Ballot Questions

BALLOT QUESTION NO. 1:  PROPOSITION 2½ DEBT EXCLUSION
Shall the Town of Weston be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition two and one-half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bond(s) issued in order to design, engineer, construct and equip the following, including all costs incidental and related thereto: (1) Town Center Improvements-Level Service, Master Plan and Bury Utilities; (2) DPW Drainage Improvements; (3) South Side Drainage Project; (4) Proctor Field & Track Construction; (5) High School Field 1 Renovation; and (6) Case Campus Master Plan?


BALLOT QUESTION NO. 2:  PROHIBIT MARIJUANA ESTABLISHMENTS IN WESTON
Shall this Town prohibit the operation of all types of marijuana establishments as defined in G.L. c. 94G, Section 1, including marijuana cultivators, marijuana testing facilities, marijuana product manufacturers, marijuana retailers or any other type of licensed marijuana related businesses, within the Town of Weston?

Explanations

Question 1: 
State law provides for an exemption from the limits of Proposition two and one-half of those amounts required to pay for the debt service for bonds approved by the voters.  Question 1 would exempt the debt service for the bonds that will be issued for projects previously approved and those to be considered at the May 2017 Annual Town Meeting:

Projects approved at November 2016 Special Town Meeting:
1.Town Center Improvements-Level Service (Article 1) $394,000
2.Town Center Improvements-Master Plan (Article 2) $138,000

Projects to be considered by May 2017 Annual Town Meeting:
1.DPW Drainage Improvements (Article 15) $300,000
2.South Side Drainage Project (Article 16) $500,000
3.Proctor Field & Track Construction (Article 17) $3,900,000
4.High School Field 1 Renovation (Article 18) $600,000
5.Case Campus Master Plan (Article 19) $1,450,000
6.Town Center Improvements-Bury Utilities (Article 21) $456,000
Total: $7,738,000

Separate articles appear in the Annual Town Meeting Warrant to appropriate the funds and authorize borrowing for each purpose.  A two-thirds vote of Town Meeting in favor is required for approval.  This ballot question is only to exempt the debt service from the limits of Proposition 2½, should these items be approved by Town Meeting.

The debt service for the projects to be considered at May 2017 Annual Town Meeting is estimated to be $95,645 in fiscal year 2018, $799,297 in fiscal year 2019, then decreasing each year until the bond reaches maturity.  This Proposition two and one-half debt exclusion shall be approved if a majority of the persons voting thereon vote “yes.”

Question 2:
On November 8, 2016, Massachusetts voters approved Question 4 legalizing the recreational use of marijuana (Chapter 334 of the Acts of 2016). In Weston, the vote on Question 4 was 2,880 in favor and 3,652 against.  Although there are many questions about the implementation of this legislation, it appears that Weston voters can prohibit the operation of all types of recreational marijuana establishments by vote on the Town Election ballot.  In addition, a zoning by-law amendment may need to be considered at the fall Special Town Meeting. This question shall be approved if a majority of the persons voting thereon vote “yes.”