On May 16, 2012, around 300 Plympton residents filled both the
auditorium of the Dennett Elementary School and an overflow room set up with a
projector and sound. This was the largest turn out for Town Meeting that anyone
could remember (usually around 100-150 residents turn out) and the town has
never had to use an overflow room before. The meeting began at 7:00pm sharp, and by 8:30pm we were
only on Article 2 (of 39)! My projects’ two Articles were 18 and 19, so I
began to wonder if we’d even get to them. But, in a dramatic move,
after Article 5 was passed (at 9:30pm), one of the open space committee members
went up to the podium and made a motion to move the CPC nominated articles
(Articles 15-19) forward on the agenda! The Town voted to approve this motion,
and suddenly the room came alive!
The first CPC nominated articles (focusing on historic
preservation) were voted through unanimously. Then came Article 18: to vote to
purchase the 10-acre parcel with CPA funds to create Churchill Park at Jones
River Brook (this property would provide access to the currently landlocked
77-acre town-owned parcel). A member from the CPC committee gave an overview of
the project and then several residents in town spoke passionately about how
taking this action would help protect the character of the Town. An 18-year-old
resident got up to say that he supported the project and is ready to sign up to
volunteer to help create the proposed trail on the property. Suddenly, it was
time to vote. And just as suddenly, it was over, with a super majority in FAVOR
of the Article! There was a ROAR of cheers!
Next came Article 19: to vote to transfer the 77-acre
town-owned parcel (known as Cato’s Ridge) from the control of the Board of
Selectmen to the control of the Conservation Commission (which protects the
land under Article 97 of the Amendments to the Massachusetts Constitution,
which requires that lands or easements taken or acquired for natural resource
purposes not be used for other purposes or disposed of without a two-thirds
vote of each branch of the State legislature). A member of the Open Space
Committee gave an overview of the article.
And then a twist! A member of the CPC and Conservation
Commission stood up to amend Article 19 to clarify wording in the article that
stated “for passive recreation purposes”. He amended it to read “ passive
recreation, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, and horseback
riding”. This was done in response to rumors which claimed that if the land was
transferred to the Conservation Commission it would mean no hunting on the
property (which was traditionally an allowed use).
First, the Town voted on whether or not to allow the
amendment which specified hunting as an allowed use. This was passed with a
majority vote. Next, the Town voted on transferring control to the Conservation
Commission. And, at 11:00pm, with a super majority vote, the article was
passed! Another ROAR of cheers! And then… a mass exodus to leave the meeting.
The moderator decided to adjourn the Town Meeting until May 17th.
And with that, it was over! Lots of hugs and high-fives for all those who had
worked so hard to pull it off!
Now I will finish writing the CR that Wildlands
Trust will hold on the 10-acre Churchill Park at Jones River Brook… and the story
continues until the CR is recorded at the Registry of Deeds!
As always, thanks for reading! -Post by: Allison Gillum, AmeriCorps MassLIFT Regional Conservationist, Wildlands Trust
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