Swampscott to hold Special Town Meeting Monday night

SWAMPSCOTT – The Special Town Meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Swampscott High School auditorium, including whether to approve funds for a feasibility study for a new elementary school.The first article is for the feasibility study put forward by the School Building Committee. The study would be the first step toward planning the proposed new elementary school, which will replace the Hadley and Stanley schools to become the only elementary school in Swampscott. The Clark School would the house lower grade levels and administrative offices, according to Chairman Joe Crimmins.The cost of the study is estimated at $300,000 to $500,000, but the state will reimburse about 50 percent of the cost. The article requires a two-thirds majority vote by members.Other articles include:u Whether to amend a zoning bylaw so developers from Atlantic Crossing LLC can continue with their plan to build 14 single-family homes on the former Temple Israel property. It will also require a two-thirds vote.u Whether to approve an additional $125,000 for the Essex Avenue Drain Repair project, which will update the chlorination equipment for the wastewater that flows to King’s Beach. This will add to the $200,000 appropriated at Town Meeting last May.Department of Public Works Director Gino Cresta said this appropriation will not affect residents’ taxes because the money is already factored into the town’s budget. If the money isn’t appropriated for the project, the Department of Environmental Protection will charge the town late fees for every day the equipment isn’t updated beginning in May. This article needs simple majority to pass.u Whether to amend the 2012-13 town budget to increase workers compensation money from $350,000 to $520,000 for benefits and insurance. According to the meeting warrant, the selectmen are “required to budget for the account based on our employment history.” The warrant states that the board had not received the numbers to budget for until after the Town Meeting in May. This article also requires simple majority.The meeting will be moderated by Attorney Joseph Markarian.Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].