Town Meeting 10-24-2022

The Fall Special Town Meeting is being held on October 24, 2022 at 7pm in the Ayer Shirley Regional High School Auditorium

The Council on Aging will offer complimentary van service to Town Meeting, for anyone without transportation or just uncomfortable driving after dark when the meeting is over.  Please call the Senior Center at 978-772-8260 to reserve your ride.

Documents & Forms:

• Town Meeting Warrant
• Summary of Warrant Article Votes
• Citizens Petition Form

Articles:

• Article 1: Street Acceptance – Pleasant Street Extension (Portion)

To see if the Town will vote to accept as a public way the road known as Pleasant Street Extension (Portion) (being that portion of Pleasant Street Extension commencing where the public way currently ends and running north thereof until its terminus) as heretofore laid out by the Select Board and shown on a plan of land entitled “Definitive Residential Subdivision Lotting Plan Riley Jayne Farm,” dated April 9, 2016, prepared by GPR Engineering Solutions, recorded with the Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds as Plan #747 of 2016, and on file with the Town Clerk, and authorize the Select Board to acquire, by gift, purchase, and/or eminent domain, the fee to and/or easements in said Pleasant Street Extension (Portion) for all purposes for which public ways are used in the Town of Ayer and any drainage, access, utility and/or other easements related thereto; or take any action thereon or in relation thereto.

Sponsor: Select Board (Voted 2-0 on 10-4-2022)
Planning Board: Recommends (Voted 3-0 on 9-27-2022)
Simple Majority Vote Required

Explanatory Note: This Article would accept the portion of Pleasant Street Extension as defined in the Article as a public way in the Town. The metes and bounds of the road to be accepted are shown on plans on file in the Office of the Town Clerk and are available here. Presentation to be made at Town Meeting.

• Article 2: Street Acceptance – Woodland Way and a Portion of Hemlock Drive

Explanatory Note: This Article would accept Woodland Way and a portion of Hemlock Drive as defined in the Article as public ways in the Town. The metes and bounds of the road to be accepted are shown on plans on file in the Office of the Town Clerk and are available here. Presentation to be made at Town Meeting.

• Article 3: Community Preservation Committee Funding for The Ayer Commons Affordable Housing Project

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the Community Preservation Fund Community Housing and from the Undesignated Reserve Categories the sum of $400,000 to support the Affordable Housing Project, Phase I named Ayer Commons to be utilized by Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc. for affordable community housing, towards the costs to construct 64 affordable rental dwelling units at 65 Fitchburg Road and other costs related thereto, all of which will be subject to a permanent Affordable Housing Restriction that runs to the benefit of the Town, and to authorize the Select Board to accept such restriction and execute any instruments or agreement necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article; or take any action thereon or in relation thereto.

Sponsor: Community Preservation Committee (Voted Unanimously on 9-7-2022)
Select Board: Recommends (2-0 on October 4, 2022)
Simple Majority Vote Required

Explanatory Note: This Article would fund up to $400,000 for the Affordable Housing Project, Phase I, by Neighborhood of Affordable Housing, Inc (NOAH) at 65 Fitchburg Road. Presentation to be made at Town Meeting. The total number of Affordable units to be constructed is 106; 64 will be constructed in Phase 1.

• Article 4: Community Preservation Committee Funding for The 1943 Ayer Howitzer Restoration Project

To see if the Town will vote to transfer from the Community Preservation Fund Historical Preservation Category the sum of $32,232 to support the Town of Ayer’s restoration of the 1943 Howitzer and preservation of the historic monument for Staff Sergeant Leon Cote upon the grounds of Town Hall; or take any action thereon or in relation thereto.

Sponsor: Community Preservation Committee (Voted Unanimously on 9-28-2022)
Select Board: Recommends (2-0 on October 4, 2022)
Simple Majority Vote Required

Explanatory Note: This Article would fund up to $32,232 for the Town of Ayer to restore the 1943 Howitzer and preservation of the historic monument dedicated to Staff Sergeant Leon Cote by placement on the historic grounds of Town Hall. Presentation to be made at Town Meeting.

Key Deadlines:

• Tuesday, August 16, 2022, 1pm: Select Board Opens the Fall Special Town Meeting Warrant
• Friday, September 30, 2022, 1pm: Deadline for all Warrant Articles and Citizen's Petitions to the Town Clerk
• Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 6pm: Select Board to Review and Approve the Fall Special Town Meeting Warrant
• Friday, October 7, 2022: The Warrant will be Publicly Posted and Sent to Print and Mailing to all Ayer Households
• Friday, October 14, 2022: This is the Last Day for Residents to Register to Vote for the Fall Special Town Meeting
• Monday, October 24, 2022, 7pm:  Fall Town Meeting will begin in the Auditorium of the Ayer Shirley Regional High School