Town Meeting to decide on budgets, drive-thrus, and marijuana taxes

May 30, 2019

Town Meeting members will weigh in on budgets, construction projects, marijuana taxes, and a fix to the problem of rogue shopping carts at the Spring Town Meeting.

The Spring Town Meeting is on June 4 at 9 a.m. It is held at Dartmouth Middle School, 366 Slocum Rd. Elected Town Meeting Members vote on articles via a show of hands. The meeting is open to the general public to observe. Here's what you need to know about this year’s agenda.

Community Preservation

Community preservation projects are funded by a 1.5 percent property tax surcharge, and can only be used on land and historic preservation, affordable housing, and recreation projects.

The Dartmouth Cultural Center, which leases the Old Southworth Library to operate a non-profit arts center, is seeking $85,800 to plan and design a historic restoration project of the historic 404 Elm Street building.

The Finance Committee did not vote in favor of the project. Members cited concerns with investing in a property that had at one point been recommended for sale, and were worried about the total cost of the project.

Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust is seeking $600,000 in funding and borrowing to preserve Dike Creek. The 73-acre property along Bakerville Road will connect to 380 acres of existing conservation land, and will help protect habitats of endangered species.

The town is also requesting $350,000 to fund its affordable housing assistance program. It provides grants for first-time homebuyers who meet certain income thresholds.

Capital Plan

The town’s capital plan includes $5.3 million in big-ticket purchases and projects, a majority of which is funded through self-sustaining enterprise funds and town revenue.

The town is proposing a new parking lot for Memorial Stadium behind a hill near the stadium. The $220,000 project would add 65 parking spaces for use during stadium events and parking for Town Hall and Dartmouth Middle School. A solar canopy is also proposed. The town is also seeking $20,000 to develop a master plan outlining growth, grant, and planning opportunities for the next 10 years.

The School Department has $620,000 in project requests, including technology upgrades to smartboards and computers, and new vehicles. Flooring replacements are also proposed for DeMello, Potter, and Dartmouth Middle School.

The Department of Public Works is seeking new vehicles and replacements to several pieces of hardware. The largest proposal, at $2.6 million, is the replacement of the Violetta Wells. Two of the three existing wells no longer produce water and a third well is failing. The project would build two new wells at the existing site.

The Dartmouth Public Libraries is proposing a $200,000 landscaping project for the new North Dartmouth Library on Cross Road. The extra funding will be used if needed due to higher than anticipated contingency costs of the library project. 

2020 Town Budget

Voters will be asked to approve the town’s $88.7 million 2020 fiscal year budget, $49.3 million of which goes to the School Department.

Akin House Lease

The Dartmouth Historical Commission is seeking to lease the historic Akin House property. The Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust has been working for nearly a decade to restore the  1762 Cape Cod house, located at 762 Dartmouth St.

Marijuana Excise Tax

An article on the Town Meeting agenda proposes establishing local sales taxes for recreational marijuana. The town is proposing a three percent tax, which is the maximum it can be set under state law. This would be in addition to taxes already imposed by the state.

Shopping Cart Bylaw

The Dartmouth Select Board has authored a new bylaw to combat what members say are unsightly and dangerous shopping carts littering Route 6. The bylaw would require all shopping carts to be labeled by its owner, and establish a $100 fine if the shopping carts are confiscated by the DPW. If confiscated shopping carts are not collected in ten days, the town could sell it for scrap.

Drive-thru Zoning Petition

A resident zoning petition is on the agenda to remove a ban on drive-thru restaurants in the town’s office industrial park district. The district is located along Faunce Corner Road north of Interstate 195. The petition’s sponsors are proposing a “concept” Dunkin location with multiple drive-thru lanes, including a drive-thru exclusively for online app orders, at Faunce Corner Road near the medical offices.