Petition article on Chesterfield Town Meeting warrant seeks ban on marijuana businesses

By JAMES PENTLAND

Staff Writer

Published: 05-04-2023 2:25 PM

CHESTERFIELD — A petition article seeking a ban on marijuana-related businesses will be voted on alongside budget items totaling just over $4.8 million when Town Meeting convenes May 8.

The citizen petition follows passage of a bylaw regulating cannabis businesses at a special Town Meeting March 30.

Town Administrator Brenda Lessard said the town had interest from two potential cannabis businesses before the bylaw was passed. Since then, she said, one of the owners decided against starting a growing operation and the other also backed out.

“There’s nobody actively waiting in the wings,” Lessard said.

Voters will be asked to approve an overall fiscal 2024 budget of $4,816,894, which is an increase of $276,169, more than 6%, over the current year. The proposed spending would rely on tax revenues of $3,497,302, an increase of $122,042.

Voters will be asked to approve school spending of $1,897,063, which is $3,500 more than the current year’s budget. The minimal increase is a result of a drop of almost $30,000 in the Hampshire Regional High School assessment, along with a $20,478 increase in the New Hingham School assessment.

Proposed municipal spending of $2,919,831 includes an increase of $80,000 for major repairs. The Finance Committee reports that this follows the discovery of significant water damage in the Davenport office building.

The committee recommends smaller fire and police department budgets than requested, cutting proposed Fire Department spending from $108,306 to $48,511 and police spending from $100,767 to $88,579. This leaves a modest increase in the public safety budget of $7,774 over fiscal 2023’s approved budget.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

Scott Brown: Road to ruin for Northampton schools
Around Amherst: High school sleuths point out $2M mistake in town budget
Mayor’s budget boosts schools 8.5%: Advocates protest coming job cuts as spending falls short of demands
Michigan man indicted on alleged $1M construction fraud of Northampton company
Fire at Rainbow Motel in Whately leaves 17 without a home
Rutherford Platt and Barbara Kirchner: ‘Magical thinking’ in downtown Northampton

Proposed spending on public works is pegged at $1,106,889. The Finance Committee boosted the human services budget by increasing the hours for the Council on Aging’s director and financial manager, recognizing the “increasing role of the Senior Center in the life of our community.”

Debt service adds almost $130,000 to the budget increase, with principal and interest due for the first time on the loan the town took out to build the Chesterfield Broadband system. But the Finance Committee notes that the town is eligible for a payment of $58,445 from the federal Connect America Fund (CAF II), and that retained earnings from the Municipal Light Plant will cover the remainder, if voters approve the transfer.

Among the special articles are requests for transfers from free cash of $7,900 for wall repairs at the Mount Cemetery, $12,000 for new computers for the town offices and $90,000 for removal of underground fuel storage tanks at the highway garage and replacing them with aboveground tanks.

The town is also requesting more than $47,000 from free cash to cover excess highway department expenses from the winter — mostly salt and sand that were in heavy demand because of icy conditions, Lessard said.

Also on the warrant is a special article calling on Town Meeting to petition the Massachusetts General Court to allow Greg Smith to continue working as a Chesterfield reserve police officer past the age of 65.

Lessard said police officers have to retire at 65 under state law, unless an exception is granted.

“We’re trying to be proactive,” she said. “He just turned 64, he’s willing to serve, and it’s very hard to find part-time police officers.”

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.

]]>