Brookline Town Meeting 2004: Discussion of the Warrant Articles
Submitted by Jon Garfunkel on November 16, 2004
Here are the 25 Warrant Articles for the Annual Town Meeting. Also, here are the Town Meeting Members, which include 240 elected members and 8 at-large.
The articles sure to generate the bulk of the discussion are #7 Underground Utilities, #11 on the cell tower (even though it recommends passing to a committee), and #21, a study to overhaul the 2-hour parking limit. I'm leaning against $7 for the cost. The Griggs Park Neighborhood Association is in favor of it. I'm willing to hear both sides.
I thought I'd list all the amendments below, even though most don't need any debate. I've added some comments to them, but I really can't do justice to most of them, as I'm cramming here. Several of them simply pass a decision onto a committee. Feel free to comment on them or add your viewpoints (that's why I wrote this software). The Town Meeting commences in about 17 hours, but it could well go on to a second evening as it usually does.
Article 7: Underground Utilities. -- LEANING NO
This is the big one.
Burying the utility wires would get them out of the way of falling trees during storms, not to mention real estate photos. The plan will add a 2% tax to utility bills, which could bring in $1M/year. The Undergroun Wiring Commitee estimates that it cost $1M for each mile. As 75 of the town 100 miles of utility wires are not underground, this will take the better part of the century to complete.
I'm leaning no. The Advisory Committee appeared to be split. I'll heed an emotional appeal either way here.