TOWN OF WORTHINGTON
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
December 5, 2023 7:00 P.M.
Town Hall
A quorum of 22 being present, Moderator Kevin O’Connor called the meeting to order at 7:02pm. The following articles were then acted upon:
ARTICLE ONE: It was voted unanimously to Raise and Appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 to fund the Alternate Building Inspector Account.
ARTICLE TWO: It was voted unanimously to Appropriate and Transfer the sum of $60,000.00 from the Vocational Education Expense Account and Raise and Appropriate the additional sum of $6,266.00, for a total of $66,266.00, to fund the Group Insurance Account.
ARTICLE THREE: It was voted unanimously to Raise and Appropriate the sum of $1,685.00 to fund Tent Expenses for 2024 Annual Town Meeting.
ARTICLE FOUR: It was voted unanimously to Raise and Appropriate the sum of $1,500.00 to pay the balance due on the FY23 invoice for FY2019-21 Audit Reports.
ARTICLE FIVE: It was voted unanimously to Appropriate and Transfer from the Current Year’s Fire Department Expense Account the Bills of a Prior Year Account the sum of $115.00 to pay two FY23 MassDOT Inspection bills from Dufour Escorted Tours.
ARTICLE SIX: It was voted unanimously to Appropriate and Transfer the sum of $4,240.07 from the General Stabilization Account to refund the ARPA account for heating oil bills erroneously charged to it.
(It was noted that no Article 7 exists)
ARTICLE EIGHT: It was voted unanimously to authorize the Selectboard to execute an easement exchange agreement with the northerly abutter to the Town Hall whereby the abutter would be allowed to continue maintenance and use of the lawn area on Town owned land in “Proposed Easement A” and the Town would be allowed to continue maintenance and use of the parking lot and stone wall on abutter owned land in “Proposed Easement B” as shown on a plan entitled “Easement Plan Located in Worthington, Massachusetts (Hampshire County),” dated August 31, 2023, prepared by Berkshire Design Group, said plan on file with the Town Clerk.
ARTICLE NINE: HOME RULE PETITION REGARDING GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ELIGIBLE RETIREES:
It was voted by a majority to authorize the Selectboard to petition the Massachusetts General Court for special legislation, a draft of which is set forth below, to validate, ratify and confirm section 7A of chapter 32B of the General Laws, as if the Town had properly voted to approve the question set forth in section 7A of said chapter, authorizing the Town to pay a rate in addition to fifty per cent of the premium for contributory group health insurance for eligible Town employees; provided, however, that the General Court may make clerical or editorial changes of form only to the bill, unless the Selectboard approve amendments to the bill before enactment by the General Court, and to authorize the Selectboard to approve amendments which shall be within the scope of the general objectives of the petition:
An Act Relative to the Provision of Health Insurance for Eligible Employees and Retirees in the Town of Worthington.
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the actions of the town of Worthington and its Selectboard in offering health insurance coverage to town employees, in accordance with G.L. c. 32B, are hereby validated, ratified and confirmed, as if the Town had properly voted to approve the question set forth in section 7A of said chapter 32B, in accordance with law. The town may continue to provide such insurance and benefits under said chapter 32B as if the voters of the town had properly approved the question set forth in said section 7A of said chapter 32B; provided, however, that such actions are otherwise taken in accordance with said chapter 32B.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
Dissolved at 7:35pm.
Respectfully submitted, Katrin Kaminsky, Town Clerk