Unfinished business

Five hundred fifty nine voters showed up at Town Meeting April 2 to have their say in the Abington School Department’s budget crisis and possible governmental restructuring. Residents were so passionate about arguing the issues that the meeting was forced to carry over to the following Wednesday. 

But Wednesday came and went and only 101 of the necessary 150 residents required for a quorum showed up, and Town Meeting was never completed.

A second attempt was made last Monday. This time 135 showed up, still slightly less than what’s necessary to hold a quorum. Meanwhile the town’s business still hangs in the balance. 

A new attempt to conclude Town Meeting will be made Wednesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. in the Abington High School gymnasium.

“After waiting a half an hour or more, the moderator (Michael W. Franey) announced they would try again, and he asked everyone to tell a friend so we could get a quorum this time,” said Linda Adams, the town clerk. “We really need to finish the town’s business and we hope everyone who possibly can will show up.”

Town Meeting was scheduled to continue with articles 8 through 23, regarding grants for kindergarten, engineering costs, replacing library books, maintaining meeting rooms at the library, and student transportation. 

Voters were also supposed to address whether a board, committee or commission member may be disqualified from a vote based on absence, whether to amend zoning bylaws, funding for upgrades in the Great Sandy Bottom Water Treatment Plant, funding for surveying, funds to install meters, funds to upgrade the micro screen at the water treatment plant, demolition bylaw amendments, funding for Womanspace Crisis Center and whether to increase allowances for retired employees. 

Other Town Meeting articles still awaiting action are whether to accept a Colburn Lane public way, a Mahoney Circle public way, an Adley Drive roadway, a Christianson Circle roadway or a Warner Road roadway.

If the next quorum attempt fails, Town Meeting would have to be put off until next fall, said Dori Jamieson, assistant town manager.

“There are some very important articles that need to be addressed,” Jamieson said. “The water department has a lot of articles on there, and if it’s put off until the fall they will lose the whole summer.

“It’s important that people come to Town Meeting to allow the town’s business to get done. So many people came the first night and didn’t come back. All the articles are important to the town. With how many people showed up the first night, it’s unfortunate that we were unable to get a quorum the next two sessions.”