Town meeting roundup: Millis approves transfers for roads, trees, equipment; updates bylaws and zoning
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Summary
Town Meeting approved 14 of 16 warrant articles, including $500,000 for roads and sidewalks, $100,000 for tree work, $208,180 in capital items, funding for accessible Glen trails, procurement and ADU bylaw updates, FEMA flood‑map zoning changes, and OPEB funding; two articles (leaf‑blower bylaw) failed.
At the Fall Annual Town Meeting the town considered 16 warrant articles; the meeting record shows the following outcomes and key details.
Votes and key actions (summary):
- Article 1 — Transfer $19,929.36 to pay unpaid prior‑year bills: approved (required four‑fifths; motion carried unanimously).
- Article 2 — Transfer $99,155 from marijuana impact fees and $348,075 from free cash (total $447,230) to cover wages and planned expenses including school resource officer salary and a full‑time school adjustment counselor: approved (FinCom 8–0; motion carried unanimously). Residents asked how the SRO salary is funded and how the town will cover the line when the marijuana impact funds end; staff said operating budgets will absorb that cost in future years.
- Leaf‑blower bylaw (proposed new Section 51): failed after public objections about statutory citations and exemptions.
- Article 4 — Transfer $500,000 for road, sidewalk construction and maintenance (planned projects listed, Chapter 90 anticipated to supplement): approved.
- Article 5 — Transfer $100,000 for tree pruning and removal: approved unanimously.
- Article 7 — Capital items: $208,180 for fire gas meters, General Code software, downtown light poles and a DPW dump truck; approved unanimously.
- Glen Project accessible trail design ($20,000 from CPC open‑space funds): approved; presenters said the intent is to design universally accessible trail upgrades to 2.5 miles of existing trails.
- Procurement bylaw amendment (align thresholds with Chapter 30B): an amendment to correct threshold wording carried and the motion passed; FinCom recommended approval.
- Dog bylaw fines amended to match state minimums: passed by majority; town counsel clarified the change raises fines but does not create new categories of violations.
- Surplus parcel transfer and sale (landlocked property): passed by two‑thirds vote to declare the parcel surplus and authorize sale/auction under state law.
- Zoning map updated to match 2025 FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs): passed by two‑thirds; presenters warned failure could impede mortgages/refinancing for affected properties.
- ADU bylaw amendments to conform to state statute and Attorney General feedback (remove family restriction; adjust parking rules): passed by majority.
- Asset valuation recertification ($59,000): approved to pay for a state‑required recertification of total value of town assets.
- Article 15 — OPEB actuarial study ($8,200): approved unanimously.
- Article 16 — OPEB fund transfer ($100,000): approved unanimously.
Adjournment followed the completion of the listed articles.
What to watch next: The school appropriation (Article 6) requires a second step — a special ballot vote authorizing the town’s share and tax exclusion (date provided at the meeting). Select Board and staff said several defeated or amended bylaw items may return in refined form to a future meeting.