PELHAM — Pelham could become the first Town Meeting to encourage state legislators and Gov. Charlie Baker to pass the Safe Communities Act that would ensure Massachusetts is a safe haven for all immigrants.
The 47-article warrant, which also includes articles asking Congress to investigate impeaching President Donald Trump and promoting energy efficiency to combat climate change, begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Pelham Elementary School.
“Pelham will be the first town in the commonwealth to bring the issue of a statewide act to a town meeting vote,” said Michael Hussin, a member of Pelham Neighbor to Neighbor, which is bringing the article in support of the Safe Communities Act forward.
Residents will also be presented a $4.46 million municipal budget, an increase of $56,923, or 1.3 percent, over this year’s $4.41 million budget.
Like Shutesbury, which is also holding its Town Meeting Saturday, Pelham will consider changing the formula for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools that will drop its assessment from $1.13 million to $1.04 million, while the elementary schools budget will go up from $1.57 million to $1.64 million.
Several free cash transfers are related to the elementary school, including $16,200 that will be used to purchase three projectors and 20 monitors, and for painting and replacing furniture in the gym and cafeteria. Another $25,000 will go toward reimbursement of unanticipated special education charges, with $33,420 to cover an early retirement incentive.
Free cash totaling $6,000 will be used to update the code of Pelham books, $1,000 will go for maintenance of the Historic Complex, $2,000 for consultants for the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals and $5,000 to hire a part-time conservation agent, $500 for preservation of town clerk records, $1,000 for the Cemetery Commission to make repairs to town cemeteries, and $5,000 for the required property reassessment.
More free cash spending includes $35,000 to make repairs to the Community Center to prepare it for future painting, $7,000 to repair, paint and stain all 67 window sashes at the Community Center, $6,500 to power wash, repair, paint and stain the exterior of the salt shed, and $15,000 to purchase 200 tons of bituminous concrete that will be used to resurface town roads.
Other spending will include $225,000 from the Capital Plan Stabilization Fund to buy a heavy duty dump truck with snow fighting equipment and $45,000 from the Capital Equipment Stabilization account to purchase a new four-wheel drive vehicle, replacing the 2009 Ford Taurus
A total of $50,000 in Community Preservation Act money will be used to put a conservation restriction on 36 acres of land that, coupled with a donation from the property owner, will protect the Pemberton parcel. Another $21,790 from the CPA account will be used to address safety and protection issues at the Town Hall, Meetinghouse and the Historical Society Museum, including hiring a structural engineer and preservation carpenter, improving lighting, adding exit signs and enhancing handicapped access. Finally, $35,995 in CPA money will go to preserve and digitize selected historic town record books.
John Bonifaz of Amherst, co-founder of Free Speech for the People, spearheaded the impeaching investigation petition that aims to have Congress examine whether Trump is violating corruption clauses that prevent a president from being beholden to foreign governments and not playing favorites with state and federal governments. Leverett Town Meeting endorsed a similar resolution last weekend.
Pelham will also consider confronting greenhouse gas emissions, with the text of a resolution reading: “Pelham recognizes that greenhouse gas emissions generated by fossil fuels have already set climate change in motion, and that arresting these changes will require actions at every level of society.”
The resolution suggests energy- and water-efficient buildings and adopting clean, local renewable energy sources, tasking “every elected and appointed town official to implement measures that conserve vital water and energy resources, and minimize carbon emissions.”
In addition, the warrant has an article that, if approved, would move annual Town Meeting to the second Saturday in May.
Pelham holds its election Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Ramsdell Room at the Peham Library.
Candidates who will be on the ballot include incumbent Board of Selectmen member Karen Ribeiro, 10 Bray Court, for a three-year position; incumbent moderator Daniel E. Robb, 37 Amherst Road, for the one-year seat; incumbent Town Clerk Kathleen M. Martell, 200 Packardville Road, for a three-year seat; Ronald C. Mannino, 17 Arnold Road, and Jessica R.T. Jean-Louis, 14 Gulf Road, for two, three-year terms on the School Committee; incumbent Jacques M. Graton, 9 Country Lane, for Pelham Library trustee and Gillian H. Duda, 18 Harkness Road
There are no candidates for a vacant two-year seat on the School Committee, a one-year seat as Pelham Library trustee, a three-year seat on the Board of Assessors, a three-year seat on the Board of Health, a three-year seat on Cemetery Commission, a five-year seat on Planning Board, a one-year term as auditor.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
