article 19 and there has to be an agreement as to site prior to December 1, 1994. >> Okay. And is that is that all the questions you have?
>> I depending upon the answer I get. I don't know. >> Okay. Well, I might recognize you again, but I'll recognize someone such as Ann Coglin if she can answer the question, which is what is the significance of the December 1st date uh with respect to uh
your report if a site has not been determined by December 1, 1994. Is that right, Mr. Mullen? >> Yes. >> Okay. The moderator recognizes the Cogman. >> As I understand it, Mr. Mullen, all committees must report by December 1st
if you have any intention to have an article in the annual town meeting which will be in May this year. And we we do report on the 1st of December. >> What if the date in the >> I haven't recognized you yet, Mr. Mullen?
>> Okay. You wish to be recognized? >> I do. >> Okay. Now, look, I'm not trying to be univil to anyone, but the only way I can control this meeting is that you wait till I recognize you. Okay. now and and I'm not trying to be rude to anyone otherwise I don't have control of the meeting and we just have nothing but
cross-examinations. You are recognized Mr. Muller. >> Thank you. Um if the date were later that the report was required and you file your report early presumably you comply. Um I'm just
wondering whether this some in some way um restricts the process um requiring the report by December 1st and whether we can't make the report date the 31st or February 1st. Um and then if there
are no problems, you can submit your report by December 1st and be able to put it in the warrant. Um but if more time is needed, you won't be in violation of this article. Well, as I also understand it, this is because it goes into the annual report.
So, we would be reporting where we are as of December 1st. This December 1st I don't think has any effect upon the work of the committee. This is just we are asked each year as all committees are to
make a report and that goes into the annual uh annual report. Thank you, Mr. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Now, ma'am, do you wish to be recognized on article 20? We're back on 20 or article 19. >> Well, maybe I have a point of order
question, which is would this be the appropriate moment, Mr. Moderator, to move to reopen discussion on article 20. >> Ma'am, we are back on article 20. >> I know we have we discuss are we open for discussion? I thought you were >> I am recognizing you for the purposes of
speaking on article 20 if you wish to do. Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Mr. Moderator, my name is Mary McNamera of Precinct 10. I rise today to address town meeting concerning article 20, and I ask town meeting tonight to vote against any appropriation under article
20. It is my position that the library study committee has recommended a 1960s answer to a 1990s problem. clear the land, dig a hole, construct a building, black top a
parking lot for 90 cars, all to bring people to information. In the 1990s, the physical location of information is rapidly becoming irrelevant. Every year
it becomes faster, cheaper and more efficient to bring information to people rather than people to the information. I can give you a real life example. Today, lawyers and law students no longer have
to travel to law libraries to do research. Millions of pages of case law and statute from all over the country are available in their homes and offices online at the push of a button. How long
will it be before a broad range of written work is available online in a similar manner and that it is in fact going to be a collection which would dwarf the shelf space of any library and
overwhelm the resources of any town? Will it be three years? Will it be five years? Will it be 10 years? It will be soon. And what about the three empty library buildings that we will be left with? I have heard suggestions that they
may be used for housing or for office space, but these types of places need parking also, and we know that they lack parking. I asked the town meeting to look to the future. Instead of investing
millions, at least 6 to8 millions of our dollars in bricks and mortar to force children and senior citizens to travel across town to work by themselves in this building, why not do as other
towns, including Medfield, and construct small electronic learning centers close to people located in schools, senior citizen housing, complexes, town facilities, including our current
libraries. Are there other alternatives to the this library's problems? For instance, I have asked whether or not it has been considered to remove the children's uh department from the main branch and create a children's library
in one of the two branches, thereby freeing up considerable space in the central branch. It is my understanding that that alternative has not been discussed. Why not invite the private sector and
ask for their involvement? Ask for their investment. Why not challenge the computer companies, the telephone companies, the publishing companies to make Milton an electronic information showcase? The concept of a multiple
location library will be piloted somewhere in the near future. Why not here in Milton? Now, let's spend the money on books where they are irreplaceable. I do not suggest
to town meeting that we do not need books. Children need books in classrooms so that they can see and hear and touch and share knowledge in a group environment. And until we can guarantee
that in every classroom and on every desk these children have a copy of each book that they need. How can we think about spending millions of dollars to put shel books on the shelves in a new
library building? Frankly, I question the cost of this new building. I wonder if the current stated costs reflect simply construction costs or if in fact they will allow the replacement of old equipment, if it will allow for the implementation of new technology,
including computer networks. The town just does not have the money. Not today. And I dare say not when this question reaches a Proposition two and a half override ballot. I have spoken with many
people in this town. They are not here tonight. They are parents. However, they are grandparents and they are people without children. And in fact, I dare say at least one or two of them do not even like children. Some of them
without exception. However, they all bravely question the expense of a new library building. Without exception, each one of them expressed deep dismay at building a new library when the town's school system seems so
financially needed and when the town's financial resources are committed in so many other different directions. I want to go back to the schools. It is not just the physical condition of the schools, the peeling paint, the leaky
roofs, the dangerous stairs, the warped gym floors, but it is also the lack of teachers, the overcrowding, the shared textbooks, the closed school libraries. My first grade daughter is barely six.
She sits in a first grade classroom with 30 students. I believe the term is bordering on something called warehousing. My third grade son is invited to sit on the floor with a clipboard during his math class. There
are 29 students and 25 desks in that classroom. Today, my daughter came home from the Pierce school. Her math teacher asked her students to tell their parents that she does no longer have access to
the paper she usually uses for math tests. They will use scrap paper for math tests. The town has no greater priority than schools. I repeat, no greater priority. The future depends on
how well we educate our children. To a lesser extent, our real estate values rise and fall on how well our school system performs. A new library will not
sell your house. A new library is a great wish for this town, but we do not have the money for it. I will support the library in its efforts to improve its current physical plans and to bring the libraries into the 21st century. I
would vote $30,000 to improve our current library, but I will not vote $30,000 to build a new building. I ask town meeting members to vote against this article. Thank you. >> Thank you.
Joanne Rothschild, town meeting member, Precinct 3. Uh, we owe the tenor of this uh debate to Proposition 2 and a half, which has made it impossible to finance the legitimate needs of the citizens of Milton, as they should be. It has pitted
need against need, making it difficult to meet any. There is a perception that solving one problem will compromise every other problem. That is unfortunate and something that we as elected representatives must fight against. The importance of our library and our
schools to our community cannot be overstated. They are the repository of our future and our past. They hold and make manifest our values. They transmit our culture from one generation to another. The libraries are equally
crucial to all generations. The new libraries in other towns are not only centers for reading and learning, but for meeting and socializing. They are beautiful places to be. Milton has an opportunity to have an institution of the first quality. It would be tragic if
we were to throw it away. I urge you all to affirm article 20. You're recognized. Renee Voy, Tom meeting member, precinct 2. I agree with the uh fellow town meeting member over here that just made a presentation. I just wonder why she
didn't um discuss the issues of the schools during the schools presentation because we all know that the schools are in need. But this is the discussion of the library, not the schools. Um we we would all like to have more town services. Uh the youth, elderly,
innovative schools, state-of-the-art police, more firemen, and why not? We want a quality town. We moved here. But how do we get the monies? We're bound by the constraints of two and a half in the monies that we can raise through the tax levy. But that's good because none of us really like taxes.
We may not want an override because enough is enough and our paychecks aren't really going up anyway. We really don't want too much industry in this town because it ruins the character. But with less than 6% industry, we don't really have a great uh commercial tax base. But we do want
better services. So how do we move towards that? Boston magazine recently discussed the wellness of communities and used schools and libraries as the main indicate indicators as to how vital a town is. Quite a few years ago we had the chance
to build a new high school with quite a large reimbursement rate and we didn't do it. Luckily last year we passed the science facility and now we have a chance to get a new library. Is it going to be free? No. But there will be reimbursement from the state. The state recognizes that the towns need an
incentive and it's the only way that we're going to be able to do it. Now we're plagued with not in my neighborhood. When are we going to stop these self-interest groups and do what's best for the town of Milton?
It was referred to having a computer in every home. Well, I think if we look at some of the towns that have this, the Newton's, the Welssley's, Milton is not Newton and it's not Welssley at this point. And I don't think it's unrealistic. I don't think it's very realistic to think that every home in Milton's going to have a computer unless
we're going to be there to subsidize it. If the state board of library commissioners sees too much arguing, they may go to another town because, believe it or not, there are over 150 towns that are dying to have libraries built in their community.
We will lose. We will all lose if we do not support this library. Milton needs to have a vision for the 21st century. We need to go forward and continue to make our community attractive to people. If we continue to fight the battles, we may lose the war and then have a ghost
time, ghost town. No one will have to worry about traffic jams because no one will want to come here. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. You are recognized. Uh Joe Manning, Junior, precinct 7. Uh if we appropriate $30,000 in article 20, then
in article 19, we do not find a site uh for the library, what's going to happen to the $30,000 if we can't find a site or if there is an injunction brought against the site that we do find. What's going to happen to that $30,000? >> A very good question. And the question
uh is if you don't have a site approved under article 19 uh what happens to the $30,000 and the moderator recognizes an Coglin careful speak. >> Uh that's an excellent question and what
I would say to you is that first of all we would not spend the money until we know we have a site. Uh on the other hand, one of the things that I was going to say about article 20 uh given my experience in other articles uh where we
uh were looking to do building that it is very likely that any committee that is going to eventually get to the point of having to do a building should have money given to it to start with. I'd like to point out to you that we were
dependent entirely upon the library trustees in order to be where we are. And I used to think as we were doing some of this that we were really quite bold to have uh gone for an RFP
with $10,000 when it would be very obvious that perhaps we couldn't finish that. But we had expected to come to this town meeting and ask for this money. I would also point out to you that that is what I anticipated and the committee
anticipated would be our timeline so that we would have as much time as possible to uh the the um the difficulty with the timeline has really been the fact that there is state uh reimbursement and I would like to speak
about that at another time. Now I've now lost what the other questions are. Uh can you help me? I think that was was that that was the only question right there. >> All right. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Ann. Uh Mr. McCetrick next is recognized.
>> Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Uh the board of selectment supports the position of the library study committee on article 20 in asking for this $30,000. And we would like to say in response to some uh debate that has already occurred in this article that first of all, books are going to be with us for a long time
to come. And not every household in the community can afford a computer in a modem. Uh computers and online services are going to be part of any modern library. We should also not lose sight of the fact that a library is a focus
for the community, something that will never be uh provided by computer screens sitting in individual homes. There is no conflict between public schools and public libraries. It is all public education and we should not look at the
issue as splitting the two. The financing problem is being exaggerated already in this debate. If this proposal goes forward, we're talking about 35% state funding being worked into the numbers. We're talking about a bond issue that is going to
spread the indebtedness and debt service over an extended period of time. We're contemplating private fundraising. This is doable in terms of the capacity of our taxpayers and the need of this community. We have the ability to do
this. What we want to make sure is that we do not lack the will to do it. The board of selectment urges you very strongly to give us a yes vote on article 20. You're recognized
>> Cherry Angland precinct 2. I want to thank the library committee uh study committee for the work that it's done. I have not decided how I will vote on this article and certainly don't dismiss lightly um a recommendation made by the
fine people who have served on the committee and looked at the problem carefully. I also acknowledged uh arguments I considered quite cogent, persuasive by town meeting member McNamera and I would be interested in hearing from the library committee as we proceed tonight something about whether
or not you do need a 36,000 or 39,000 square foot facility when in fact it does seem to me that information is reducible to disk and so forth nowadays and maybe uh this is an issue that has been considered by the committee and I
would like to hear something about that. In addition, if you could, I'd like to have clarified a little bit about the history by which monies were expended um to initiate this procedure or help bring this procedure to fruition. I understood
the chairperson of the committee to say that money wasn't available at the last meeting and I'm not quite sure. I certainly can't recall whether we voted against an appropriation for of 10,000 or 20,000 and how it came
to be that if there wasn't an appropriation by town meeting, is this something that is customary for the trustees um to approach and to make an expenditure of that kind if it hadn't been contemplated by the town meeting? Once again, thanks for the work and I
would like to hear something about those two points. You recognize him? >> Robert Foster, precinct 7. If we follow the newspapers in the past week, we'll have noticed that 9X is making
arrangements with other communication industries so that they may bring information to the home, not through the computer, but through the television. And this opens up an entire vister of opportunities for everyone that owns a
television. I'm sure that there's not one household that's without a television. So this lay waste to the idea that you have to have enough money to have a computer. And this is doable within the next 3 to 5 years, probably even before we would have our library built.
The question I would like to ask also and I think a vote was taken by the board of trustees that in the event that the grant was not given or granted that which was applied for that they would proceed with their plans to build
a library in any case if is that so please >> I I just to clarify things I I don't uh with respect to your last question I believe that the chairman of the chairperson of the library study committee indicated that once the
planning is in place that that this whole project will come back to the town meeting. So it isn't as if by authorizing this $30,000 you're authorizing the new library but uh let's get all the questions. May I may recognize >> just Pat McN precinct 3. I would like
the warrant committee if they wouldn't mind to go through or walk through with me step by step the funding on this. Um, I know there is a scenario in place that we will get reimbursement from the state. What happens if in fact we do not get that? What happens if we do? We're responsible for twothirds. Where will
that money come from? What would be the burden assessed to the taxpayer? Have we got a real dollar figure on the cost of a new building to this town? I really don't have enough information myself and and I don't keep my own house in deficit spending. And I don't know of
anybody in this town that has any idea where we're going to come across with two or three million dollars for capital expenditure. And and I need help tonight kind of assessing that before I can say yay or nay. Um I don't want to be the Grinch that stole Christmas. I love libraries. I know their importance to a
town, but the bare bones fact is we are not even properly funding our budgets today. So if someone could just walk me through this from start to finish, I can feel a little easier about the vote. Thank you. I think that's an excellent question and I'm going to recognize Anne Coglin and I believe there are three questions an on the uh floor from the
last two speakers and they are do we really need 36,000 square ft what is the history of the past funding in terms of what happened at the last town meeting and you're obtaining 10,000 and the third question from the last speaker uh which is a very uh important
question is to give our town meeting members some understanding ing of uh what you expect with respect to the final funding uh of a of the completed project. Um if I might uh take the
uh to leave the question of the 36,000 square ft and I'd like to call upon uh Glenn Kaufman to talk about that. He is the main author of the needs assessment study and that's where the information
is. Then I would then go to the question on the money for the March 1944. We when we came in last March went to the warrant committee and said that we
had our $10,000 but that this was a much uh more expensive project. Uh we had a very nice discussion with the warrant committee and it turned out and I did say this that because of
budget uh restrictions they didn't have the money for us to have it in March and I did say to the warrant committee that we would be back at this special town meeting. So the reason why we're here
because we had not as yet been funded by the town and I wonder if that does answer the question of that that gentleman Mr. Angland was it >> is this satisfactory to you Mr. I certainly appreciate the struggling. I'm
really I'd like to know quite precisely when we voted on the library budget last year, did we authorize with knowledge the library committee to spend that 10,000 for this effort? >> Mrs. Jeff, I think
>> Mrs. Jeff is recognized. Marjorie Jeff, precinct 5, chair of the board of library trustees. If I remember correctly, we had a long discussion in our trustees meeting about the necessary money for this proposed study committee and that was not last
spring. That was a year ago spring in 1993. We ended up by not asking for money. uh um we decided that the town didn't have the money and we would go ahead with a proposal and if necessary the trustees would provide some initial funding and
that is exactly what happened. >> Thank you uh Jeff. >> We c we took it out of the state incentive fund. This is the fund that comes to the library a grant really that comes to the library because they have
fulfilled all the requirements for certification. This is something we have had to fight for every year for the last several years to be sure that we were fully funded in all the ways, had the right number of hours open, had the right number of degrees for our library
staff, and did all the jump through all the hoops that the board of library commissioners demanded in order to be certified. And we have done that. And we therefore get back from the state about $21,000 because we have done all those things.
So we took the money from that uh from that grant. >> Thank you. Mrs. Coglin is recognized to answer the third question which relates to how you uh see the funding going for the completed project.
the the way in which I would see um us proceeding uh to if we need of course to be able to this is the state funding. We would need the preliminary plans that I mentioned
with the completion of the building and the rooms in the building and the parking uh and the cost factors. We would need to have that done by March the 2nd of this coming year 1965.
We have to have that the $30,000 and aesight would uh put us in a position to be able to file for the uh the uh state monies. Uh but we must make
first the March 2nd uh date. The next thing that would have to happen in terms of the regulations, the state regulations would be that uh we would have to come to the May
meeting annual meeting and we would have to ask at that time for approval of the project. Now at that time at the end of the preliminary studies we would know the cost factors. So we would knew that know the total cost that would include
the building, the landscaping, the computer technology, the furnishings and obviously the everything that one would need. Now, it would be my understanding that at the annual town meeting in May that we would ask for
approval of the project and that approval would be contingent upon receiving the state money. This is the same thing that was done with the science project that it was approved based upon
uh receiving the state money. Now let me take you a little further in terms of this project. Let's suppose that we have your approval for the project subject to the state reimbursement in May.
We haven't funded yet. It would be necessary to have a special town meeting at this time next year at which time we would be asking for the funding. Now, my
guess would be that would not be a town meeting, but rather it would be an override and that instead of the town meeting next year, we would be doing a vote of the town for the funding for the project. I had intended to talk about
this a little bit later, but those are the stages. So, the impact of our moving forward would be that eventually we would come to the voters of the town for an override on what will be an expensive
project. >> Okay. Um, Mr. Deadman, are you through? >> Uh, I I think there was one other question and that was If you study and I want Mr. Coff >> I will recognize Mr. Kaufman for the purpose of answering the question relating to whether or not 36,000 square
feet for the proposed project is necessary. The uh amount is Glenn Kaufman uh library director. The number of square feet is based upon formulas uh developed by the Massachusetts Board of Library
Commission Commissioners uh based upon national standards on the number of seats that are required in a library in a community of the size of Milton based upon the usage of the library.
Uh the development of the formula of 36,000 square feet has been a work of uh 18 months and has been involved myself discussing this with the board of library commissioners sitting down with
the library staff tabulating the exact necessary amount of space that we would need for each of the functions that a library requires. As a result of the work of the collaboration, myself, the library
staff, and then sitting down with the architect who is familiar with library services and has done other libraries, the formula and the final final designation of the number of square feet
necessary was developed and we produced the document that uh outlines in detail the exact requirements for for a modern library. I want to also say that uh to a
number of questions answer these in in a general way but specifically a library in the future and going into the year into the 21st century will require will be multifunctional in the
sense that it will not only require uh a library to have the conventional books that we've always seen in the library but we will also require ire the computer capability
in order to access what we call the information highway. This will be no easy feat to access this information and you will need someone who is skilled a librarian in order to guide you through this. It's not something you can do at
home on your TV screen. It just requires a great deal of understanding of the techniques for searching tens of thousands of databases across the world and it is going the library of
the future libraries that are being built today and there are many of them in Massachusetts that are being built and that's the purpose of this 45,000 45 million dollars that has been made available by the board of library commissioners is because there are over
200 libraries in Massachusetts that are inadequate in terms of their physical capability to deliver the information of the future. That's the purpose of Milton's need of a new library is the
result of years and years of neglect that need to be addressed. >> Thank you, Mr. uh Mr. Desmond next and then uh Natalie Albert, Frank Frank Desmond, precinct 10 town meeting member and chairman of the
Milton School Committee. Uh, I'll be very brief and some people say I'm too brief, but I would like to say that the uh Milton Public Libraries are an extension of our public school system in the town and the six members of the
Milton School Committee unanimously support a new library. Thank you. >> Natalie Alberts is recognized. Uh Natalie Alers of Precinct 3. Um I speak as I guess primarily a granny. Um I used
to be a mother. Now I'm a granny and I live in libraries with my grandchildren. I've just had an experience going to a small little town in Delaware where I rented a small little house with no radio and no television and certainly no
computer. And I took my little 5-year-old granddaughter. We bought a $10 um two-eek pass to the library every day to the library where we flowed from the children's room into the adult room. I think segregating the children and
adult rooms are um a mistake. Um, I could see her and she could see me and we would spend an hour or two every day in this library feeling the books, looking at the books, pulling them off the shelf. To think that a computer disc
can take the place of pulling a book off the shelf for a 5-year-old is so appalling to me that I I'm speechless. When I was small, I went to a library in Indiana that was a big oak building. And I can recall the smell of that beautiful
library now and walking up the creaky stairs and spending hours touching and looking at the books. And I think computers and all are fine, but a library is is what give the children foundations for love of of knowing
things and finding them on their own. Um, I do think it helps the real estate value of the town too because when you go into a town, you look at the schools and the libraries in that order and a good library will increase the value of
our real estate if you want to get crash commercial about it. Um, but I I do take exception to the lady who said that she didn't think they were important for that reason. Um I don't um I don't think that a reduced area because the new
libraries I've been in today um from Chicago to San Francisco uh port towns in Washington um Wilmington Delaware I've been into libraries it seems to me past couple of years studying this uh problem. There's videotapes in them now.
There's a room for socialization. There's places for elderly to go. There's so much more going on in a library today. I think you need more space rather than less. So, I urge you to support this wonderful cause for our beautiful town. Thank you.
>> You're recognized. >> Diane Dulio Agustinino, precinct 8. Um, last March 94, in answer to Mr. England's question, we did actually appropriate the money to hire a consultant to prepare preliminary drawings and a site plan for construction. And I assumed that tonight
we might have received a handout or seen what the $10,000 has bought. But I'd asked two questions to be answered. I assume one would be able to be answered by the Lampfield study committee. It also noted that the committee was going to apply for a state building assistance grants grant of $200,000.
I'd like to know if they applied, if they were turned down, or if they received the funding. And number two, on what Mrs. McNot brought up. I don't know if the treasurer or the accountant could give us an overview, but you know, town meeting is the one that's going to need to make the appropriation. When you put a deposit on a house, it's not just the
building, it's the contents. We have the science edition, but I thought we heard that there was not the money appropriated for the contents. Now, we're discussing the library. How much will the contents in real numbers? And maybe in the future if we could get in future town meetings, we'd get a real financial picture overview so that we'd
be more certain of how we're going to vote if we're going to spend the money. Thank you. All >> right. I believe your second question was already answered that they were coming to the town meeting with a uh a request for an appropriation that would include everything. But before you leave the microphone, I I did not at all
understand your first question about the $200,000. In March of 94, it was noted in the warrant that the committee was going to apply for a state building assistance grant of $200,000. >> You want to know what happened to that? >> Did they apply? What happened? >> Okay. Um,
Mr. coffee. >> I was advised by the board of library commissioners to apply for this some of this $45 million that has just become available rather than going for the some portion of the $200,000 uh because we
needed to get on with the building project. It didn't make any sense to go for the 200,000. >> Thank you, Mr. Kaufman. You're recognized. >> Thank you, Mr. moderator. Um, I'm struck by this discussion. Michael Craft, Precinct 5. Uh, how many
of you are lying in bed, you're reading a good story, you start to doze off, and the damn computer monitor falls on the floor and wakes you up again? I got to tell you, I find reading a book very pleasurable, and I get a lot more out of reading books than I do necessarily out
of reading a computer screen. I happen to share the sentiment, though, that it's very possible to get a great deal accomplished with a computer. I am a lawyer. I rely on these databases constantly. I use them every day myself. Uh I did notice the moderator sort of shaking his head up at the top at the
podium uh when that comment was made. And I think that I am on his wavelength when I say that though you can obtain some of the same benefits from the computer, you cannot obtain them all. Now, two nights ago, I got a call from
the library study committee urging my vote, and I told them I supported the plan. Uh, however, I've heard some very cogent arguments on both sides of the fence here today, and I'm starting to have second thoughts, and I'm really not sure right now how I'm going to vote, but I do want
everyone in this room to give careful thought to the following items. We would all like to have a very modern library. We would like to have the very best schools in the nation. We would like to have a center of commerce that we could be proud of. We'd like to have a fire
station or several fire stations that would be fully staffed so we would never have to worry in the event of an emergency. We'd like all of our roads to be paved as nicely as the corner down by Center Street and Adam Street. We can't have it all obviously by what we have
right now. And everyone here is going to have to think very carefully about what their top priorities are. Thank you. Ma'am, you're recognized. >> Mr. Moderator, Mary McNamera, precinct 10. I would just like to address some of the issues that have come up since I
originally spoke. And I will be brief. I promise you. I never ever intended to give the impression that it was expected that computers would appear in every home. Obviously, that is a ridiculous assumption. However, what I would like to convey to the group tonight is that
what we need are computers in many different places so that they are easily available to everyone whether you have one in your home or not. And the reason for that is so that people can easily access the information that's available, not just from the town of Milton, but
from all the other towns, maybe even all the other states that would be linked up to their computer. I still have yet to hear whether or not the cost which is being projected here will in fact include all of the new items and equipment that will be required to staff
the library. Does the $6 to8 million which is being projected as the cost for this item include all of the furnishings including any equipment. Uh thirdly, there was an issue made by one of the selectmen as whe whether to not whether
or not the will of the community will support this and I suggest to the selectman that they tap the public out there in the town and I think they will find the will of the community will not. Uh finally to Mr. Craft's comment about
reading in bed, I agree completely. I am a huge fan of libraries. I go to the libraries in this town. I take my children there often. I too read in bed. But as my husband pointed out to me, in
the future, it may well be very nice to read War in Peace from a computer screen, which is about the size of a book. And if you cannot read the words because they are too small, you just push a button. And if you would like to
turn the page, you just push a button. And when you fall asleep and it falls from your bed, it makes a nice soft noise because it is light and plastic. Please, I am not suggesting we do something futuristic or Star Treky. I am
just asking you to look to the future. We do not have the money to build a new building that costs this much in this town. Thank you. Okay, I do think your question I do think your question was answered uh
in terms of while there's no definite figure as to what everything will cost but that the total appropriation will include all the furnishings. Is that correct? >> And uh the chair the moderator recognizes Anne Coglin speak to this and
clarify it once and for all. The final cost figure that I mentioned earlier will have the cost of the building to put the building up. It will have all of the furnishings and this was also true incidentally of the science
center and it will have the cost of very complicated computer technology. And when you do talk about being able to have access to the computers, you would
have the the access to the computers at the library in what I think will be a very lovely site. So that and in addition to that, there's landscaping. So uh there is there there will be a sizable amount of the total cost that
will be furnishings as well as the computer technology. I would, if I might, Mrs. McNamera, say to you that when you first began to talk and you said we were in the 1960s, I felt very good because I've been
accused of being a 19th century woman and I finally made it into the >> You're recognized, ma'am. >> Matthew Kim, precinct 7. I just want to say I don't think this is about books versus computers or the school department versus the libraries. I think
it's about dollars and cents. So I have one question that I'd like answered by someone whether it's the selectman or the warrant committee. I don't know whose job it would be, but I would like to know what would the combined financial impact on the taxpayers be for simultaneously shouldering the burden of
three major capital projects which are the construction of the new science wing, capping the landfill, and building a new library. Thank you. Uh Mr. Mr. Murphy is recognized to uh address that inquiry.
>> I'm going to take a stab at at two of the three at least. Um, as I look over the the warrant committee table, they they all joke and uh say that I'm not very good with numbers. I I I chaired chaired that committee last year. I think uh both Ann and I as past
chairs of the warrant committee look at the financial questions involved in this project and and certainly our our concern. Um let me let me just give you the benefit of some of the analysis that we've done. We we don't know the final numbers. Um
we have talked about uh initial proposals probably in the $5.5 million range for the total project cost. Uh the reimbursement formula is somewhat confusing. It it goes up in various stages. So you hear the the figure of 35% or 30% I think it's around a 30%
state reimbursement. Uh somewhere in the range of 1.7 million leaving about 3.8 8 million that would probably be uh have to be raised either through the tax uh from the taxpayers or through private contributions. One would expect that there would be a substantial private uh
contribution to the final project. Uh interestingly uh uh in the building uh needs report, Dr. Coglin went back and uh uh looked at the original library that was built in 1904 and the total cost for that was $70,000.
20,000 of which, you know, think of the percentages, 20,000 of which was raised from private funds. So, so we would certainly look at that to try to bring the cost down. But if it were, let's say it were in the $3.8 million range, was totally absorbed by by tax dollars. Um,
and let's say we're were financed over approximately 20 years. I I get I'm not sure what the how you you'd bond that, but I think it's eligible for 20-year bonding. Um, I guess the cost on an annual basis would probably be in in the range of 300,000. Again, that's that's a worst case scenario, assuming that all
of the 3.8 you had to go out for. Um the timing may not work out perfectly, but um what I have been looking at in the last couple of days and and certainly have looked at in the past through my work on the warrant committee is that portion of debt that we have now that
excluded debt service uh for 1980 uh excuse me for 1995. That's approximately $650,000 of debt service costs right now that we have added to the tax levy through excluded debt. that is amvertising down to the point where
in in in fiscal uh 2000 uh that will will have uh gone down to zero. Uh now it doesn't come down fast enough to say that yes by the time we begin this project this can be easily inserted into that same amount of debt that we're used to paying in our tax levy. But um
certainly by fiscal 98 uh that 650 is down to 270. So uh again within the the type of burden that we are used to dealing with as a capital cost not an operating cost but a
capital cost um that fits um for the science project. Uh let me speak to that uh a little bit. I I don't know the I haven't seen the the the projections. I I did speak to uh Kevin Sourge. I can't see him but uh he was kind enough to send me a projection of of the numbers and so forth but didn't yet have that
bonding. I as I understand that will not be done until January of next year. Um, I believe it's a million dollars probably over a 10-year period. So, the principal will be somewhere in the hundred,000 range and then some uh added interest figure. So, you're talking about 100,000 or so there. I I don't
know the landfill costs. I think that that's certainly, you know, we've had a lot of discussion already at the town meeting about uh the original 9.3 million and how that that has been whittleled down through various proposals. We don't know what the final impact of that will be. So, it's hard to project what that will be, but um
I I'm terrible at thinking at my feet. Uh and and I too am a lawyer. I guess everybody's confessing to that tonight. But, uh and I should be better at thinking on my feet, but I'm I'm not going to be able to absorb all those other figures. But I just point out, I guess, in terms of the debt service, I mean, we're talking
about a capital project here. Um and and people like I think it was Pat McNot who said and I think very wisely that you know you you really have to look at projects and and think of them in terms of your household and so forth. Everyone knows that that you know you have to take care of capital items. Uh credit agencies look at you like you're foolish if you say to them that you don't have
any debt. You know uh if you compare our uh debt service for capital projects to other communities in in in the Commonwealth, the 351 other communities, you'll find that our debt service is traditionally very low. and as I'm as I pointed out is is is trailing off and will vanish by the year 2000. So I think
there's a I think there's a way to deal with that. I think we have to deal with capital items and we should as a community if we're being fiscally prudent we would deal with the uh capital items and have a re responsible amount of of debt service. Thank you. >> Yes, sir.
>> Ned Roger, precinct 3. I I think we're missing one thing here that or maybe it hasn't been brought up yet and I might add I'm not a lawyer. uh is is that uh a library basically lets you borrow things for free unless you keep them too long and you got to pay
him a little bit and that's okay because you borrowed it too much. But all of this stuff we're talking about modern technology and everything somehow Compucerve doesn't come to me for free and the brand new service that's going to come uh that's going to allow me to do something on my TV isn't going to
come for free. And there's some people that can't afford these things but want to take advantage of them. The town provides them. You might be able to go to the library and the town might make a very nominal charge to get on the internet or nothing. These services are
something that a lot of people in the town need and depend upon. Lastly, if you're reading a book on your little computer in your bed at night, I just wonder where you got it. Maybe you borrowed it from the library. Possibility might occur. Anyone else
wish to speak or I'd like to move the question? Ma'am, >> uh, Nina Graves, precinct 10. And no one has brought up this this whole uh, evening that we just roughly have about
$500,000 in the budget, the library, but we never give them enough even to open on Friday mornings. And for a long last year they wouldn't didn't have enough money to open on Friday afternoon. They're all then they closed Friday night. So we
don't have enough money in the present given to them or to give to them to even open today on Friday mornings. Uh it's about$10,000 or $30,000. That's all we need to give them. And uh something's
quacky about the money. you and then you >> I do think we should be getting close to the end of the debate on this >> canon the scenarios on funding if we get it
from the state if we don't if we need a proposition override and it fails I would like that whole package discussed tonight before I take the vote. >> Okay. Uh I thought Ann Coglin answered that question.
>> Uh okay. Now for the sake of order, you know, I mean that was my understanding, but if you wish to be recognized, you have to go to the microphone like everyone else. Okay. Now that's okay. But I just I need to keep order. Okay. and I will recognize you. And so the
issue the question is uh you want to walk it may be that that Anne Coglin did not understand precisely I mean what it is you want the walk through on because I thought she walked us through. So you tell me >> Mr. moderator not wishing to be disorderly my question was not addressed
to Mrs. Godlin, who's done an outstanding job this evening. I had asked the warrants committee if they would walk me through the scenario of funding from the state, losing funding from the state, asking our citizens for an override, not getting an override, the dollar figure for this major capital
expenditure. I really just asked for the nuts and bolts of this whole proposal so I can tie up all the loose ends I have. And I clearly believe I'm not the only one in this town meeting assembly that is no question to the real. No, your question's quite reasonable as long as
somebody has the information and and I and understands the question. Now, is the warrant committee prepared to address this? Okay. Mary Fitzgerald, >> thank you. >> And then and then Okay. >> I'm not a lawyer.
I I don't read in bed. I don't use my computer. Pat, basically the Warren Committee has not projected out all the whatifs. That really isn't our job. We act on things as they come before us. But just to give
you a scenario, I would think that it would be the position of the warrant committee that we have approved these things because we think the voters of the community have the final say. We think it's proper for it to go to the voters of the community. And that would be an override because we obviously
cannot afford it within our operating budgets as has been attested to many times. What we would do if the community says no is I would presume not to build a library. If the community says yes, we
would then go forward. It will depend whether or not the community's vote is tied to funding as it as it was with some of the other articles. All of those are scenarios that that we haven't projected, but it would seem to me the final say is the community and if
the community approves it, we will build a library and if they don't, we won't because we obviously cannot afford it within the operating budgets. >> Right. >> You are recognized. >> Thank you again. Uh Mrs. Fitzgerald, Mary, would we be asking the voters specifically for an override for
purposes of funding the library? And the yes or no on that on that question would determine whether this library goes forward. I would presume so. Thank you. >> Okay, you're recognized. Then you and then >> briefly just
>> Paul Buchanan, town meeting member, precinct 4, member of the library building study committee. I just wanted to share with you a few little statistics and a recent event. When the library was built in 194, the
population of the town was 8,000. Today there are 14,000 library cards in the town. Just gives you some dimension of the phenomenal increase in need over what the building was designed for. We lack
space for materials. People say let's buy more books. We lack space even to hold the books for the usual services of the library. We need space for meeting rooms. We need space for computers, for printers, for audio and visual tapes. We need tapes, space for paperbacks, for
large print books for those who are visually impaired. We need space for photo cops. You go on indefinite with the list. But let me just share one little item. Yes, we're committed to technology. We want in the new library to have every capability electronically and otherwise
that would be advancing and giving greater access to all the information that is available. Recently the library attempted to have another line put in just a simple telephone line. You say hello, you know that sort
of thing. The oldfashioned kind. 9X was not able to put the cable into our existing building the way things are. This is the state of our library today. I think we got to keep that in mind. Thank you, Mr. M.
>> Yes, you are recognized. >> Uh Malcolm Lawson, precinct 11. Uh it seems like during the past few years the uh town meeting has been very reluctant and uh very meager with the uh money allowed to the uh libraries to uh
maintain them even with the threat of uh losing certification. uh even if we were to uh miraculously have a brand new library uh in the town right now, uh what plans has the town made to uh maintain this library and to assure us
that it would not become obsolete in a very short period of time after it was constructed. >> Okay. Somebody wish to address the question of what plans the town has to maintain the library if we build it and cogn
recognized. >> Well, I think uh talking about maintaining the building we don't have yet is a little premature. Uh I would guess for example that you'd have to have separate maintenance on a building of of that size. But I I really
I cannot answer that question. But in regard to the second uh question, and you're going to have to repeat it because I've now forgotten. What was it? >> There was just that was just that was the only question. >> Well, there was there was another
maintain. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Get the financial support that uh that you need to maintain a lodge. Well, I have a feeling that the newer library would be more efficient. Uh, one of the things that the committee has looked at
is in laying out a library and and I indicated to you at the beginning that it is difficult to deliver services. You you might notice when you're in that library that they have to have a television camera to see what is going on up in the third floor and you don't
have visibility. Somebody mentioned the the the uh factor of the visibility. I believe that in terms of staffing the new library that it would be much more efficient in the staffing uh because we see it as being on the two
levels. Now, when you have to increase your staffing because you're on, let's say, three levels instead of two, then you're buying an individual who will uh be on your roles as both salary and benefits for many many years to come.
So, I would see some greater efficiency in the new library uh in terms of its overall cost after it is built. >> Thank you, Zagustinino. Um, precinct 8 in response to what Mr. Murphy um stated
was a low debt service payment. Um, right now we've heard from the warrant committee and as someone who looks at the overall picture, some people only vote per article and they say, "Well, this is the article on the table." Others we really want to know the overall picture because all the money has to come out of the same pockets. We
do have low debt service, but we've heard repeatedly from the warrant committee that's because the money, those dollars has gone to our daily operating needs and the capital needs have been ignored. So don't get too concerned that we're pushing a point. We want to be sure the overall picture
before we vote. Thank you, >> Mr. McCatrick from the board of selection. ju just to to give the back of the envelope picture on these bond issues which was was asked for and that Phil Murphy started to address and I think it's it's a fair question because unless
you see how this can be financed then naturally everyone is reluctant to undertake indebtedness but uh and this is the best that we can do at this meeting and trying to make a lot of assumptions but just to give you a sense of what we think the impact would be if you were thinking about a $200,000 house
which would be about the average assessment under the high school science facility bond issue and uh uh debt exclusion that was approved. That was over 11 years. That was going to be about $13 per year for that that homeowner of the $200,000 house. For
that same $200,000 house with respect to the landfill project, you have to make a lot of lot of assumptions. But if we were successful with the cash for trash uh initiative, if we were successful with the strategy that Mr. Gordon's committee has outlined for us with the
central lottery. And if we assume that we had no further state aid, uh, which might be a possibility to make these numbers better, we would estimate for the purposes of this discussion at least that the impact of a 20-year bond issue would be about $40 per year on that
$200,000 house. With respect to the library project, again, you have to make a lot of assumptions about uh what the bonds would cost and so forth. But taking into account the state reimbursement, if it were a 20-year bond issue, we would estimate that that
$200,000 house over the 20-year period of those bonds uh would pay out about 20 to $25 per year. So, if you look at all of those things taken together, uh the impact is not is not a drastic impact. you're probably talking about an impact
of in the vicinity of 78 or $80 on a $200,000 house for these periods less the fact that Mr. Murphy pointed out that you have some debt being retired uh bond issues that we issued in ' 86 or 87. So that would reduce this this gross
impact that I've described and it would be a somewhat lesser figure. So the ability is here to do these projects and you have to remember that this would be by a debt exclusion override. we would be asking the people themselves whether they were willing to spend this money.
So that I think that since we are their representatives and since we know that these projects are important to the community, we should be willing to ask them. And of course, we would ask them before these bonds would be issued. Thank you, Mr. Moderator. >> I'm going to recognize Mr. England as the last speaker. I'm shutting off
debate and I'm moving the question. Mr. England, you have the last shot. I I I would like to know why we would spend the 30,000 before we ask the electorate. Why not ask the electorate and and then decide?
Okay. Take >> all those in favor of the warrant committee's recommendation say I. >> I. >> Those opposed? >> No. >> The eyes have it. It's carried. and we'll take a 7m minute recess and be
back in your seats in by 9:15. Please promptly Heat. Heat. Hey, duh. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.
Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Beautiful. So the Got to give me numbers here. Please take your seats. Town meeting members, please take your seats. There's a lot to do.
I have to pick that up. Hang in there. Right, if you could all take your seats and uh come to order. All right, it is now 9:20 and uh
I have at least hopes that we will just whiz right through the rest of these and have full discussion. But just in the outside possibility that we don't finish tonight and uh that might happen and before anybody else leaves uh the my
plan is uh because uh we have elections coming up uh here's my thought. Uh uh tomorrow's Friday. We'll won't have a lot of members uh on a Friday. Monday is the preparation for the election and the town clerk has a lot to do and has to
get up at 3:30, 4:00 a.m. to set up the polling places. Tuesday's election day and you and everybody when I leave the house >> and and we figure on Monday night you all want to be home reading all of those referenda articles that you're going to
have to vote on in Tuesday which will take up most of that night. Uh and so when when or if we do uh not finish tonight, the next meeting will be at 7:30 on Wednesday the 9th.
>> Okay. Best. >> No, because I won't be here. >> Okay. So that that's that's the way it's going to be. And uh we are now I think >> Excuse me, Mr. Moderator. >> Mr. Moderator. No, >> this lady first.
>> Yes. Uh Bonnie Joyce Haly, precinct 3. Just Wednesday night is anformational night at Milton High School for seventh and eighth graders. If you want to take that into consideration. >> I I I there are there are I am taking everything into consideration and uh there are conflicts like that all over
the place and this is the best we can do. I'm sorry. >> It's here. Now, I was informed that this hall was available over the night. Pardon me. >> All right. I mean, if it changes, I'll let you know. Yes, sir. >> Mr. Moderator Paul need in precinct 3. I
would like to suggest in the future when we have evening meetings the way we did last night that you inform us in advance when the continued night is going to be. >> I know it's hard for me to get here tonight. I know a lot of people who couldn't and had they known in advance that Wednesday would be continued to
Thursday, they would have been here. So I just suggest in the future when you have the evening meeting to let us know in advance when the second night be >> your point is very well taken and uh and I didn't miss it before you uh suggested that uh the what will now be a a change
really uh in the way we're having town meetings. We will now be having evening meetings. It's a somewhat uh and long evening meetings that don't finish. So, uh, and you have to react to that if I'd been smart enough, but after all, I am a
lawyer. Uh, I would have foreseen that this is going to happen. I didn't, and I assure you, and and I've talked to the chair of the warrant committee, and we're both in agreement, that we will then for the future, and this means the annual meeting, which won't be held on Saturday, to try to give at least a
couple of days uh out as to when the meetings will be. That's an excellent suggestion, and we're definitely going to do that. All right, let's get to the business. uh and maybe we'll finish tonight. Right now on article 19, this is an article
that requires a twothirds vote. So when I do call a vote after full discussion, you know, if it's unanimous, obviously it will be twothirds vote. If it is anything other than unanimous, uh we'll have a standing vote, which will
be fine, too. And uh I have read that article as it appears on article on page 20 and I'm not going to read it again but I am going to reread the recommendation of the warrant committee which has also uh been printed and handed out but in case all of you didn't
get it. Their recommendation is recommended that the care, custody, and control of the land described below be transferred to the board of library trustees for the purpose of location of a public library and that the board of selectmen be authorized to take any
action necessary for this purpose. The subject land is the land shown on the town of Milton Assesses map as section D block 40 lot 18 section D block 40 lot 19 and a portion of section D block 52 lot 4 containing approximately 1.75
acres known as the former V school site the M recognizes the Cogland Thank you, Mr. Moderator. In discussing this article 19, I will talk about obviously the site and I'm
going to talk about searching for sites and I'm going to talk about the Bose Thatcher and probably at the end say a few things about state funding again. Now in terms of the search for a site, I will be very frank with you. I have lost
track of the numbers of sites that we have examined uh plus the sites that have been suggested to us. We have w worked long hours in looking at the plans that we were given by our architect and then
also making decisions on sites we examined on our own. And I would like to make special recognition of Russ Tmaine who is on our committee who is an architect and also to um Marge Jeff.
They did a tremendous amount of work. I would say that Russ is owed a tremendous amount of money by the town of Milton. Let me begin with the three sites that was specifically examined by Fineold
Alexander Associates. The first one was the current library site. That area has 1.36 acres. The current building and its
surroundings are on about.8 acres of that 1.36. The conservation commission has ruled that wetlands begin 30 feet from the back parking lot.
A building and here is where I have to remind you about building sizes. A building of 39,000 gross square feet would overwhelm this particular site. In addition, none of the architect's
designs we reviewed accomplish the need we have for off streetet parking. I can go into more detail about cost here uh but I would prefer to give you the overview of all of the sites. The
second site that we looked at is the current library site plus the lot adjacent to the library on Canton Avenue. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Smith, and I understand that Dan is here, gave us
permission to examine their land, and they have graciously allowed the committee to report on our findings. The two pieces of land together are about 2.47 acres.
There is still not enough space for adequate parking and traffic safety could be a problem and the cost factor on this land I think would be very very high. There would be site development.
Uh there are other obvious cost factors. Uh, I think that if we were to use those two sites, which I don't think everything would fit, that we would indeed to be able to make anything fit, and they'd always have to be accommodations, that we could be looking
at almost a million dollars more. The third site that we had our architects look at is the Vos Thatcher site. And you had a handout last night
of a piece of paper which is 11 by17 in size. And I would like you to hold this sheet of paper with the 17 side perpendicular to you. And anybody who accomplishes it may have
an A from me. If you have actually picked up this paper the correct way, you will see at the top of the page that we know this is article 19, which I thought was 29 a little while ago. What
I would like to do is to work down the left hand side first. And as you come down the page, you will notice that we have an arrow with an N that gives you orientation to the north. If you go to the bottom left hand side of this page,
you will see a locust plan. In the locust plan, the three parcels of land that I will discuss are etched in a yellow. The important thing to look at in terms of the locust plan is the fact
that you can see the relationship between the land and the Pierce School as well as the Milton High School. Now, what I would like you to do is to go to the bottom of the page and please
position yourself on Canton Avenue, but watch out for the cars. Now, as you are standing in on Canton Avenue and you're looking up, you will see that slightly to the to the left is where the First Parish Church is.
Moving over toward the right and up, you will see the town office building. Behind that, the fire department. And then as you work your way up the sheet, you'll begin to see the
neighborhood area surrounding the parcels that I am about to discuss. If you go counterclockwise and back down, you will see the entire uh neighborhood. So that is the uh layout uh that we are
talking about. Now, let me give you the specific parcels uh in this article and they're designated in your recommendation this way. And you'll notice that we have
labeled the parcels one, two, and three. One, which on the town records is section D, block 52, lot 4. That is the vast school land. and that has
approximately 1.3 acres. Number two is what we have been calling the Thatcher land that is the D4018 that has 1.12 acres.
The last lot which is three is called Thatcher tax land and that is lot D419 and that has87 acres. The total acreage of the three
parcels that you see is 3.29 29 acres and this is the amount of land we uh require as well as the amount of land that we are requesting now from our rough architect plans that
we paid for out of our $10,000. This land can accommodate a new building. A building of 36,000 gross square feet. That is a new building the smaller size
plus some expansion into the 21st century and on. Also, it will accommodate from what we know now at least 70 cars and probably more. Now
the factors that must be considered in terms of the architects preparing the preliminary plans is that we will get the exact location of the building and the parking. We will deal with problems
of traffic and safety. We will deal with landscaping and other parking in the area and along the way deal with building appearance in terms of the exterior and make that suitable to the surroundings.
Now, we need in addition to this committee and its architects, we need the input of the neighbors. We need the input from the fire department, the police department, the
town hall, the first parish church, and I would say the entire town. Now, let me give you the committee's reason for voting to recommend this site. First of all, it will provide a new
building that satisfies the needs of the library. Secondly, it is located centrally in a Milton historic district which the present library is in that district. It
is located near the Pierce and the Milton High School. It is near but not on public transportation and I believe I could walk up the hill to there.
Fifth, we believe that the library will to all of the citizens of the town well into the future. Let me in closing on my remarks on this article talk a little bit more about the
state funding. The state in midepptember published the regulations for application for $45 million for public library projects. We understand that there will be two
rounds for applicants. In the first round, the state will use the 25 of the $45 million and in the second round they will use the balance which is $20 million.
We are pushing or being pushed to be and should be in round one. Fewer cities and towns will be ready to apply. One can still, if one applies in the first round and doesn't make it, you can
correct your mistakes and still be considered in the second round. And obviously, of the two rounds, the greater amount of money is in one. As Phil has already said, we can expect
to get uh almost, not quite, $2 million in aid for this project in round one. And I would remind you again that the state aid will be based on the cost of the building, not on the furnishings and
the computer and the rest. that will be in the total cost but only the building will be uh considered. Uh one of the things I had planned to do at this particular point was to talk to you about the implications of going
forward with this application and I'll do it again uh because perhaps I'll get it a little bit better. Passage of article 19 would allow the committee to apply to
the state by March the 2nd of 1995. We would expect in the annual May town meeting that we would be seeking your approval of the whole project and before January 1st of 1996
the town in an override vote I'm assure I'm sure would have to approve the funding so you have a sense of the timing. The committee asks your vote to approve the parcels one, two, and three as sites
for library purposes. Thank you. >> Moderator recognizes Mr. McCatrick from the board of selectment. >> Mr. moderator and town meeting members. The board of selectman unanimously and and enthusiastically supports the rec re recommendation of the library study
committee and urges you to vote yes. This town meeting first voted to form a public library in 1870 with an appropriation of $3,000 to be matched by an equal sum to be raised privately. In 1902, 26 citizens of the town bought
the land on which the central library now stands and gave it to the town. The current central library was built and first opened to the public in 1904, nine decades ago. The KD branch was built in 1928 and the East Milton branch in 1931,
both on land given by Nathaniel T. Kder. Mr. Kder at one time a selectman gave a great deal of money and service to the library over the years. I mention this town history for a simple reason. Tonight you and I as town meeting members will write another chapter in
the history of the Milton Public Library. What that next chapter says is up to you. Milton needs a new library. The current facility is 90 years old. We now have a rare opportunity to apply for a state grant worth about 1.7 million to
meet a portion of the cost. We expect to launch a major fund fundraising drive to seek private donations for the new library. Private gifts will supplement our local tax dollars for the project. It is ironic that the existing library was built on land purchased by citizens
and given to the town. For today, some abuters have objected to the town using public land in their neighborhood, which is already owned by the taxpayers. The consequences of failing to muster the necessary twothirds vote to site a new library tonight are too bitter to
contemplate. We must apply for scarce state library funding now while we have this window of opportunity. A similar choice was faced by a town meeting over 90 years ago. They made the decision to build. Look at the benefits that
resulted over the last 90 years resulting from their decision. Young children experiencing the excitement of books for the first time. Thousands of students doing their research and schoolwork at the library. Adults enjoying literature and learning more
about their jobs and hobbies at the library. A new library for us would bring many benefits. a better quality of life and family opportunities for enjoyment, higher real estate values, particularly for those fortunate to own homes close
to a new library. A firm statement by our community of our commitment to the future of Milton. Access by computer to the treasures treasures of the electronic global village. More efficient use of library personnel in a simplified modern floor
plan. Some may argue we cannot afford to build this library. I say we cannot afford a decision not to build it. Good public schools and good public libraries are two sides of the same coin. Both are facets of good public education. Good
public education means informed citizens in a strong democracy. The benefits of a good library has helped to preserve our town democracy. Remember your own sense of excitement when you got your first library card and when you took out your first library book. Make that same
excitement happen for the children of Milton's next century. Those Milton children yet to come are counting on you tonight. Dr. Cogland's committee has worked very hard on this difficult sighting decision. Many sites have been suggested and studied. Many of us may
have other preferences, but this is a community decision. Tonight, an extraordinary twothirds vote is needed. We should not second guessess the committee. We should not be scattered in different directions. We should speak with one town voice tonight and support
the study committee in choosing the VO Thatcher site in designing and laying out the building. Every effort will be made to consult the Abutters and to enhance the value of their property. This is probably the most important and far-reaching decision you will ever make
as a town meeting member. Tonight, you as an individual will touch the lives of thousands that will come after you. The board of selectment urges a yes vote on the selection of the Vose Thatcher site. Thank you, Mr. Moderator. recognize Mary Fitzgerald and then you,
sir, and then you. >> It seems to me as I was reading this before, we never quite got to the recommendation of the Warren Committee, which I hope that people would value hearing. Uh, the Warren Committee very enthusiastically recommends a yes vote
on this article. >> Okay. Yes, sir. >> Robert Mason, precinct 8. Um, looking at this lot, these three lots, which one is the building going to have its footprint on? Where is the building going to be located? One, two, or three?
>> The moderator recognizes Ann Cogland to answer the question uh of which lot. >> We do not know at this particular time. We have not had enough money to to study that factor. this will come uh with the preliminary plans. I couldn't I couldn't
tell you the answer. >> Okay. But you do >> that's why we need the 30,000. >> Okay. Mr. Mason, you're recognized again. >> Okay. The one of the lots that the school was in correct and they and they demolished the building. >> Number one. Number one is Bose and
>> and in in practices of the olden times they left the heating system which at that time would be asbestous in the basement and filled it in. Are we going to do bor sites on it? >> And if we are what are we going to do? Are we going to give it up or are we
going to get into a much bigger expense to have that asbestous removed? >> Well, let me speak one at a time and you're recognized. >> Um >> that's a fair question. We uh we do have uh information from the asbestous committee uh on this particular fact.
First of all, we do not know that there's asbestous there. We may very well guess that it is there. There would have to be borings done for any building that is being done. And we have talked uh about um there are other libraries in
which they found exactly the same thing. This would have to be built into if we do find the asbestous it would have to be built into uh the the building cost. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh >> well I don't think she answered the
question. So in other words the removal if there is then we don't know. Agreed. If there is rem aspis there you are going to remove it. Okay. And that is all included in the5 to6 million. Well, the answer the answer wasn't necessarily
going to remove it. They were going to deal with it in the cost. We'll deal with the commitment to >> and I don't believe it's any hazard whatsoever. >> You don't believe asbestous is a hazard? >> No. No. No. >> Wait a minute. One at a time. Mr. Mason, >> I do not believe that if there is
asbestous in that land that it is any hazard at this particular point. at the point at which we would if we were to find the asbestous there then it would be removed in a proper manner so that it is not a hazard right and we have again
Dr. Dumpy is the chairman of the asbestous study committee. Uh and he says, for example, asbestous is harmful only if it is airborne and inhaled. And I'd like to add to that as a microbiologist only if it is in a
particle size of micro meters. >> Okay. >> So I would say that we would be very careful if we found as >> Okay. Thank you. This gentleman's recognized. >> Michael Craft, precinct 5. I uh have some questions with respect to the wording. Am I understand that the
handout the language in this handout is the language that we're considering? >> That is the recommendation of the warrant committee. >> And uh with respect to title of this property, the title I assume is vested in the town. >> That is correct. And my question is, if
we approve this, is there a way to undo this if ultimately the library is not approved? Or instead, should we add appropriate conditioning language within this to make certain that if it's not approved and we want the town to regain
control of the land that we are able to do that? Okay. The I the question is if the town adopts this recommendation and the land goes to the authority of the library for the purpose of locating a library and
the project is not uh approved. Is there a vehicle by which you can uh have the land transferred to another agency? And I can answer that because I am a lawyer and I looked up all the laws relating to this. Uh, and it's essentially a legal
question. Yes, you can come back and you have another twothirds vote to transfer it to whomever you want. In other words, the reason there's a twothirds vote is why I had to look up the law under chapter 40 section 14 15. uh in order to have a lot of land that
is held by one of the town agencies for a specific purpose. In order to have that changed so that it goes to another agency for another purpose, one of the steps includes this one where you have to have a twothirds vote. And so the
answer your question if it satisfies you is yes. You can go through this procedure again and have a two-thirds vote to say well no we won't use it for library. will use it for a new police station or a new fire station, but it would require a two-thirds vote. Okay. >> Well, in an effort to eliminate the need
for the twothirds vote in the future, can we make this grant conditional that if the library is not built that it will revert back to
the present status quo? you you sure >> then I would propose a motion to amend the recommendation and I have this in writing if I could submit it to to the moderator.
>> Well, before you submit your motion, let me ask John Flynn to speak because there may be a procedure that whereby you won't want to file your motion. Mr. Um if if town meeting votes the question as it appears in the recommendation uh there is one further step to the
process and it was to be addressed with a future speaker but I will answer it now. Since the land is held in the custody of the board of selectmen, in order to finalize this process, the board of selectmen would have to vote to
surplus the land to vote that it's no longer needed for the purposes for which it's held. That vote can be taken either before or after town meeting. In this case, it would have been taken after town meeting. So the answer to the question
is yes the vote be could be conditioned but the other way to accomplish that purpose is that unless the selectment vote in the future to approve the transfer of custody from them to the library trustees there's a missing link
if you will in the process and therefore that transfer would not take place until that time. >> Thank you. And and I do think and I read those cases too uh that would mean that just to expound a little further on that
uh that if that vote wasn't taken that other step you would accomplish the same thing as your motion would the land would stay where it is now. Okay. Am I to understand that this vote of the board of selectmen would be a procedural
step that would take place far in the future just prior to the time when all the money is in place and just before the bulldozers are about to start rolling or is this a a vote of the board of selectment which theoretically could take place tomorrow to
>> theoretically it can take place anytime it could. My concern is it's very clear at this point that the board of selectment already unanimously approves the plan in place at least to the extent it currently exists. And therefore I'm a as a I have the concern that the rest of
us would like to see the board either retain control until that last step many months or years in the future or alter alternatively build in this condition. >> All right. All right. Well, that's a fair question and of course I don't know what the selectman going to do. So, I'm
going to recognize the chair of the board of selectman, Kathy Duny. What are your plans on this vote? >> Uh, Katherine Duny, town meeting member from precinct 9, chair of the board of selectman. The board of selectmen would not vote to transfer the uh custody of this land to the library trustees until
we were certain of the financing. And that would be um you know an override vote if necessary and um appropriate uh bond issue or whatever it took to made us sure that this project was going to go through with the approval of the town. >> Thank you. You're recognized again.
>> Thank you. >> Mr. McTrech reminds me that the bond issue would have to come back to the town meeting. >> Okay. >> Thank Thank you. With all due respect to the current makeup of the board of selectmen, however, in the first instance, it's likely to change very
soon. As we know, Mr. Mcketric has already uh announced his resignation and second there are proposals of foot to increase the size of the board. I feel that this motion which I'm going to which I am now going to make uh will add the necessary protection that I think
those of us who have concerns about this project would like to see built into it. So if I may >> well please uh read your motion first as a second. Uh in the third line following the word li public library I would like to add the following language
provided comma however comma that if construction of same is not commenced within three years and completed within six years comma then the care comma custody and
control of the land described will revert back to the board of selectment. Is there a second of the motion? >> It's been moved and seconded. Could I have it, Mr. Craft, so I can uh read it? Now, we have a motion on the floor. Uh
so I will take a debate uh on the present motion which is >> this is a motion to amend the recommendation of the warrant committee so that the article will now read recommended that the care custody and control of the land described below be
transferred to the board of library trustees for the purpose of location of a public library provided however that if construction of same is not commenced within three years and completed within six years, then the care, custody, and control of the land described will
revert back to the town. >> I'm sorry, >> to the board of selectment, >> board of selectmen, and the article and that the board of select be authorized to take any action necessary for this purpose. If you want to be recognized, Mary Fitzgerald, chair of the warrant committee is recognized. the
warrant committee gets a chance to ask a question. This is great. Um, basically we have a question in my mind as we begin to um deliberate and see whether or not we would support this. And I'd like to ask the library study committee, what does the the the um time frame does
is that okay having those kinds of time frames on it or does it present you with any kind of a problem? Because we don't know the answer. I'm I'm not sure that I have a a good answer to that. I Michael, I I think it's a good suggestion. First of all, just informally looking at the other
members of the library study committee, we have no qualms at all about turning the land back. Uh if if in fact we can't complete the project. So that that's not a that's not a concern. Uh as the everpresent lawyer, you know, we're all talking about these things. I get concerned, I guess, putting timelines on
it. uh if for example the grant process got slowed down and we couldn't start at a certain point would we then run into a problem with the three years and so forth that's my only concern uh and so I want to make that very clear I don't think there's any opposition whatsoever to putting a condition on it um you'd
like to have some flexibility so you don't then hamper yourself as you go through the grant process and remember that we're going competing against other other cities and towns uh you know and you don't want to put in something that will will uh make the library the state board of library commissioners uneasy
about that. So, if we can come up with something that will won't hamper us but will allow us to turn it back, I I don't think there'd be opposition from our committee. >> You're recognized. >> Alex Alexander Whiteside, precinct 9. Uh, an initial question, how is this
land currently held? Is it held for a specific municipal purpose or is it held as general corporate property by the town? Uh the moderator moderator recognizes Mr. Flynn
Town Council. >> Although it's described as three parcels in the vote, which is appropriate, it's actually two parcels. The V school and the so-called Thatcher building site are one parcel that was purchased in approximately 1884 from Milton Academy.
The short answer is I'm not sure if it's held for a specific purpose. It was not acquired for a specific purpose. But the answer to that question requires an analysis of every town meeting vote since then and it just there's no record that's done that. I as your town council
have to assume the possibility it is held for a specific purpose. The other parcel lot 19 was acquired by tax title in 1963. Again it wasn't acquired for a specific purpose. The possibility exists that it is held for a specific purpose. That is
the reason why there's a twothirds vote required at town meeting. Mr. Whiteside, you recognize. >> Uh, so just to make it clear, the twothirds vote that you'd be asking for is precautionary, it may be that only a
majority vote is actually necessary. >> That's correct. The other point I'd like to make is if the land goes back to the board of the selectman, it should be for a specific municipal purpose in order that a
further transfer would require town meeting approval. If it were to go back without a purpose stated to the selectman, then uh that protection would no longer be in place.
>> Mr. Flynn, you're recognized to clarify. >> Mr. Moderator, uh, if the land were to go back to the selectman, it could not be transferred from the selectman without a town meeting vote. A town meeting vote would be required in any instance. Uh, the issue is whether
that's a majority vote or a twothirds vote. But if the land were to revert back to the selectman, it could not be transferred to the custody of any other town board without a vote of this body. >> Thank you, Mr. Winchester. uh Charles Winchester precinct 3. Mr. Moderator,
uh I I rise to oppose this motion, at least as I understood it. Uh first of all, I think uh we all should be realistic enough to assume that the select one aren't going to give up this land unless this is going to go through.
Uh I think we can rely on the select one to keep jurisdiction of or any property that is not going forward for a legitimate purpose. But secondly, the wording of the art of the amendment as I understand it would make the uh progress
of this uh project an impossibility. As I understand it, the motion uh would uh prevent the transfer unless the project is commenced and completed.
>> It can't even be begun if it if if the uh transfer doesn't occur. certainly can't wait till the completion. >> Yes, sir. >> Ned Rogers. >> Mr. Moderator. >> Which one? >> If I could address if I could address my motion for just one moment, please.
>> No, you can't. I've recognized this gentleman and I'll recognize you next. >> Thank you. >> Ned Rogers, precinct 3. Uh, again, I'm not a lawyer, so I'm having a hard time with this. I'm sorry. Uh, I just don't see what we're really arguing about here. I mean, the library people are going to go sell the land after they've
got it because they can't build a library and they're really angry at us or what? Uh, I mean, we're we're talking about we're giving a public land to a public body and it happens to be in the wrong body right now. So, for technical reasons, we got to shift it around.
Fine. If it doesn't work out, we'll shift it again. Maybe we'll build a school up in Hillside Street someday. Who knows? This is just to me a prol prolongation of the town meeting tonight because I don't think it adds a darn thing. I just
don't see what's going on. >> Mr. P, you're recognized. Uh, first of all, I've been asked if I would amend my suggested amendment to reflect a longer timeline with respect to the contingency.
>> Not quiet. >> Order, please. >> One of our town meeting members is speaking and I expect courtesy from members. You may continue, Mr. Craft. >> Thank you. And I am prepared at the request that was made of me to change the years to five and 10 instead of the
three and six. Now, with respect to the concern that people have raised that this >> Wait a minute. I need is there is that seconded or do you >> I'll take that as a reframing of your original motion if that's acceptable. >> That is acceptable. >> And is that seconded?
>> All right. >> With respect, >> you wish to speak to the motion now. >> Thank you. I I do. With respect to my concern, which is perhaps not shared by many of you, I trust that we will have no difficulty
seeing that the land will not be used for some private purpose. But the difficulty I have is that those of us who may wish to see the land utilized as rapidly as possible in the event of the failure of this project, if that should
come about, would not want to have to come through the difficult task of obtaining a supermajority twothirds vote once again merely to get the property back into the control of the board of selectments. Thank you.
>> All right. Do >> you wish to be heard? One one more and then I'll move the question. Yes, sir. You're recognized. >> Max Horbert and Mr. McCatrick. >> Max Horbert from Precinct One. I'm opposed to this motion for the reason that we've already spoken. It's
superolous. We have the controls within the town government structure. We should follow them. >> Mr. McCre and then I'm moving the question. >> The motion. >> Ju just very quickly. We we want to keep this simple as possible. It's not workable to do the way this motion would
have us do it. There are all kinds of legal difficulties as Charlie Winchester describes. The grant criteria for what approval means would be jeopardized. This is coming back to the town meeting anyway for twothirds vote on a bond issue. Bond council would have to look at these votes and sign off on these
technicalities. Board of selectman is your executive. If we have the vote the way the committees are asking for it, the land isn't going anywhere at all. that will still be in the control of the select one which is where it is now. Uh we're the ones that have to schedule the overrides. We're the ones that have to
issue the bonds only if we find the the funding. So we have all the responsibility for coordinate coordinating this to begin with. So we would ask you to simply uh vote the motion as vote the uh recommendation as originally presented. Thank you. >> And I will get the uh position of the warrant committee from Mary Fitzgerald
who was recognized. >> The warrant committee recommends a no vote. >> Okay. I'm moving the question. And all those in favor of amending the recommendation of the warrant committee as described say I. >> Those opposed. >> No. >> It's not amended. All right. Now, does
any one else wish to speak to uh >> article 19? >> Mr. Speaker, I'm at the mic. >> Yes, sir. >> Uh I'm John for precinct 4. I'm sure there are other members of precinct 4 who received the same letter from 26
concerned citizens. all the butters of those sites that were u shown on Mrs. um on the advisory committee's uh map. Uh they were all opposed. There wasn't one
person there on that letter who was in favor of this site. Uh I'd like to make a couple of points. One regarding Mr. Metric's opening statement on the uh on this article the location of the current library back in
1904. If you look at the surrounding areas outside of the two churches in that library, I would venture a guess that there wasn't a single solitary property developed in that area in 1904. They built essentially on open land
so that there were no abutters affected whatsoever, let alone the 26 homeowners that will be severely impacted by this by this site. Um this the other the other issue that that kind
of bothered me here was that uh somebody at the microphone stated that the that the study committee should not be questioned. It's beyond me why this study committee should not be questioned when we all know that another
blue ribbon committee was not listened to whatsoever on another issue of dire importance to this town that I'll leave unmentioned. Mrs. Chicago's mention of the existing site. The additional cost of building on
the existing site would definitely alleviate the worries of the abutas and would still provide a viable site. And I'm sure that the site planners and architects are more than capable
of devising a parking plan on that site. I mean, if you have to raise the building up to add parking spaces, then by all means do so. That site is there. It's not adversely, it would not adversely affect any
director Butters and it would alleviate all the arguments that are going to arise and the lawsuits that are going to arise from this site because I know from personal experience with these people, they are not going to sit on their hands. They're going to
come after this town meeting. They're going to come after the town with a lawsuit. Now, this $30,000 would be like flushing it down the toilet because if they win their case, that $30,000 would be spent, gone, and it would be to no purpose whatsoever. I don't see the
purpose in it in this particular site. This site is going to cause this town nothing but problems. First, from the abutters, second, from the the site itself that Mr. Mason brought up, we we've seen the history of that site and
they just dropped that building there and just covered it over and there are pro there are going to be sight problems there. And if if that happens, that $30,000 is going to be flushed twice down the toilet because it's going to cost you even more money and you're
going to have even more lawsuits. I don't understand why this site I it's not the only site in town. And if this site is going to cause this town so much problems, then for God's sakes find
another site. It doesn't make sense because it's just going to cost us more and more money. I'd like to see a new library. I'm not opposed to a library. But I cannot for the life of me understand why this town cannot find a viable site that will not cause the problems that this site will cause.
>> Thank you very much. >> Moderator recognizes selectman John Michael Shields. >> Thank you, Mr. Moderator. John Shields, town meeting member from precinct 2, former town meeting member from precinct 4 and member of your board of selectman
and member of your fire study committee. I want to address a couple of uh issues that were just brought up. I want to talk about the difference between a fire study committee and a library study committee. As we said in March, the fire study committee never studied the
numbers. The library study committee has studied the numbers, has given you the numbers this evening, and has been honest with you. I want to talk about the lawsuit that was just just brought up. The lawsuit that was fi filed against the selectman
in the playground incident that uh that Mr. Fzano referred to was a lawsuit that really would have been won by the neighbors on a technicality, an issue of notice. It did not get into the issue of
whether anyone had the right, the selectman had the right to uh uh give the land to anybody or donate the land to anybody or lease the land to anybody. So that really we're talking apples and oranges in both cases.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe strongly that it's the if you have the the chance as a town to build a school science wing with 61% funding from the state, you build it. If you
have the chance to build for future generations a library with 39% funding from the state, you do it. We owe future generations the same consideration that past generations gave to us. I urge a
yes vote. >> Mr. Mason, >> Robert Mason, precinct day. Uh, I just have one comment on Mr. Shields's comment. Um, I disagree with the fact that the committee did not know the numbers, but that's that's irregardless.
I have the microphone, sir. I didn't interrupt you. >> Okay. Um, that's irregardless. As we all know, the selectman did their study and we all got that information, right? >> Does anyone else wish to speak on article 19?
>> Moving the question. All those in favor of the recommendation of the warrant committee say I. >> I. >> Those opposed? >> No. >> All right. I'm going to try it one more time. And I'd ask the nos. I mean, feel free. We will have a standing vote, but it's obviously not even close. Uh, all
those in favor say I. >> I. >> Those opposed. >> No. >> Okay. We'll appoint the following tellers on this side. If Dagmar Pollock, would you please be a teller? And David Sullivan for the Senate. Greg Buchanan.
Mary Senate Burke. Can't read your writing, Jim. Uh, Mary Burke, Dave Lions over here, and Laura Kale. Okay. All those in favor, please stand. The center tellers also count the uh
warrant committee, the selectman and the two people on the stage. Mary Senate Burke and Greg Buchanan and our tellers. Okay. Hallelujah. Come on.
Come on. Maybe a little sweet vacation. Cat. Cat is going to do >> and 22. Thank you. Mary. area. May all the eyes be seated.
All the no All eyes be seated please. All the nos stand. Okay, everyone may be seated. Uh, section one, eyes and n >> section two. >> Section three. 162 to
14. The vote is 162 to 14. The recommendation of the warrant committee passes by a 2/3 vote. Article 21 is to see what sum of money the town will vote to appropriate to repair and improve the town's water
system, including replacing and cement lining, water manes, painting reservoirs, and replacing meters and to authorize the board of selectmen on behalf of the town to apply for and use federal and state funds for this purpose to see how such appropriation is to be
raised and to act on anything relating related there two and the recommendation of the warrant committee is that the sum of $100,000 be appropriated for the purpose set forth in this article and to meet that appropriation the sum of $100,000 is to be transferred from the water surplus as of June 30 1994
and Mary Fitzgerald you wish to be recognized from on this one no Kathy Duny from the board of selectman will be recognized >> thank you Mr. moderator. The next six articles relate to water and sewer costs and are the reason the
selectman called this town meeting, although we picked up a few more articles along the way. First, some good news. The MWR advisory board has just sent out the annual water and sewer rate survey for 1994.
Over the entire district, the average annual cost for total combined water and sewer costs increased by only 2%. This was the lowest increase in the eight years of the survey and occurred not only because the state voted $27
million in debt service assistance to the MWRA, but also because the MWRA has their own warrant committee called the advisory board, which makes recommendations and which they are wise to follow. So the cost increase for the entire
district has been only 2% this year. The really good news is that in Milton the average annual cost has actually decreased. Not a lot, but it's the right direction. I would also like to speak about the capital needs of our water and sewer
systems. When we turn on the faucet, we expect clean water to flow out. Water comes to Milton from the Quabin Reservoir in central Massachusetts through the aqueducts and storage reservoirs of the MWRA.
In our own town, there are 130 miles of pipe, three storage tanks, and about a thousand hydrants. Our local system has a value of about $30 million. Last year, we spent only $85,000 for
capital improvements to our water system. At this rate of spending, we would be assuming the components of our water system to have a lifetime of 350 years. And that's not realistic. It's time for us to invest in our water
system. In the next few years, we should replace water meters and identify and replace or realign sections of leaky water pipe. The MWR water assessment has increased less than the skyrocketing sewer assessment. And if you turn over
the recommendation for the library article, you can see those figures. But the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act will mandate repairs and improvements to the MWR's water system, which will translate to higher charges to cities and towns. Improvements to our sewer
system are our first priority, but water capital improvements are also a good investment. The recommendation for this article is that $100,000 be transferred from the water surplus of June 30th, 1994.
The water surplus is the endofear balance. It is not the same as the treasurer's invested cash which on June 30, 1994 included not only this water surplus but also the June 30, 1993 water surplus
voted by the March town meeting but not used prior to this new fiscal year. And it included about $90,000 in service deposits made by contractors. The water surplus can be used only for water purposes. Part of the June 30th,
1994 water surplus will remain after this town meeting. All of that remainder will be used at the town meeting next May to stabilize next year's water rate. The board of selectmen support the warrant committee's recommendation for
article 21. Even more important is a favorable vote on article 22 for additional funding needed for completion of a program to reduce infiltration of groundwater into our lower our local
sewer system. We do not want to pay the MWR to treat rain and snow. The MWRA uses a formula to distri distribute the total cost of their annual sewer budget among the 60 cities
and towns of the district. Until last June, that formula was based on population, not on actual flow. In June, the formula was changed so that in the future, flow will be the major component.
Last spring, the board of selectmen became concerned that the sewer rate methodology was being redesigned to obtain a yes vote from Boston, which had 33% of the weighted vote. All three members of the board of selectmen
attended the meeting in June when the vote was taken. 19 other suburban communities voted to support Milton's motion to amend that methodology, but it was not enough. Now that the sewer rate formula has
changed, all communities will be rushing to do the infiltration work. It appears that Boston, which was sitting on a war chest of accumulated sewer reserves, has already reduced their flow. Prior to the vote in June, advisory
board documents show that Boston's costs would increase. Now flow data show that Boston share of the cost is down perhaps 7%. This could shift about $7 million to the
other communities including Milton. The message is clear. We must reduce infiltration into our sewers and we must do it at least as rapidly as other communities or our share of the MWR
district costs will grow. The cost of capital improvements on both the water and sewer systems may make it impossible for the board of selectmen to maintain this year's favorable water and sewer rates in future years. But the
alternative of these capital improvements would be even more costly. Our goal is to lower your bills or if that is not possible to keep them as low as possible. your bills and our bills.
The board of selectmen support the warrant committee's recommendation on the following six articles. Does anyone else wish to speak to article uh 21? You're recognized. >> Good evening, Mr. Moderator, fellow town
meeting members. My name is Richard Livingston from precinct 8. I rise to speak to this article in regards to the recommendation for the $100,000 to be transferred from the water and source surplus account.
The reason I speak to this article is up um am I to understand the treasurer's report as you just stated the treasurer's report was more money than what the actual figures
were. The $1.1 million surplus that was alluded to back on uh August 1 >> is not that you can ask questions and when you're finished I'll I'll recognize somebody to answer them. Well, that's not important. The most important thing is right now,
according to the treasurer or the town accountant in the water and sewer, the water surplus account has $684,772. The sewer surplus account has $446,595. That's almost a million. But in 1993,
town meeting transferred money or was raising money for article 9. 157,000 was coming from a water surplus account. 13,000 from a sewer surplus account. Article 12 was coming from a sewer enterprise
um and our water enterprise account. I would like to recommend ladies and gentlemen, we don't have enterprise accounts on our water and sewer and it's time that Milton went to a water and sewer enterprise account and no longer will any money coming from you for water
and sewer bills will be directed to anything other than water and sewer related purposes. Kathy Duny is recognized. Even though Milton's accounting system which dates back to about the turn of the century when we set up a water
system is not an enterprise account under certain state statutes. The effect is the same. The income for WA from water rates goes only for water related purposes for the MWR water assessment for the
operations of the water department which is part of the DPW for costs related to water services including pensions for water employees, health insurance for water employees and
certain services that would be provided by town council by the accountant. mentioned by the selectman's office. No money that is comes in from the water rates goes to anything that is not properly related to the water services.
No money for the sewer rates the sewer bills goes only for sewer related purposes. It does not go to water. It does not go to anything else. >> Anyone else wish to be recognized in the article? question. >> You can be recognized. Come to a
microphone so all your fellow town members can hear you and ask a question. Uh there was a statement made in the newspaper which troubles me and that's what brings me to question the surplus account that this was a savings strategy. What was that all about? All of this
money in the water and sewer surplus accounts was a savings strategy. That's what puzzled me and that's what brings me to request and recommend the town meeting at some point adopt enterprise accounts as opposed to the surplus
accounts. That's why I'm questioning the surplus account. What is finish your comments, Mr. Lington? >> What is a saving strategy underwater and sewer related purposes? What was the saving strategy of all this money? >> All right. Uh I believe the question is
that you read in the newspaper that somebody referred this to as a saving strategy and you want some town official to answer whether what if there is a saving strategy what that means. Uh >> Kathy Dumpy's recognized from the board
of selection. >> Uh two issues. One is um the town has considered uh setting up a separate enterprise account but Arthur Anderson recommended against it for the simple reason that in enterprise accounting you would have to account for the fixed
assets which would be difficult to do for an old system. Uh and the effect would be the same. Uh it might be a little easier to follow but it would be uh very complicated to set up. uh for a new uh enterprise account, you might
want to take that route. As far as a saving strategy, as I said, water money has only gone for water, sewer money for sewer. Uh we have not set aside a reserve account as did Boston to save up money for the rates to do capital work
in future years. It might be a good idea to do in the future. If it would to be done, it would be done by town meeting vote. It has not been done. Uh in the case of sewer in order to do capital work we have uh uh borrowed money through bond issues and then paid it
back out of uh operating budgets from year to year. In the case of water we have not uh we've done small amounts of work on the operating budget uh and we are planning to do some additional work this year and I think it is an extremely good idea to address our water capital
needs. Does anyone else wish to speak to article 21 and the recommendation of the warrant committee? >> All those in favor of the recommendation of the warrant committee say I. >> Those opposed. >> The recommendation warrant committee is
carried. Article 22 uh requires a twothirds vote. So again, if it's not entirely unanimous, uh we'll have to have a standup vote. Article 22 is to see if the town will vote to appropriate a sum of money for the purpose of financing the construction or
reconstruction of sewers and sewage facilities for infiltration, inflow reduction, or system rehabilitation, including costs incidental and related there too, and to determine whether this appropriation shall be raised by borrowing or otherwise, and to act on anything relating there too. The
recommendation of the warrant committee is that the sum of $345,000 be appropriated for the purpose of financing the construction or reconstruction of sewers and sewage facilities for infiltration, inflow reduction or system rehabilitation,
including costs incidental and related there too. that to raise this appropriation, the treasurer with the approval of the board of selectmen is authorized to borrow $345,000 under and pursuant to chapter 44 section 71 of the general laws as amended or any
other enabling authority and to issue bonds or notes of the towns therefore and that the board of selectmen be and hereby is authorized to enter into any agreements it determines to be necessary in connection with the project and its financing and is further authorized to accept and expend in addition to the
foregoing appropriation one or more grants from the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority or any other funding agency. Mary, did you wish to speak to this? No. Kathy Duny. >> Okay. Does anyone wish to speak to Article 22?
>> Okay, we'll go to the microphone, please. surplus,000. >> Okay, the time meeting member raises is that okay rais >> okay question is why isn't it taken from the surplus uh and why are you borrowing
Kathy Dun, board of selectman. >> During the past year, the board of selectman um hired a consultant who had u worked on rate setting from the MWR to set up a um a detailed structure for rate setting that would include all of
the components that should be included in water rates and sewer rates. and uh she reviewed uh the procedures that the town had been using and recommended some procedures that were very carefully fine-tuned. Uh one of the things that
she recommended is that we continue our uh practice of trying to stabilize the water and sewer rates. there was a possibility that if we used for instance all of the water surplus that we could have uh lowered the rate for water very very much this year but it would have
just rebounded next year and gone up very much higher than it's been the last few years and that's probably not something that I think the majority of people in town would want. uh she recommended stabilizing the water rate and she also recommended stabilizing the
sewer rate. If we were to pay for this uh out of the sewer surplus, we would not be able to try to maintain uh next year's sewer rate. Uh I I'm afraid the bad news from the MWRA is that we probably will not be able to continue it
at the same level, but it would be that much higher if we tried to absorb all of this uh capital improvement cost in one year. Uh that was uh a recommendation that she made and that we decided to follow. In addition, uh we have an
opportunity to receive funding from the MW for part of these costs. Not all of the costs. We don't have that much money allocated for the town of Milton, but uh part of this money will be in the form of a 25% state grant and then the state
will give us the additional 75% of only about $100,000 at this time and we will pay that back over five years at no interest. And uh that's probably a good deal and that would be one of the ways that we would borrow the money.
>> Thank you. Does anyone else wish to speak to article 22? All right. Now, I need a two-thirds and if it's not unanimous, we have to have a standing vote. All those in favor of uh the recommendation of the warrant committee under article 22 say I. Those opposed.
It's unanimous and it's carried by a two-thirds vote. Article 23 to see if the town will vote to amend the vote of the 1994 annual town meeting under articles 10 and 12 to revise the sums representing indirect costs attributable to the water and sewer enterprises. Such
sums to be included in schedule A local receipts not allocated of the tax recapit recapitulation as water and sewer estimated receipts to be raised from the water and sewer rates as follows. And in I won't read all the numbers. They appear in article on page
22. And the recommendation of the warrant committee is that the town vote yes. Does any member wish to address this article? Mr. Livingston, you're recognized. >> It may seem to be a trivia question, but we're calling this uh attributable to
the water and so enterprise accounts. We just established we didn't have enterprise accounts. Why are we called enterprise? They're not statutory enterprise accounts. They're just enterprise accounts. Why don't we have the statutory enterprise accounts?
>> Okay. All right. Is that is that a question anybody wishes to address? All right. Does anybody else wish to address article 23? All right.
Recommendation of the warrant committee is that the town vote yes. So if you're voting yes, you're voting with the recommendation of the warrant committee. All those in favor of the recommendation of the warrant committee say I. I. >> Those opposed. Article 23 is carried uh
with the recommendation of the warrant committee. Article 24. see if the town will vote to amend the vote of the 1994 annual town meeting under article 13 for the water and sewer enterprises by reducing the MWR water assessment by $52,288
and the MWRA sewer assessment by $73,600 to the final assessments voted by the MWR in June 94 and they are set forth on page 23. The recommendation of the warrant committee is that the town vote yes. Does anyone wish to address this article?
If you're voting yes, you're voting with by the recommendation of the warrant committee. All those in favor of the recommendation of the warrant committee say I. Those opposed. Recommendation of the warrant committee is carried under article 24, article 25 to see if the town will vote to appropriate the sum of $176,290
from the June 30, 1994 end of the year water account balance surplus to be transferred to meet the appropriation for water purposes under article 13 of the 1994 annual town meeting warrant reducing the amount to be raised from the tax levy levy from a,469,540
by $17 76 290 to a,293 250. This sum of a,293250 represents water estimated receipts raised from water rates to be included in schedule a local receipts not allocated of the tax recap allowing the water rate to be reduced fromund a $1.70
to $160 per cubic foot and to act on anything relating there too. And the recommendation of the warrant committee is that the town vote yes. Does anyone wish to speak to this? All those in favor of the recommendation of the morning committee say I. >> Those opposed carried.
Article 26 is to see if the town will vote to appropriate the sum of $77,36 from the June 30, 1994 end of the year sewer account balance surplus to be transferred to meet the appropriation for sewer purposes under article 13 of
the 1994 annual town meeting warrant reducing the amount to be raised from the tax levy from 2,962,792 by 77,306 to 2,885,486. This s sum of 2 million885486
represents sewer estimated receipts raised from the sewer rates to be included in schedule A local receipts not allocated of the tax recapitulation allowing the sewer rate to be maintained at $4.95 per 100 cubic feet and to act on anything relating there too. I wonder
what I said whatever it is the warrant committee recommends that the sound go Yes. Anybody wish to speak? No. Okay. All those in favor of the warrant committee's recommendation say I. I. >> Those opposed. And that carries.
>> Now, I'm going to take just one minute to confer here. Okay. Uh because we have some logistical problems. So, hang on. does not sound indicating we have action. 217. 21.
>> No. Thursday. alternative. >> Yeah, I really don't Well, can you live with it? Good day. 8:30. I still have a lot of people. Okay. Uh the logistical problem was on
uh that there is another function going on here next Wednesday night and uh and and if we do adjourn and there has been a motion to adjourn and it's been seconded and it's to adjourn instead of 7:30 that
we start at 8:00 on Wednesday, November 9th. And does anybody want to speak to whether or not we now adjourn because there are only three articles left, but I am informed that there is we will be here very late if we try to do the last three articles even though the there's
only three. One of them obviously is the fire station uh article and there's already I've already received a proposed amendment and I think on a work night um you know trying to go to 12 or 1:00 is just asking too much and so uh all those
in favor of adjourning to Wednesday November 9th at 8:00 say I >> those opposed >> the eyes have it we are adjourned till November 9th at 8:00 here down. Down to town.