MARBLEHEAD — The Marblehead Town Meeting, which had been scheduled for May 4 (the traditional first Monday of the month) has been moved to Monday, June 29, at 7 p.m. in the Middle School Performing Arts Center.
In another concession to the still-surging COVID-19 health crisis in Massachusetts, Salem Superior Court judge James Lang has ruled the meeting can open with a quorum of 30. There is no maximum. The reduction in the size of the quorum was made after town counsel requested an injunction to ensure that next year’s budget be passed in a timely manner.
The new fiscal year begins July 1.
When the meeting finally commences the only articles to be taken up will be those concerning the budget. The remaining items on the warrant will be pushed back to a date that will be determined when the COVID-19 crisis has passed, according to the court decision.
The articles to be taken up June 29 include:
Article 7, which deals with departmental revolving funds; Article 8, which covers funds for the purchase of equipment for several departments; Article 9, lease purchases, which would authorizes selectmen to enter into lease purchase agreements for vehicles; Article 10, capital improvement for public buildings and the purchase of any necessary equipment, such as computer hardware and software; Articles 12-13, Article 15, water and sewer department, plus storm drain, construction; Article 16, for the Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School district; Article 17, available funds appropriate to reduce tax rate; Article 18, unpaid accounts; Article 21, expenses of several departments; Articles 25-27, proposed reclassification and pay schedule (administrative, traffic supervision and seasonal and temporary personnel respectively); Article 28, compensation — town officers; Article 30, affordable Housing/tax title foreclosures; and Article 31, release funds from transportation network.
