New Articles for Town Meeting Warrant

Ashfield Town Meeting voters will have a chance to approve or reject a Mohawk Trail Regional School District proposal to establish a stabilization account for future capital expenditures. Selectboard members agreed tonight to put an article on the meeting warrant, though, according to board chair Ted Murray, the account will only be established if the majority of the district towns approve similar articles. If the account is established, it will be funded through the regular school budgeting process.

Murray explained that funds from the account could, by law, be spent only on capital projects that are approved by the school board. Murray said that the school board would have to notify the towns and any town can veto an expenditure through a special town meeting within 60 days. If the towns take no action, the project will be considered approved.

Board Member Dave DeHerdt agreed to place the article on the warrant, though he said he thought funds for the stabilization account should come from savings in other line items in the school budget.

The board also voted, subject to approval by the State Ethics Commission, to add to the warrant an article that will allow a select board member to also serve as emergency manager director.

DeHerdt said that, when this issue came up some years ago, the State Ethics Commission ruled that a select board member could serve as emergency director, but his or her appointment would have to be approved at a town meeting. He questioned whether an article establishing a general policy rather than an individual appointment would satisfy that condition. However, he agreed to put the article on the meeting warrant.

David King and Ruth Julian