By Elizabeth F. McNamara

The Town Council meets Monday night for the fifth time in the new year, continuing its mix of orientation with regular council business. Orientation because four of the five council members have only been in office since late November; regular business because there’s been a lot to do with without a permanent town manager or finance director.

On the agenda for Monday, the council will here about upcoming developments in town – there are a number of them, including a plan for a 96-unit apartment complex on South County Trail – from Planning Director Lisa Bourbonnais.

Acting Town Manager Joe Duarte will give the council an overview of public works (Duarte is director), including 2019 priorities. The department includes the sewage treatment plant, roads and sidewalks, snow removal, and building inspections (i.e. town infrastructure).

Also on the agenda, the council will review the annual Municipal Capital Improvements Plan, a six-year projection that calls for $4.3 million in 2019-20 and a whopping total of $136.5 million over six years, including both town and school capital expenses. This is a list of priorities, not an actual plan for spending. 

Among the items on the 2019-20 list, there is $1.9 million for the Department of Public Works (including a $1 million road bond that would have to be approved by voters); $1.1. million for the fire department (including $600,000 for a new rescue truck) and $441,000 for the Community Services and Parks Department (including $200,000 for courts resurfacing). Of the $4.3 million for 2019-20, the schools account for just over half a million. But over the six years, schools account for $96 million of the $136.5 million, including additions to existing school buildings. 

Find the Town Council agenda here, including links to the Municipal Capital Improvements Plan. They meet at Town Hall at 7 p.m.

On the School Committee’s agenda for its meeting Tuesday, the panel will again review and possibly vote on the high school program of studies, which includes eliminating the valedictorian and salutatorian and unweighting GPA starting with the class of 2022. Find the full agenda here: School Committee Agenda 2/5/19. They meet in the library at Cole Middle School at 7 p.m.

The Planning Board meets Wednesday and on its agenda is a proposed 12-unit residential development at 32 Exchange St. Find the full agenda here. They meet at Town Hall at 7 p.m.

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