LOCAL MEETING ROUNDUP.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

COLUMN: LOCAL MEETING ROUNDUP

Charlton

Voters reject advice, keep 19th police officer

CHARLTON - After two hours of discussion to retain a 19th police officer and to fully fund the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District, town meeting voters Monday adopted a $22.9 million general operating budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The meeting opened with $1,384,825 in the town's savings account, known as stabilization. Budget discussion began with a motion to move $70,000 from stabilization to police salaries to restore the 19th officer, cut by the Finance Committee in its proposed budget.

Frank J. Morrill, Finance Committee chairman, discouraged the amendment, saying the town added $267,000 in personnel last year. "We can't sustain that. I would like one more officer, I would like more people on the highway, I would like more money for the schools, we all do," he said.

Rick C. Swensen, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, also spoke against taking $70,000 from stabilization for a 19th officer. "We've looked under every rock; we've trimmed everywhere," he said.

The action, he said, would drop stabilization below $1 million, which represents about two and a half weeks of the town's operating budget.

Selectman Kathleen W. Walker noted that fall town meeting voters unanimously added a 19th officer to the force and urged voters to vote in favor.

Police Chief James A. Pervier said it was the first time in his 14 years that he has asked voters to disregard the Finance Committee's advice. "The one thing that I asked for is please give me back the 19th officer to help my staffing," he said, noting two of the 18 officers on staff are out on disability.

In a 125-75 vote, the 19th officer was added to the budget.

The next to motion a budget change was Sean M. Gilrein, superintendent of the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District, who asked the voters to meet the full school assessment by adding $143,995, or the amount underfunded by the Finance Committee.

Regarding the increase, Mr. Morrill said, "They absolutely do need it and they absolutely do use it well."

The Dudley-Charlton assessment of $10.9 million represents a 2.9 percent increase of $312,762 more than this fiscal year.

Mr. Gilrein said more than $2 million had been reduced from the school budget in the past three months and to cut further would hurt services.

The amendment passed by majority vote.

The Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School assessment of $1.3 million, or $264,675 more than this year, received full funding in the budget.

The Finance Committee's proposed budget called for $382,017 from stabilization. By late last night, voters had authorized taking $596,012, while the meeting continued with many more requests from stabilization.

- Debbie LaPlaca

Webster

Town to ask state to limit lake boat sizes

WEBSTER - At the request of a group aiming to stop Indian Ranch owner Christopher Robert from bringing a 75-foot paddle boat to Webster Lake, selectmen voted 4-0 Monday to write a letter to the state energy and environmental affairs secretary.

The letter will ask the secretary to push Col. Aaron Gross, Massachusetts Environmental Police director, to enact town-supported regulations that limit boat size at Webster Lake to 40...