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Finance committee declines to recommend citizen petition to ban single-use polystyrene
Summary
The finance committee voted June 16 to not recommend Article 29, a citizen petition to ban single-use polystyrene food containers effective June 1, 2023, citing concerns about the short implementation timeline and a lack of petitioner presentation.
The Town of Yarmouth Finance Committee voted June 16 to recommend against Article 29, a citizen petition that would prohibit single-use polystyrene disposable food containers within the town effective June 1, 2023.
Committee members said they had not received a presentation from the petitioner and were concerned the proposed implementation timeframe was too short. "I think the time frame's too short if it's accepted," one committee member said, calling for more information and deliberation before taking a position.
Bill and others noted the petition was proposed by RASWAC (the Recycling and Solid Waste Advisory Committee). Members discussed whether to abstain or record an explicit recommendation against the article; after motion and second, the committee voted in favor of a motion to "not recommend" the article. The committee recorded the vote as a formal recommendation against the petition ahead of town meeting.
Members emphasized that the lack of a petitioner presentation and uncertainty about local financial impacts influenced the decision. One member said the committee would reconsider if the petitioner returned with additional information or if the effective date were changed at town meeting.
The committee—s nonrecommendation does not prevent town meeting voters from approving the petition; it only records the finance committee—s formal advice to voters.
