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Millis finance committee reviews draft town warrant; FEMA map appeal and Tri‑County debt among key items
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Summary
Town staff previewed a draft spring warrant that includes revolving‑fund cap changes for the Council on Aging, a capital article with a $1.3M meter‑replacement item, a proposed $120,000 FEMA map appeal study, a PILOT for a solar project at the former GAF site, and discussion of how to address Tri‑County vocational school debt.
Town staff briefed the Finance Committee on March 25 about a draft spring town warrant that includes standard transfers and revolving‑fund adjustments as well as several higher‑profile items that committee members flagged for further review.
Mike, the staff presenter, said the warrant aims to stay compact but includes a capital article totaling roughly $1.9 million, of which about $1.3 million is expected to come from water and sewer enterprise funds for a meter‑replacement program. A general‑fund item on the capital list is a roughly $250,000 estimate to mill and repave the municipal parking area.
The warrant also contains: a borrowing authorization for a police cruiser (two‑thirds vote required); changes to revolving fund spend caps for the Council on Aging (COA transportation and program services funds); community preservation articles including a $200,000 appropriation for an affordable housing project at 1178 Main Street and a $12,000 request for a high‑school baseball scoreboard; and zoning and bylaw amendments proposed by the capital planning committee.
Two items drew particular scrutiny. First, staff described a proposed $120,000 hydrologic and hydraulic study to support an appeal to FEMA’s updated flood maps on portions of Route 109 and nearby commercial/industrial areas. Staff said an initial, lower‑cost analysis suggested a strong chance of success and that correcting the maps could materially change development and property values; they noted FEMA requires the town to fund the full technical study for a map revision request.
Second, the committee discussed how to handle upcoming assessments for the Tri‑County regional vocational school’s large construction project. The town must pay both per‑student tuition and its share of capital debt. Staff outlined options including using free cash in the short term but emphasized that doing so repeatedly is not sustainable.
On renewable energy, staff said a draft PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) for a roughly 2‑megawatt solar installation at the old GAF site is under review by town counsel and the assessors; the project would be sited over an existing parking area and the PILOT structures taxation for that utility‑like property.
The select board will continue refining the warrant before signing it in early April. Several committee members asked staff to return with more precise figures on the snow‑budget overspend, capital projects, and any proposed use of free cash for recurring costs.
Next steps: staff will provide updated numbers and narratives where needed; the select board will review the warrant on April 6 and the Finance Committee will revisit relevant items at its next meeting.
