By Angeljean Chiaramida
SALISBURY — Town Meeting will be asked to approve a bylaw prohibiting the use of marijuana in public areas, a bare-bones town budget and the purchase of a bargain-basement priced ladder truck, when it meets in two separate sessions on Monday, May 18.
The article to prohibit marijuana use in public was submitted by police Chief David L'Esperance and is one of 23 on the Annual Town Meeting Warrant, said Town Manager Neil Harrington.
"It's an article similar to others a number of police chiefs are proposing for warrants in other communities," Harrington said.
L'Esperance has often said he believes the use of marijuana, even casually, is dangerous and nothing to be taken lightly. Calling it a "gateway drug," L'Esperance said using marijuana can lead youth to try more dangerous and deadly illegal substances.
L'Esperance was not pleased when voters approved Question 2 on the statewide ballot in November. The approval of the ballot initiative decriminalized possession of an ounce or less of marijuana, making it a civil offense punishable by a $100 fine.
According to the warrant article, its passage would prohibit smoking, ingesting or consuming in any way any amount of marijuana in any public place, placing a town fine of $300 on top of any state fine or punishment involved.
Also on the Town Meeting warrant is the request to increase the fine from $100 to $300 for those arrested for drinking in public areas in town.
Approval is also requested for next year's town operating budget of $17,850,182, which includes almost $8.5 million for local schools. The budget represents an increase of 1 percent over the current budget and required cutting the equivalent of five full-time positions from town government.
The only revenue area that rose in the budget is the 2 1/2 percent increase in property taxes allowed by law. The projections of all other revenue areas — money generated by fees, permits, interest and state aid — were decreased to reflect the economy.
Harrington said to counter expected revenue shortfalls and balance the budget, he had to make about $400,000 in "painful" personnel cuts.
At Special Town Meeting — to take place right before Annual Town Meeting — voters will have a chance to purchase a used ladder truck from Reading for $50,000, the money coming from the stabilization, or rainy-day, fund. Salisbury's previous ladder truck was beyond repair and taken out of use. Harrington said the used truck proposed for purchase can be used in town for five years.
Costing more than $1 million new, and as much as $250,000 to $800,000 used, the proposed purchase of the certified and used ladder truck from Reading is seen as a good deal for the town, Harrington said. With buildings that rise up as many as five levels at the beach, fire Chief Rick Souliotis believes a ladder truck is needed.
Harrington said Reading officials agreed to hold the ladder truck for Salisbury until Town Meeting meets on May 18.
Town Meeting
Annual Town Meeting Warrant
Other warrant questions Town Meeting will address at Salisbury's Annual Town Meeting, which takes place at 7:30 p.m. at Salisbury Elementary School:
Approval of seven revolving accounts that support town agencies.
Approval of the zoning amendment needed after the remapping of the FEMA flood zones, needed to acquire FEMA flood insurance.
Two other town-proposed zoning changes: adding lots to the town's commercial C district and amending the parking requirements in the dimensional control table.
Accepting Catherine Way as a public way.
Accepting a parcel of land at 99 Rabbit Road for unpaid taxes.
Authorizing the town to borrow money to replace the beach water tank. The money will be made available through the federal stimulus package from the state revolving fund.
For a still-to-be-agreed-upon amount of money, conveying salt marsh land taken for taxes to the state's fishing and wildlife agency.
Two citizens' petitions, both zoning related, that concern amending the town's multifamily dwellings and mixed-use (commercial/residential) zoning regulations.
Special Town Meeting Warrant
Special Town Meeting will begin at 7 p.m., right before Annual Town Meeting.
Four articles would transfer a total of $105,000 from the free cash account to fund areas overspent this year, such as the town's legal, workers compensation and health insurance accounts. Free cash is money left unspent from last year's budget.
Three articles would transfer $95,000 from the town's stabilization fund, or rainy day account, to balance the Department of Public Works' snow and ice accounts.
A $100,000 transfer from the stabilization fund is also requested for the general fund to offset the revenue deficit that occurred this year, when usual revenue-generating areas did not produce the money expected.
To pay for one year of a three-year lease on two new cruisers, a balance transfer of $18,750 is requested from an excess in a Police Department fund for bullet-proof vests.
Copies of the warrants for both Town Meetings are available at town clerk's office at Town Hall.
