Brent's Special Town Meeting votes

Because the Special warrant was short (17 articles), Moderator David Vieira didn't do a blanket vote, but went over each article individually.

Article 1 was to adjust our Fiscal Year 2009 operating budget to accommodate the $168,139 reduction in state aid. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 2 transferred $127,600 from various accounts to fund expenses at the sewer plant. Between overtime, chemicals to treat the water, and electricity, the expenses exceeded the original budget. I voted "aye"; it passed.

An aside, I hope that we (i.e., the Board of Selectmen) will vote to increase sewer rates in the fall so that we can keep pace with expenses when the New Silver Beach plant comes online.

Article 3 was to transfer $30,000 to Veterans Ordinary Benefits. More vets have become eligible for benefits, hence the increased expenses. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 4 was for funding group health insurance benefits. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 5 transferred $30,000 from various line items to cover increased unemployment insurance expenses. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 6 transferred $55,000 to cover medical expenses (for the fire and police departments) which are not already covered by insurance. These folks put their lives on the line for us, so I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 7 moved $535 from the FY2007 Overlay Reserve Account to the FY1998 Overlay Reserve Account. These funds cover tax abatements. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 8 was to fund property valuation, but the bids to do the work haven't been completed yet. I voted with the rest of town meeting to indefinitely postpone this.

We've already discussed Article 9.

Article 10 appropriated $20,000 from the Community Preservation Fund Community Housing Reserve to begin funding the Housing Production Plan. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 11 approved the purchase of a 6.832 acre parcel that fronts Pond 14 on the Coonamessett River. The grand total was $935,000, but $135,000 will come from the 300 Committee, $100,000 will come from the Community Preservation Fund Open Space Reserve, $284,000 from the Community Preservation Fund Undesignated Fund Balance, $16,000 from open space mitigation funds, and $400,000 from a state LAND (Self-Help) grant.

I like these kinds of purchases - where everyone chips in - so I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 12 created a revolving fund account for the Historical Commission, funded by proceeds from the sale of the "Book of Falmouth." I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 13 asked town meeting to accept MGL Ch 32B, S 18 which requires that all retirees who are enrolled in Medicare Part A also enroll in a Medicate supplemental plan. This helps limit the town's expenses for retirees. I voted "aye"; it passed.

Article 14 would have extended the room tax to timeshares and house rentals.

I'm happy to say that I was the lone dissenting vote when the board initially decided to put this article on the warrant.

This article generated enough controversy to lead everyone to believe that it would be a rather heated debate. Instead, shortly before town meeting, I was told that we (the selectmen) would be voting for a new recommendation: indefinite postponement.

From what I could tell, there were so many questions and so much opposition that the article was defeated even before town meeting began. Selectman Mary Pat Flynn announced - to a round of applause from town meeting - that the board had reconsidered its positive recommendation. After her short presentation, I voted with the rest of town meeting to indefinitely postpone this.

Article 15 authorized the town to join the Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative.

Cape Cod is considered a rural county, the Cape & Vineyard Electric Cooperative is a rural electric cooperative, and rural electric cooperatives have their roots back 100+ years, when the federal government was trying to encourage the electrification of sparsely populated rural areas.

A rural electric cooperative allows local municipalities to work together to build electrical generation facilities. Way back when, it might have been a coal-fired plant. These days, we're looking to wind, solar and other zero-emission technologies in order to reduce, if not eliminate, the cost of the electricity used to run our town.

I voted "aye"; it passed.

We've already discussed Article 16.

Article 17 was the housekeeping article. I voted "aye"; it passed.

And then I voted "no"; I think I was the lone dissenting vote.

Don't ask me why I did this. The only explanation I can officer is that it was late, and I was tired and on autopilot. "No" was an automatic response, and I was as surprised as everyone else that I said it.

It was good for a few laughs, if nothing else.