Williamstown Town Meeting On Tuesday; Voters To Decide On Budgets, Meals And Room Taxes
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Voters are asked to park in the School Street lot and enter the school through the rear door.
Also on the warrant are general government and school budgets. The proposed town budget of more than $6.3 million for fiscal year 2011 is up 2.9 percent from fiscal year 2010, and it has been unanimously recommended by the board of selectmen.
The selectmen and finance committee have also unanimously backed the articles to raise and appropriate more than $5.2 million for the elementary school and more than $4.6 million for the Mount Greylock Regional School District. The school district's assessment to Williamstown is up 4.57 percent from the current year.
The meals excise (.75 percent) and room occupancy excise (from 4 to 6 percent) combined are estimated to raise roughly $180,000 in the first year, according to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
Voters will also vote to adopt the "Stretch Energy Code," which would amend the town's by-laws in order to provide a more energy efficient alternative than the code set forth by the state.
Spring Street parking requirements are up for town vote as the planning board and selectmen have unanimously recommended that off-street parking shall not be required for properties fronting on Spring Street, except for multi-family dwellings and in places of public assembly. This article requires a two-thirds vote.
Voters will decide to amend the regional school district agreement between Williamstown and Lanesborough, which was originally formed in 1958 and its language updated only once in 1968.
The full warrant for Tuesday's town meeting can be found here.
