The Millis Finance Committee reviewed the draft fall town meeting warrant on Oct. 15 and voted, article by article, to recommend approval of all 16 warrant articles as drafted. Committee members discussed the Department of Revenue certification of “free cash,” funding sources for individual articles, and the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s (MSBA) pending review of the school building article.
Town finance staff told the committee the Department of Revenue had not yet certified free cash but expected a floor figure of about $2.8 million; the staffer said the figure could only go up and that the currently proposed fall-warrant capital requests fit comfortably under that floor.
Town Administrator and staff said the draft warrant has been reviewed by town counsel and bond counsel; article 6 (the school building project) also is under MSBA review and the warrant language uses percentage contribution language at bond counsel’s suggestion. Town staff said MSBA had indicated it should be able to return final comments in time for the Select Board’s meeting before the warrant is finalized.
Committee members discussed a range of articles, including unpaid bills, budget adjustments, land disposition, roads and sidewalks funding, tree pruning and removal, Community Preservation-funded trail design, zoning and bylaw updates, a proposed restriction on commercial gas-powered leaf blowers, assessor recertification, and OPEB funding and actuarial work. For many capital items the committee asked that the motion include explicit funding sources (for example, free cash, enterprise funds, taxation). Town staff confirmed that final motions (as prepared by town counsel) will include funding-source language and that, if the Select Board amends any article before the warrant is printed, the Finance Committee will revisit that article at its next meeting.
The most substantive discussion concerned article 6, the Millis Middle/High School addition and renovation. Committee members asked whether costs incurred to date (for the feasibility study) would be eligible for MSBA reimbursement; town staff explained that if the project passes town meeting the feasibility-study costs (about $1.3 million committed) would be treated as project costs eligible for the same percentage reimbursement as the rest of the project. Committee members described the project as necessary and said the MSBA contribution and timetable make the opportunity timely.
Votes at a glance
- Article 1 (Unpaid bills, total $19,929.36; funding: free cash and enterprise reserves): mover Pete Berube; result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 2 (Budget adjustments/appropriations, $447,230; funding: impact fees and free cash): mover Mark Johnson; result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 3 (Transfer/disposition of town-owned parcel 33-013-00): mover Joyce Boyardee; result: recommend approval (8–0); two-thirds vote required at town meeting.
- Article 4 (Road/sidewalk work $500,000 from free cash): mover Pete Berube; result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 5 (Tree pruning/removal $100,000 from free cash): mover Joyce Boyardee; result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 6 (Millis Middle/High School addition & renovation; anticipated ~$125 million project; MSBA participation; contingent on proposition 2½ debt exclusion): mover Chris (Finance Committee member; presented for the School Building Committee); result: recommend approval (unanimous vote recorded; chair did not record dissent); requires two-thirds vote at town meeting.
- Article 7 (Capital items $208,180: Fire gas meters $30,410; code software $16,500; downtown light poles $70,900; DPW Chevy 3,500 dump truck $90,370; funding split noted in motion): mover Eric Martinson; result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 8 (Community Preservation: $20,000 for design of universally accessible Glen Ellyn trail): mover Eric Martinson; result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 9 (Update contracting thresholds in general bylaws: new dollar thresholds $10,000/$50,000): mover Mark Johnson; result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 10 (Increase fines in bylaws related to animal disturbance/animal control): mover Mike Kron; result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 11 (Commercial gas-powered leaf blower restrictions; permitted hours and exemptions): mover Mike Kron; result: recommend approval (8–0); committee noted possible wording concerns (exemption reference to “high school student” flagged for Select Board review).
- Article 12 (Zoning map amendment to adopt 2025 FEMA flood insurance rate map): mover Jen (Planning liaison); result: recommend approval (8–0); two-thirds vote required.
- Article 13 (ADU / zoning bylaw amendments to align with state guidance and Attorney General comments): mover Jen (Planning liaison); result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 14 (State-required full reassessment / total-asset valuation recertification, $59,000 from free cash): mover Jen (Planning liaison); result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 15 (OPEB actuarial study $8,200 from free cash): mover Pete Berube; result: recommend approval (8–0).
- Article 16 (Transfer $100,000 from free cash to OPEB trust fund): mover Pete Berube; result: recommend approval (8–0).
Discussion and next steps
Committee members emphasized that town-counsel-drafted motions (to be read verbatim at town meeting) will include funding-source language and that any Select Board edits that occur before printing will require the Finance Committee to revisit the affected article. Town staff said MSBA and bond counsel reviews were expected to be completed in time for the Select Board meeting that finalizes the warrant. The committee recorded unanimous recommendations on each article as currently drafted and agreed to reconvene if any warrant language changes before printing.