Stranger than fiction

I am always amazed at how some truths seem to be different depending on one's goals.  As we all know however, the truth is the truth, it is the slant some put on it that morphs it, usually for convenience sake.

Anyway ... 

 With the special town meeting looming, just what is one it besides the land issue?

There are 14 articles on the warrant, the last of which is the old standard "other business". So essentially we have a luck 13 working articles to deal with.

Article 1 deals with supplements to the current year operating budget for some departments.  Other than the curiosity factor, these shouldn't cause any real controversy. 

Article 2 is funding for a union contract.  Essentially same terms as the contracts for other unions previously approved.

Article 3, some bills for prior years. 

Articles 4 and 5 are articles for transferring the custody and control from the school dept. to selectmen of the Rogers/Oxford buildings for sale or other disposition, subject to further town meeting approval.  Vote for the articles. Please!

Ditto for Article 6 which seeks money to sell or dispose!

At this point, yours truly just might be willing to break his fingers and tape his mouth shut if we could be done with these buildings, no matter who or what was involved.  

But let me be clear, voting for these articles is not, I repeat IS NOT voting to support any specific plan. 

Articles 4 and 5 in all honesty should be no brainers for TM members. Procedural necessary and conditioning any further action to be approved by TM the same needs to be done.

Approval of these two articles do nothing more than transfer formal custody and control from one town entity to another. The reason this is needed is so the other actually has the legal authority to do what it has been trying to do for a long time, i.e. exercise the authority over the buildings working toward the selling or disposal of the buildings.   Final say and approval to be at a future date.

NO ONE should be assuming, arguing, implying or directly stating that this is also a referendum on a specific proposal. 

IT IS NOT. 

That won't keep someone from trying to argue that fact if something does go the way they like it.  But the articles are what they are, and this isn't what some may want you to believe it is.

So let's all be clear on that particular point.  The articles are for permission to sell or dispose and finance what is needed to get the ball rolling. the articles are not for any specific plan.

Have I repeated myself enough on this?

Article 7 is the fuel for the engine of this STM.  Mill Road.  Been enough said on this in prior posts. Maybe not quite enough on the Jekyll and Hyde aspect of why we are exercise the option under a conservation statute, but hey ... if we do it, it will be legal.  

Article 8 is the Municipal aggregate thingy. The worse case scenario out of this is at some point people will have to take the affirmative action to opt out of any such plan. Well that would only be the worse case scenario assuming people understand they can.  

Articles 9, 10, 11 and 12 are essentially house keeping articles.  Moving money around from specific accounts.  The first three will actually end up resulting in savings, and the fourth needs to be done to make an adjustment due to final figures being higher than estimates.

I know not a whole lot of detail, but also not a whole lot of reason for the need for detail on these.

Luck number 13 is the Town Administrator article, which is back for approval of the special legislation.  Can't say that this might not result in some discussion. I can say that it shouldn't go beyond an explanation.  

Lucky number 13 should not be viewed as a second kick at the can by any TM member. Certainly not by any member who wasn't there in May. Just as certainly by any member who was.  The re-vote by TM was inserted in the legislation to insure that any changes that were made to the article up in Boston were to solely in the nature of language/legal and not changes of intent. Take that for what it is worth.

Bottom line, This STM shouldn't drag on too long.  We should get to Mill Road by 7:30 P.M. the latest.  That assumes someone doesn't get cute with the school articles and feel the need to get up and try to tack something on, or do some procedural maneuvering.

Mill Road will take the bulk of the time, but in all honesty, I think the presentations will take longer than the discussions.

In the end, the ending arguments for that article should have been the beginning ones.  I think we will get a quick read on the sentiment for this article.  

Here is hoping there is only one bump in the road.

Just a run down here.  

Be safe.