By Patrick Anderson
Staff
writer
—
MANCHESTER — Town Meeting voted overwhelming to allow dogs on
Singing Beach between Oct. 1 and April 30. The status quo will continue, after residents rejected a
year-round dog ban at Town Meeting last night at Manchester Memorial School.
Dogs are currently allowed on the beach between Oct. 1 and April 30. The sponsor of the dog ban, Patricia Morley, proposed that the
dog ban go to voters in the form of a referendum question at this year's town
election on May 20. That was also rejected. A compromise amendment, proposed by Selectmen Chairwoman Susan
Thorne, that would have increased the current dog ban by two months, was voted
down narrowly, 286-276. A second amendment would have increased the amount of the time
that dogs could be on the beach by two weeks. That amendment was rejected,
375-168. In other action, Town Meeting approved a motion by selectmen to
pay $49,000 to the North Shore Regional Vocational School District. At a special Town Meeting beginning 15 minutes before the annual
meeting, voters approved $14,000 in repairs to the Singing Beach bathhouse,
approved petitioning the state Legislature to allow the town to hire police
officers older than 32, and would authorize funds to pay a deficit in the
account that pays police officers for private details. As of press time last night, residents had yet to approve the
proposed $11.6 million fiscal 2009 town budget and $11 million in spending for
the Manchester Essex Regional School District. Debate over citizen petition articles to block the construction
of tennis courts in front of Memorial Elementary School had also not occurred.
Eleven articles were placed on the warrant by citizen petition to either block
or propose alternative sites for tennis courts planned for the grassy area in
front of the elementary school. Other action that still remained before Town Meeting was voting
on $700,000 in spending for infrastructure and equipment improvements, including
$23,000 for a new vehicle for the Fire Department. Selectmen had recommended
buying the new car while the Finance Committee recommended using a retired
police car. Other capital items included a new fueling station for town
vehicles, a new police cruiser and new water meter reading technology. Town Meeting has also yet to act on spending $120,000 of
Community Preservation Act funds on projects including the preservation of town
records, restoration of trails at Chebacco Woods and work on the Tuck's Point
Rotunda. For later coverage of the meeting, look to gloucestertimes.com.
Patrick Anderson can be reached at
panderson@gloucestertimes.com
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