June 13 Town Meeting Update: Articles Passed and Article 33 Proposed Budget Cut

As a reminder, the May 16, 2022 Town Meeting has been rescheduled. Town meeting will now be held on the following date via Zoom:

• June 14, 2022

Milton Residents can watch Town Meeting via live stream on Milton Access TV by clicking here.

To view the Annual Town Meeting Warrant, please click here: https://www.townofmilton.org/town-moderator/pages/town-meeting.

Article 23 Chapter 90 Appropriation.

Article 23 passes.

Article 24 Appropriation for Water System Improvements.

Article 24 passes.

Article 25 Appropriation for Rehabilitation of Town’s Stormwater System.

Article 25 passes.

Article 26 Appropriation for Sewer System Improvements.

Article 26 passes.

Article 27-Acceptance of Woodlot Drive as a public way

Article 27 passes.

Article 28-Health and Sanitation Appropriation

Caroline Kinsella, Health Director, provided a brief update. She mentioned that the Covid-19 positivity rate in Milton is decreasing, and her department is working on a Community Health Improvement Plan, using ARPA funds for the project. 

When it came time for the vote, Article 28 passed.

Article 31-Milton Cemetery Revolving Fund.

Article 31 passes.

Article 33 School Appropriation.

A motion was made to cut the school budget by over $5.5 million. Many Town Meeting members rose to denounce such a cut. Jim Mulligan called the motion to amend ‘draconian’ and says, “it’s like taking a meat cleaver to the budget, it’s the wrong way to do it.”

James Jette , Superintendent of Milton Public Schools, said that a cut would be devastating, and would be the equivalent to 67 teachers losing their positions and could mean having to close an elementary school.

Some Town Meeting members rose in support of the proposed cut. Rachel Riccardella says that ‘by reverting to this other budget, we are forcing the School Committee to make some tough decisions.’

When it came time for the vote, the motion to amend the budget failed.

Town Meeting members then requested a roll call vote, to reveal the names of the Town Meeting members supporting the $5.5 million school cut.

Town Clerk, Susan Galvin, then spent the next hour or so calling out each Town Meeting member by name to find out how they voted on the proposed budget cut. One Town Meeting member referred to the process as ‘political theatre.’

The tally was to take place overnight to be revealed the next day at the next scheduled Town Meeting on June 14.