PHOTO BY PAULA MULLER
Moderator Gary Spiess opens the Marblehead Town Meeting.
BY GAYLA CAWLEY
MARBLEHEAD — Three major issues faced Town Meeting on Monday night that drew more than 800 voters.
The session was set to be held in the Marblehead Veterans Middle School Auditorium, but an overflow of about 120 people had to moved to the gym.
Fittingly, a proposal that would have reduced the quorum requirement from to 150, down from 300 people, was postponed.
“We were very reluctant to bring this before you tonight,” said Jackie Belf-Becker, chairwoman of the Board of Selectmen. “Obviously, it wasn’t necessary.”
Town Moderator Gary Spiess said an indefinite postponement is the place where proposals go to die.
The large crowd had to wait more than three hours to approve the most anticipated article, funding for a $750,000 feasibility study to renovate the Elbridge Gerry School. Built in 1906, the K-1 school has never been improved. The survey is the first step to qualify for state money from the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
Kathleen Leonardson, School Committee chairwoman, said the state would provide a reimbursement of about 32 percent for the study, or $243,525. The town would then be responsible for $506,475.
The next step would be project approval at Town Meeting in 2018. Construction options will be considered after the feasibility study is completed. The process could take up to two years.
Another issue that drew attention before ultimately being approved was for a new $620,000 fire pumper truck. The truck will replace an 18-year-old vehicle at the Franklin Street Fire Station.
Fire Chief Jason Gilliland said Engine 2, the truck being replaced, has served the town well with an average of 950 calls annually. If funding for a new truck was rejected, he said the older truck would soon require a new transmission. He added that the life expectancy of a fire pumper truck is no more than 15 years.
“This is a no-brainer,” said Benjamin Berman, vice-chairman of the Finance Committee. “We need a new truck.”
Gayla Cawley can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GaylaCawley