(Next Town Meeting — Spring 2009)
Town Meeting News
Special Town Meeting (Dec 2008)
Town Meeting Votes Down Measures to Control Spending and Plan for Economic Emergency
Warrant articles submitted by members of the Billerica Taxpayers Association submitted three warrant articles. The warrant articles were:
CERTIFIED FREE CASH CONTROL ACT BYLAW
(Sets aside a portion of “Free Cash” to be returned to the taxpayers)
WARRANT ARTICLE TO FORM AN ECONOMIC EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
(Provides for an independent committee to provide recommendations dealing with economic emergencies)
NONBINDING RESOLUTION OF TOWN MEETING
(Supporting Cost Control Measures)
None of the warrant articles were supported by the FINCOM. The FINCOM seemed to contradict or exaggerate the findings of the Town Counsel on several issues when they attempted to imply legal problems with the warrant articles. Unfortunately, because Town employees were able to cut short the debate – the misinformation presented by the FINCOM could not be disputed and corrected. One brave individual attempted to move for reconsideration and referenced the fact that the Town employees had prematurely shut down debate. There were many Town Meeting Representatives awaiting a chance to comment or ask questions on the warrant articles. Unfortunately, the Town Moderator ejected this Representative from Town Meeting — it seemed because of the reference that Town employees had shut down the discussion.
