The Belmont Energy Committee’s tireless work to explain the economic and environmental benefits of the “stretch” energy code paid off when Town Meeting adopted the article just past 11 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11. Article 20, requiring a two-thirds vote, was debated by representatives for about an hour before the decision finally took place at 11:20 p.m. on the fourth and final night of 2011 annual Town Meeting. Throughout the discussion, it seemed the vote could go either way with equal numbers of proponents and opponents for the program to create new buildings that are 20 percent more energy …

A few months ago, it sometimes seemed it might never happen, but as of last night, Belmont indeed finally has a town budget for the coming fiscal year. On Wednesday, May 11, after nearly three hours of debate, Town Meeting representatives approved a total budget for fiscal 2012 of $86,608,719, a 3.1 percent over last year's budget. It is a budget that will provide a few extra for town residents including longer library hours, more trees being planted, the equivalent repair and renovation of two additional roads, an increase in sidewalk repair funding and the restoration in the School …

7:10 p.m.: Welcome to the fourth – and final (hopefully) – meeting of the 2011 annual Town Meeting at the auditorium of Belmont High School. And we start with Article 4, the town budget. Elizabeth Allison, the chairwoman of the Warrant Committee, discusses the three part process in creating the fiscal 2012 town budget. As a visual presentation, Allison has an image of the calvary coming to the rescue, which actually occurred.  Allison explains why the budget, due to cost savings and new state revenue, saw an increase of $1.893 million from the town's January budget.  All but $300,000 from the…

For the second time in consecutive years, Belmont's Town Meeting representatives voted down an attempt to significantly increase the pay of Town Clerk Ellen O'Brien Cushman on the third night of the annual Town Meeting. The reps voted 127-110 to accept an amendment to Article 5 – the annual item that sets the pay for elected officials – by the Warrant Committee to increase Cushman's current $60,000 salary by 4 percent or $2,400.  The vote effectively defeated a move approved by a majority of the Board of Selectmen that would have increased Cushman's salary to $72,499 or a 21 percent jump.  …

7:15 p.m.: Hello, and welcome back to the 2011 annual Town Meeting.  And we're off to the Special Town Meeting - for articles that did not make this year's warrant. 7:19 p.m.: Adopted: to pay for snow removal, from the town's reserved account. 7:27 p.m.: The annual transfer of 2010 capital budget projects that was not spent and moved back to the Capital budget is accepted.  And we are back to the annual Town Meeting.  Now a discussion on Home Rule Petitions, Article 1, with State Rep. Will Brownsberger.  His assumption back in Nov., local aid forecast was "pessimistic" with a 15 percent cut; …

Before going on an interview or making a presentation, it’s best for a speaker to prepare what they are going to say with someone. Last week, Belmont department heads had their own review before the resumption of the annual Town Meeting tonight. And in many ways, the first-ever Warrant Committee Briefing of the fiscal 2012 town-wide budget was very much a preparatory exercise for town and school officials before approximately 50 attendees who came to the Beech Street Center this past Tuesday night. By bringing the heads of the police, fire, public works and school departments to address the …

The Belmont School Committee voted early Friday morning, April 29, to send the School Department's final general funds budget for the coming school year to Town Meeting in the next tow mefor final approval. But the $41.56 million fiscal 2012 budget is not the final say on school department spending. In fact, while the available revenue amount won't be changing, the Committee is activity readying to spend at least another $500,000 later in the summer weeks after the 'final' budget is approved by the Tome Meeting representatives. The School Department members and other town officials are …

Town Meeting sent a strong message against attempts to micromanage town committees when it voted on the make-up and responsibilities of the newly formed Community Preservation Committee on Wednesday, April 27. Article 21, the next step after the town voted in November to adopt the Community Preservation Act, asked Town Meeting to create a nine-member committee to study the needs, possibilities and resources of the town regarding community preservation, open space and affordable housing. While the final article passed with little opposition, Town Meeting representatives argued for more than an…

Wednesday was a different night but Town Meeting representatives sent the same verdict to the Board of Selectmen as they did on Monday, April 25, pertaining to two tracts of land abutting the commuter rail line.  Article 24 and Article 25 would have allowed the selectmen to sell or dispose of two small parcels on either side of the commuter rail lines in the south Pleasant Street area near the White Street extension. While the Town Meeting had voted down both articles at Monday's Town Meeting, Joe White of Precinct 4 submitted both for reconsideration yesterday, April 27, because he heard …

7:15 p.m.: Town Meeting is starting a bit late due to representatives trying to find parking. Moderator Mike Widmer said we start in just a moment. 7:19 p.m.: With no budget items, with only two major articles tonight - the tabled Article 21, the creation of a Community Preservation Act committee and a bit of a surprise that Town Meeting will revisit Articles 24 and 25, the disposition of the two small parcels that the Board of Selectmen would be able to dispose or sale that was defeated on Monday night. 7:25 p.m.: Article 21, the Community Preservation Act committee creation article is …

The Board of Library Trustees now has permission to continue their quest for $8.5 million in state grant money that will pay for nearly 45 percent of a new town library building. It took about 90 minutes of discussion before representatives at the annual Town Meeting voted to approve Article 16 on the first night of Monday, April 25. The decision approves the trustees’ application that was submitted in January to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Board of Library Trustees Chairman Matthew Lowrie explained a “Yes” vote does not commit the town to anything except the possibility…

The Belmont Town Meeting gets underway at 7:07 p.m. with Town Moderator Mike Widmer beginning the annual event. 7:25 p.m.: Donna Moultrup, the recently retired Health Director, is lauded for her three decades by the Selectmen and Massachusetts Director of Health John Auerbach. 7:30 p.m.: Chairman Ralph Jones announced the decision by the Selectmen of the allocation of the new revenue amount to the town and schools.  The main budget article will not be voted until May 11. 7:33 p.m.: Tim Bowman, chairman of the Belmont Vision Implementation Committee, gives a "report card" on the group's 10th …

Just a few weeks ago, the 'Stretch' code – which will be before the Town Meeting tonight – appeared to be a good idea to the majority of the Board of Selectmen. Under the warrant article written and sponsored by the Energy Committee, the new code offered municipalities a streamlined and cost effective way to achieving approximately 20 percent better energy efficiency in new residential and commercial buildings than what was required by the state's basic energy code. But in the past few weeks, the 'Stretch" code has been placed under the spotlight with residents making a duel argument of 1. …

The Belmont Board of Selectmen this morning divvied up nearly $1.9 million in additional town revenue for the fiscal year 2012 budget with town services receiving an added $300,000 and the School Department allocated an increase of $1.593 million. More than a third of the town's additional revenue will go towards street and road reconstruction and repair while the schools will be able to restore art and music to elementary schools, high school electives and revoke a good portion of the 40 pink slips sent to teachers this month.    While the additional revenue  – which was first reported to …

With growing opposition to a Town Meeting amendment that would require property owners to replace trees that are cutting down on their land is withdrawn from the 2011 Belmont Town Meeting that begins tonight. Town Administrator Tom Younger notified the Belmont Board of Selectmen that the Energy Committee which sponsored the proposal decided to remove the measure from Town Meeting vote due to the numerous rewrites the amendment has been undergoing since it was first written in January. In an e-mail to Town Moderator Mike Widmer, Energy Committee C0-Chairman Roger Colton said, "[I]t has become …

It’s difficult to predict which warrant articles will garner the most controversy at Town Meeting. Seemingly simple ones often compel an hour-long discussion; those town officials consider complicated sometimes pass without any comments or questions. It seems safe to say at this time, however, that Article 19 – the proposed tree maintenance and preservation by-law – will elicit at least a few emotional responses when it comes before the Belmont Town Meeting on April 25. The article asks for a new by-law requiring homeowners or contractors to replace any protected tree they remove or pay the …

Belmont Town Clerk Ellen O'Brien Cushman is hoping to see more of the public at the town's Town Meeting that starts in three days. "The Belmont Annual Town Meeting begins Monday, April 25 at 7 P.M. at Belmont High School auditorium. It’s open to the public and democracy at work." "To check out the items to be discussed, otherwise known as the Warrant, go to the town’s website and click on 2011 Annual Town Meeting Warrant or stop by the Town Clerk’s office to pick up a copy." While the Warrant – the document where the articles to be voted by the nearly 300 representatives are printed in – will…

Six days before the start of the annual Town Meeting and a day before the town's Warrant Committee is scheduled to divvy up nearly $2 million in additional revenue, the Belmont School Committee said it has created a blueprint that outlines the programs and classes to be restored as its budget climbs towards a level-service benchmark. The message comes one week after "very good news" from State Rep. Will Brownsberger and Board of Selectmen Chairman Ralph Jones who announced at the April 13 Warrant Committee meeting of an increase of $1.4 million in state aid and nearly half-a-million dollars …

Belmont's annual Town Meeting will begin in two weeks, on Monday, April 25.  In preparation, representatives of the town's eight precincts have or will soon be receiving packets with all the information they will need to attend the meeting: a selectmen's letter, a note from the Town Moderator, Mike Widmer, a list of the 25 articles in the warrant, a list of streets that will be repaired next fiscal year and ...  Not a single budget recommendation. Delays and dollar figures which will still be in flux until just before the start of the Town Meeting will result in the Warrant Committee – the …

In a move that they said would restore the power of the purse to the executive branch of town government, the Belmont Board of Selectmen approved Monday night, March 28, a measure to increase the pay of the town’s clerk and treasurer at the expense of the Town Meeting’s financial watchdog. The pay increase is just one of 25 articles to be presented at next month’s Town Meeting. See the complete list of Town Meeting articles on this Web page. Initiated by Town Administrator Tom Younger and OK’d by the selectmen to go before Town Meeting – which begins Monday, April 25 – for approval, Town …