Special Town Meeting Set for Monday, Nov. 4

Have your overcoat at the ready when you travel to watch or attend Belmont's Special Town Meeting.

A tentative calendar was presented by Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman to the Belmont Board of Selectmen at their Monday morning meeting, Sept. 9, which set the town's Special Town Meeting for Monday, Nov. 4 at Belmont High School's auditorium with a second night – if necessary – set for Wednesday, Nov. 6.

On the meeting's agenda include three articles, two which were set aside at the town's annual Town Meeting in June. The proposed Demolition Delay and new Sidewalk Snow Removal bylaws are back on the warrant that will be voted on by the approximate 290 representatives.

In addition, Town Meeting will debate and vote on an extension of a current debt stream that will be redirected to reconstruct and repair Belmont High School's artificial Turf surface at Harris Field. The reps will have a design and cost estimate from an engineering firm – which will be completed by mid-October – that will be vetted by the town's Warrant and Capital Budget committees. 

Belmont Town Administrator David Kale told the board that if there are citizen's petitions – proposed bylaws placed on the Town Meeting warrant by any resident – will likely be debated and voted on the second night.

But residents will only have one day, Tuesday, Sept. 24, to present a completed petition at the Town Clerk's Office, as the Selectmen will open and close the Special Town Meeting warrant on that day.

An example of a successful citizen's petition occurred at this year's Town Meeting when the representatives approved a one-year moratorium on developers tearing down residential homes to build multiple-unit structures on the same lot. 

If you are looking to bring an article before Town Meeting, it will need to be certified by the Town Clerk.

All requests have to be in writing, and each request for a particular subject have to be submitted as a separate petition.

The final language of the Citizen Petition Warrant Article must be signed by at least 10 registered voters and certified by the Town Clerk prior being placed in the warrant. 

For more information, contact David Kale, Town Administrator, at 617-993-2610.