Bank deal to head Rockport meeting warrant

ROCKPORT — When it comes to the former Granite Savings Bank building, the Planning Board hopes the third Town Meeting is the charm.

The board has suggested the town purchase the building located adjacent to Town Hall on Broadway for use, at least in the short term, as additional office space.

Residents and officials alike agree that the proposal — which will appear on the annual Town Meeting warrant as Article G and requires a two-thirds vote to pass — will generate a lively debate at the April 3 Town Meeting. But it's certainly not the only article people will be talking about that Saturday — the day before Easter Sunday.

The annual Town Meeting warrant, which contains 21 articles, including the proposed bank building purchase, was closed by selectmen Tuesday night. The board voted, 3-0, to place all proposed articles onto the warrant.

Selectman Andrew Heinze was absent and Selectman Ellen Canavan, who suggested a vote to put an article onto the warrant is a show of support for its passage, voted "present."

The board voted 4-0 to recommend the articles comprising the warrant for the brief, special Town Meeting warrant.

But the selectmen failed to take any stand regarding the warrant articles for the annual Town Meeting, which includes the bank issue. The board cited Heinze's absence as reason to defer those votes until March 23.

In addition to the bank purchase article, other notable articles in the warrant include one proposed by the Council on Aging to restore one handicap parking space, three regular parking spaces, and a curb cut and dropoff area to the plans for the Community House rehabilitation project.

The multi-million dollar rehabilitation of the Community House was approved by fall Town Meeting voters last September, marking the first time voters had approved borrowing money to finance a Community Preservation project.

While earning well over the required two-thirds vote, the project was approved in a leaner form than its designers originally intended.

At the September meeting, an amendment proposed by John Krenn to cut a $54,000 porch from the plans to renovate the historic Broadway building passed easily, as did an amendment offered by Toby Arsenian to ax $9,927 from the project's budget at the expense of the four parking spaces and a curb inclusion for drop-off and pick-up purposes along Broadway.

Council on Aging Chairman Roger Lesch stressed the curb inclusion area is an important safety feature as the dropoff and pickup area is on Broadway just feet from the busy Five Corners intersection.

Town Meeting will also be asked to approve $600,000 from the Community Preservation fund to the Beverly-based Harborlight Community Partners.

The money would help the nonprofit — which aims to help provide affordable housing across southern Essex County — purchase and rehabilitate Pigeon Cove Ledges maintaining the property's affordable housing status.

According to Community Preservation Committee (CPC) Chairman Mary Francis, the 30, one-bedroom units account for 22 percent of Rockport's affordable housing stock.

"It's important that property stays affordable," Francis told the selectmen Tuesday.

Selectmen Chairman Sandy Jacques said the article is important as the current owners have the right to kick everyone out and sell the property at fair market value if they cannot find a buyer willing to keep it as affordable housing.

A petition article penned by Ted Tarr on behalf of the Fire Department asks voters to establish a permanent Fire Equipment Replacement Fund — and to appropriate at least $75,000 annually into the fund.

Tarr told selectmen he arrived at the $75,000 figure after speaking with past and current fire officials.

"We figure spending a little money each year rather than borrowing a large amount over 20 years for new trucks would save us a lot in interest payments," Tarr said.

Selectmen also closed the eight-article special Town Meeting warrant on Tuesday.

In that meeting, which precedes the annual Town Meeting, voters will be asked to appropriate $95,000 from free cash to the snow and ice removal account; move $150,000 from free cash to the town's stabilization fund; and support giving the veteran's agent an additional $10,000 to help cover the cost of increased veteran benefit claims.

The annual Town Meeting is set for Saturday, April 3, at 9:15 a.m. in the Rockport High School gymnasium, and follows the special Town Meeting which begins at 9 a.m. in the same location.

Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at 978-283-7000 x 3451 or jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.

Rockport's Town Warrant

ROCKPORT — The articles of the April 3 annual Town Meeting warrant as approved by selectmen on Tuesday night:

ARTICLE 1: Choose an agent for the various trust funds of the town, and choose all other necessary town officers.

ARTICLE 2: Rescind any one or more of the authorizations previously given to borrow money for municipal purposes.

ARTICLE 3: Raise money to pay unpaid bills or act on anything relative. (Requires four-fifths vote).

ARTICLE 4: Amend certain compensation schedules as recommended by the Personnel Board.

ARTICLE 5: Town budget: (specific figures to be finalized.)

5A: Water Enterprise budget.

5B: Sewer Enterprise budget.

ARTICLE 6: Town capital budget (specific figures to be finalized.)

6A: Capital budget for the Water Enterprise fund.

6B: Capital budget for the Sewer Enterprise fund.

Lottery System:

ARTICLE A. Raise $3,000 for Help Abused Women and their Children.

ARTICLE B. Raise $3,000 for Action Inc.

ARTICLE C. Expend $151,803 in so-called “Chapter 90 monies” — state highway money.

ARTICLE D. Transfer from the Community Preservation Fund $600,000 in the form of a subordinate mortgage to Harborlight Community Partners to assist with rehabilitation and restoration of Pigeon Cove Ledges as affordable housing units — contingent on the nonprofit first obtaining all other required sources of funding.

ARTICLE E. Accept by gift the Straitsmouth Island Lighthouse.

ARTICLE F. Establish a permanent Fire Equipment Replacement Fund with a minimum annual appropriation of $75,000. (By petition)

ARTICLE G. Authorize selectmen to purchase the former Granite Savings Bank building and property for general municipal purposes. To fund the purchase by transferring all or a portion of the money in the “sale of real estate” account, and by borrowing money contingent on a debt exclusion vote to exempt from the provision of Proposition 2 1/2, (Requires a two-thirds vote.)

ARTICLE H. Amend the Rockport Zoning Bylaw by deleting title and text and replacing it with a new version entitled Water Supply Protection Overlay District. Amendment on file at the Town Clerk’s office. (Requires two-thirds vote).

ARTICLE I. Amend the Rockport Zoning Bylaws by making certain insertions and deletions to its definitions section. (Requires two-thirds vote).

ARTICLE J. Amend the Rockport Zoning Bylaws to replace the Zoning Map dated Aug. 2, 2001 with one Zoning Map dated March 4, 2010 to clarify boundaries consistent with assessors’ plot lines.

ARTICLE K. Construct one handicap parking space, three regular parking spaces, a curb cut and dropoff area at the Community House. (Council on Aging).

ARTICLE L. To accept by gift, purchase or eminent domain, a temporary construction easement on 19 King St. and a temporary construction easement on 16 and 16 1/2 Mill Lane, all for purpose of maintaining, protecting, repairing, and improving Mill Pond Dam.

ARTICLE M. Accept the reports of town officers, boards, departments, committees and commissions, as printed in the 2009 Annual Town Report.

ARTICLE N. Adoption of state general law Chapter 479 of the Acts of 2008 and establish a liability trust fund for use toward other post-employment benefit shortfall .

Compiled by Staff Writer Jonathan L’Ecuyer.

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