2016 ANNUAL REPORT 2016 Annual Report TABLE OF CONTENTS: Introduction: Table of Contents .................................................. 1 Selectmen Appointed Committee Reports Town Contact Information .................................... 3 List of Selectmen Appointees ................... 65 Community Profile ................................................. 4 Cable Television Advisory Committee ........ 69 Belmont’s History ................................................. 5 Community Preservation Committee ........ 70 Government Organization Chart ........................... 6 Conservation Commission ......................... 74 Cultural Council .......................................... 78 Elected Officials and Boards: Economic Development Committee........... 80 List of Elected Officials ........................................... 7 Education Scholarship Committee ............. 81 List of Elected Town Meeting Members ................ 8 Energy Committee ...................................... 83 Board of Selectmen ............................................. 11 Historic District Commission ....................... 85 School Committee ............................................... 14 Housing Trust .............................................. 87 Board of Assessors ............................................... 25 Human Rights Commission ........................ 90 Board of Cemetery Commissioners ..................... 27 Information Technology Committee ........ 92 Board of Health.................................................... 29 Land Management Committee for Lone Board of Library Trustees .................................... 40 Tree Hill ....................................................... 95 Housing Authority ................................................ 49 Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Working Group .......................................... 97 Town Clerk ........................................................... 50 Permanent Audit Committee ..................... 98 Town Treasurer.................................................... 53 Planning Board ............................................ 99 Capital Endowment Fund .......................... 55 Registrars of Voters ................................. 100 Shade Tree Committee ............................ 102 Appointed Committees, Boards, and Individuals: Traffic Advisory Committee ..................... 103 Moderator Appointed Committee Reports Vision 21 Implementation Committee .... 105 List of Moderator Appointees ................... 56 Water Advisory Board .............................. 107 Bylaw Review Committee ........................... 57 Zoning Board of Appeals ........................... 108 Capital Budget Committee ........................ 58 Permanent Building Advisory Committee . 60 Underwood Pool Building Committee ....... 61 Warrant Committee .................................. 62 Wellington School Building Committee...... 64 Town of Belmont, Massachusetts Page 1 2016 Annual Report Town Departments: Please Note: Departments led by an elected board Appendix A: or individual are shown in the Elected Officials 2016 Town Meeting Warrants and Motions section of this report. February 8: Special Town Meeting Warrant ....... 196 February 8: Special Town Meeting Motions ....... 199 General Government Human Resources .................................... 109 May 2: Annual Town Meeting Warrant .............. 200 Information Technology ........................... 111 May 2: Annual Town Meeting Motions .............. 215 Town Accountant .................................... 113 May 4: Special Town Meeting Warrant .............. 230 Public Safety May 4: Special Town Meeting Motions .............. 234 Emergency Management ........................ 127 June 8: Special Town Meeting Warrant .............. 236 Fire Department ...................................... 129 June 8: Special Town Meeting Motions .............. 238 Local Emergency Planning Committee .... 137 June 8: Special Town Meeting Warrant – Citizens’ Petition ................................................. 239 Police Department ................................... 139 June 8: Special Town Meeting Motions – Public Safety Communications ................. 150 Citizens’ Petition ................................................. 241 Public Services October 19: Special Town Meeting Warrant ...... 242 Community Development ....................... 151 October 19: Special Town Meeting Motions ...... 244 Recreation Department ........................... 155 Department of Public Works ................... 158 Appendix B: 2016 Election Results Facilities Department .............................. 167 March 1, 2016 .................................................... 245 Human Services, Culture and Recreation April 5, 2016 ....................................................... 254 Council on Aging ...................................... 172 September 8, 2016 ............................................ 263 Recreation Commission ........................... 177 September 20, 2016 .......................................... 268 Municipal Light Department November 8, 2016 ............................................. 269 Municipal Light Department .................... 178 Appendix C: 2014 Audited Financial Statement Affiliated Organizations: Audited Financial Statements ............................ 272 Belmont has a representative on the governing boards of these organizations Minuteman Regional School District ................. 185 MWRA Advisory Board ...................................... 192 Retirement Board .............................................. 194 Town of Belmont, Massachusetts Page 2 2016 Annual Report TOWN PHONE LISTING BY DEPARTMENT Department: Number: (617) Department: Number: (617) Town's Main Phone Line 993-2600 HUMAN RESOURCES 993-2740 ACCOUNTING 993-2620 INFORMATION TECH 993-2750 ASSESSORS 993-2630 LIBRARY 993-2850 FACILITIES DEPARTMENT 993-2640 LIGHT 993-2800 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 993-2650 POLICE 993-2501 BUILDING 993-2664 Traffic Division 993-2530 ENGINEERING 993-2665 PUBLIC WORKS 993-2680 PLANNING 993-2666 Snow Emergency Hotline 993-2698 PLUMBING 993-2662 Parks 484-2538 INSPECTION LINE 993-2663 Cemetery 993-2710 COUNCIL ON AGING 993-2970 Recreation 993-2760 CREDIT UNION 993-2790 Water 993-2700 FIRE DEPT 993-2200 RETIREMENT 993-2792 Fire Prevention 993-2210 SCHOOL DEPT 993-5400 BELMONT HOUSING AUTH 484-1411 SELECTMEN 993-2610 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 993-2260 TOWN CLERK 993-2600 HEALTH 993-2720 TREASURERS 993-2770 VETERANS AGENT 993-2725 PARKING CLERK 993-2770 Belmont Town Hall 455 Concord Avenue Belmont, Massachusetts 02478 Board of Selectmen and Town Administration Town Website: www.belmont-ma.gov Office General E-mail: [email protected] Town of Belmont, Massachusetts Page 3 2016 Annual Report COMMUNITY PROFILE: LOCATION: The Town of Belmont is suburban community located in heart of the Greater Boston Metropolitan Area. Known to longtime residents as “The Town of Homes”, Belmont is a primarily residential community located in close proximity to the region’s economic centers. A part of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Belmont is situated on Cambridge’s western border and is just 8 miles from Downtown Boston. The Town is also bordered by Watertown, Waltham, Lexington and Arlington. HISTORICAL: First Settlers 1639 Town Incorporated 1859 GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION: Latitude 42° 23’ 46” REAL ESTATE IN FY14: Longitude 71° 10’ 33” Real Estate Valuation (total) $ 5.435,604,401 Personal Property $ 45,410,760 Total Valuation $ 5,481,015,161 ELEVATION ABOVE SEA LEVEL: FY13 Tax Rate per $ 13.50 High Point 341.2 feet Thousand Low Point 6.8 feet POPULATION: Federal Census, 1970 28,285 AREA DATA: Federal Census, 1980 26,100 Area in Square Miles 4.655 Federal Census, 1990 24,720 Total Acreage 2,978.95 Federal Census, 2000 24,194 Land Surface Acreage 2,946.40 Federal Census, 2010 24,729 Water Surface Acreage 32.55 Town Census, 2015 23,570 Town of Belmont, Massachusetts Page 4 2016 Annual Report HISTORY OF BELMONT: By Richard Betts; Town Historian Settlement in the area that now includes Belmont began in 1630, when Sir Richard Saltonstall and approximately 40 families separated from the first settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and moved inland to start an agricultural community. Originally called Pequosette after the local Indian tribe, the name of the new town soon changed to Watertown. In 1638, by order of the General Court, Watertown paid the Pequosette Indians the sum of 13 pounds, 7 shillings and 6 pence for the land. The original settlement spread inland extensively into the present towns of Watertown, Waltham, Weston, Lincoln, and parts of Cambridge and Belmont. In 1738, Waltham seceded from Watertown, and the future Belmont was now part of three towns. In 1805, Frederick Tudor began cutting ice on Fresh Pond. As his business grew, he decided to build a railroad from his wharves in Charlestown to Fresh Pond. This line was built about 1843. With the railroad so near, the citizens of Waltham clamored to have it extended to their village which was granted and the line ran through what was to become the Town of Belmont. The railroad made the purely agricultural community available for residences of well-to-do Bostonians. Settlements centered around Wellington Station (now Belmont Center), Waverley Station, and Hill's crossing station. Those settlements grew into villages, but local government arrangements were annoying because citizens had to go to Watertown, Waltham, or West Cambridge (now