2016 Annual Town Report

TOWN OF ACTON 2016 ANNUAL TOWN REPORT "What's Old Is New" Town of Acton Incorporated as a Town: July 3, 1735 Type of Government: Town Meetings ~ Board of Selectmen/Town Manager Location: Eastern Massachusetts, Middlesex County, bordered on the east by Carlisle and Concord, on the west by Boxborough, on the north by Westford and Littleton, on the south by Sudbury, and on the southwest by Stow and Maynard. Elevation at Town Hall: 268’ above mean sea level Land Area: Approximately 20 square miles Population: Year Persons 1950 3,510 1960 7,238 1970 14,770 1980 19,000 1990 18,143 2000 20,331 2010 21,936 2011 22,012 2012 21,650 2013 21,584 2014 21,597 2015 21,386 2016 22,204 Front Cover Color Photo courtesy of Andrea Ristine, Municipal Properties Superintendent Black and White photo circa 1905 courtesy of Acton Historical Society 2016 Annual Reports Town of Acton, Massachusetts Two Hundred and Eighty First Municipal Year For the year ending December 31, 2016 Printed by Athol Press Inc., — Athol, MA 1 2 __________________TABLE OF CONTENTS _______________ 1. Administrative Services 7. Public Works and Environment Board of Selectmen ..................................................7 Building Department................................................87 Town Manager...........................................................9 Cemetery Commission ............................................87 Town Report Committee..........................................10 Community Preservation Committee ......................88 Engineering Department .........................................90 2. Financial Management Services Green Advisory Board .............................................91 Board of Assessors ................................................. 11 Highway Department...............................................93 House Sales ............................................................ 11 Land Stewardship Committee .................................94 Elizabeth White Fund ..............................................14 Municipal Properties................................................95 Finance Committee .................................................14 Natural Resources ..................................................97 Town Accountant .....................................................16 Open Space Committee ..........................................99 3. Human Services 8. Community Safety Commission on Disabilities .....................................26 Animal Control Officer ...........................................100 Community Housing Corporation ............................28 Animal Inspector ...................................................100 Community Services Coordinator ...........................30 Board of Health .....................................................100 Council on Aging .....................................................30 Emergency Management Agency .........................103 Health Insurance Trust ............................................33 Explorer Post/Crew 7 Search and Rescue............104 Housing Authority ....................................................33 Fire Department ....................................................104 Public Health Nursing Service.................................34 Auxiliary Fire Department .....................................109 Sealer of Weights & Measures ................................35 Police Department.................................................109 Veterans' Services ..................................................35 Sidewalk Committee ............................................. 116 Volunteer Coordinating Committee .........................37 9. Legislative 4. Education and Libraries Annual Town Meeting, April 4, 2016 ...................... 117 Acton and Acton-Boxborough Schools Report ........38 Special Town Meeting, February 2, 2016 ..............149 Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School ..59 Special Town Meeting, October 5, 2016 ...............150 Acton Memorial Library ...........................................63 West Acton Citizens' Library....................................68 10. Town Elections and Statistics Presidential Primary, March 1, 2016 .....................160 5. Cultural and Historical Activities Annual Town Election, March 29, 2016 .................164 Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council ........................69 State Primary, September 8, 2016 ........................166 Historic District Commission ...................................73 Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School Historical Commission .............................................74 Preliminary, September 20, 2016 ................170 State Election, November 8, 2016 ........................171 6. Community Development Acton 2020 Committee............................................75 11. Other Information Cable Advisory .......................................................75 Registered Voter Statistics ....................................173 Design Review Board..............................................76 Dog Statistics ........................................................173 Economic Development Committee ........................76 Vital Statistics ........................................................173 Kelley's Corner Committee .....................................78 Planning Department ..............................................78 12. Acton Information Public Ceremonies and Celebrations Committee ...79 National, State, and County Officials ....................175 Recreation Department ...........................................79 Elected Town Officials .............................................75 Senior and Disabled Tax Relief Committee .............82 Official Appointments by Moderator ........................76 Transportation Advisory Committee ........................83 Board by Selectmen Appointments .........................76 Appointments by Town Manager ...........................180 Street/Precinct List ................................................183 Map of Acton .........................................................192 E-mail Distribution Groups ....................................194 Volunteer Application.............................................196 Town of Acton Official Website ..............................200 At Your Service ..................................Inside Back Cover 3 THE 2016 TOWN REPORT IS DEDICATED TO: DON MACKENZIE, TOWN MODERATOR 1976 - 2016 Don Mackenzie served the Town of Acton as a member of the Personnel Board and Town Investment committee. Few remember him in these volunteer positions but many know him as Acton’s Town Moderator. In fact, many Town Meeting members have never known another moderator. There is no universal style for a Town Meeting. Each town has its own peculiarities, needs and voice. Voters come to the meeting expecting a familiar flow of procedures and debate and when asked, firmly defend their own as being the best and perhaps only way to properly conduct a meeting. In Acton we have been led by Moderator Don Mackenzie for 39 years. That’s a long time. It’s also enough time for the voters to become accustomed to his particular mode of operation. We have appreciated his avuncular style and the quips that dissipate any tension One of his major doctrines has been civility. Being civil during debate; being civil during votes and being civil after the meeting is over. This has allowed voters with different opinions to have their voice fairly heard. Another very important trait was Mr. Mackenzie’s determination to be even-handed and not advocate for any partisan position from the podium or in the Town. I don’t wish to imply that the conduct of our town meeting has been static because it has not. As the town has changed and grown so too have the procedures of the town meeting. Don has been open to everyone with ideas about improving the meeting and making the proceedings go more smoothly. Over the years he has tried to educate meeting members on the legal procedures that he must follow by printing the rules in the back of the warrant. Don has worked closely with the selectmen, finance committee, town clerk and the League of Women Voters and agreed to changes designed to make the meeting more efficient and voters can feel their time is well spent. Perhaps the most valuable change was the introduction of the Consent Calendar. By use of this calendar, time is saved by quickly going through routine articles so the meeting members can concentrate on the on the more important issues. Other recent changes have been the reconfiguration of the check-in area which makes the process faster and far more efficient. Don and the Town Clerk worked to make sure they knew and approved the information and back-up materials on specific articles that were distributed to members. The introduction of the question microphone and then the pro and con microphones have allowed the moderator to be more even handed during debates because he can see where the voters stand and ensure that both sides can be heard. One of the behind-the scenes change is the pre-Town Meeting meeting. This happens before the actual meeting where presenters discuss their pending presentations and discuss the time limits and whether an article is controversial and approximate how long the article will take for discussion. There has also been the introduction of a time clock to help those who are debating get to their point in a manageable time. The most recent change, worked out by the clerk at the request

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