Taking a look at the draft Fall Town Meeting agenda at its Monday, Sept. 23 meeting, the Select Board recommended all but two items — which they are calling to be removed.

The first of those items may sound familiar. 

Last spring, the town’s Charter Review Committee proposed to switch the responsibility of hiring and negotiating the compensation of the Public Works director from the Board of Public Works to the Select Board. Facing opposition, especially with the Department of Public Works amid its efficiency study, the request was postponed for the fall in hopes the study would be completed. 

Anticipating the request again, members of the Board of Public Works reaffirmed their position against the proposal at its meeting Thursday, Sept. 19.

“I guess I could characterize it in just a couple words: I’m disappointed and annoyed,” said Public Works Board member Ronald Labelle. 

Board member Richard Alves said it shouldn’t change, but “we’ll leave it up to the locals.”

However, given that the study is not yet finished, Select Board member Heidi Silva Brooks, who sits on the Charter Review Committee, recommended the request be removed from the Town Meeting agenda. The board agreed unanimously.

Additionally, the Select Board unanimously agreed the Citizen’s Petition calling for a “health insurance study” should be removed from the agenda on the recommendation of town counsel. 

Select Board member David Tatelbaum clarified the move was made not out of disagreement of the petitioner's request, but with town counsel noting the request is out of the scope of town meeting.

The remainder of Town Meeting’s agenda, filled with funding requests and collective bargaining agreements, were all recommended by the board.

The board recommended approval for the request to transfer $500,000 from the town’s surplus revenue to its stabilization fund.

“In the past, the town has customarily put a million dollars in this account every single year,” said Gary Carreiro, interim co-town administrator. However, the town feels it has met its “benchmark” and can contribute less.

Buddy Baker Smith, Community Preservation Committee chair, said his committee is requesting $25,000 for the Northern Scenic Greenway project, which is a 5.4-mile pathway for pedestrians and cyclists along Old Fall River Road, from the Community Preservation fund to conduct a survey and begin preliminary design work. 

The project is part of a regional effort to create a greenway from Rhode Island to the Cape, connecting Westport, Dartmouth and New Bedford.

Baker Smith said that there is strong support and funding potential for this project to backup the request, with plans to pursue a $160,000 grant from Mass Trails and additional funds raised by the pathways committee.

The Capital Planning Committee is requesting a total of $5,183,008.77 for its capital plan, which calls for funds from a few sources, including surplus revenue as well as the water and sewer enterprise funds’ retained earnings.

A request on the agenda also calls to correct an error in the Charter based on recommendation from the Attorney General’s Office. The correction simply clarifies that Housing Authority members are elected and appointed according to state law.

The Town Clerk has until Tuesday, Oct. 8 to post the final draft of the Town Meeting agenda, with the meeting set to take place the following Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium.