Phillipston Board of Selectmen signs town meeting warrant, boosts police detail rate to $48

PHILLIPSTON -- July 17, 2019, Phillipston Board of Selectmen signs seven-article special town meeting warrant and raises police detail rate to $48 per hour. The board, meeting July 17, approved the warrant for the July 31 special town meeting at the elementary school gymnasium, recommending adoption of articles creating a cable access reserved-for-appropriation account and adjusting fiscal year 2020 highway and library payroll appropriations, while recommending that voters pass over Article 3 on marijuana establishment limits, preferring to leave that question to the Planning Board at a future regular town meeting. Police Chief Dodge presented a survey showing surrounding communities averaging $48.89 per hour for details, up from Phillipston's current $44, saying the increase was needed "to keep us competitive" and maintain a reliable pool of officers for large road projects. The cemetery commission's $1,268 appropriation article was withdrawn after workers resolved a grub problem at Valley Cemetery within existing budget. A pre-town meeting public walkthrough of all articles is scheduled for July 24 at the fire station.