Chemical Policy Fight Iced at Town Meeting

Both sides in the battle over the district’s agreed to disagree at Monday’s Town Meeting.

Heidi McCoy of the  group, which is opposed to the policy’s year-round powers, moved to postpone Article 10.

The meeting agreed to postpone it.

The article had proposed that the meeting adopt a state law that prevents schools from suspending or for conduct unconnected to school-sponsored activities.

McCoy said the postponement was a response to the School Committee’s vote last month to reopen discussion on the policy.

School Committee Vice Chairman Larry Beaupre welcomed the postponement, saying Town Meeting was the wrong place to resolve the disagreement.

“These are all discussions for another day,” he said.

Two articles sponsored by the town’s retirement board were influenced by motions presented by meeting member Thomas Driscoll.

Article 3 had sought to increase the cost of living base for retirees and survivors of the town’s retirement system from $12,000 to $18,000.

The Finance Committee recommended postponement of the article.

The meeting ended up approving a small increase to $13,000.

Article 4 proposed increasing the benefit for a survivor of a retirement fund member from $6,000 to $9,000, the increase applying only to survivors whose spouses retired due to a job-related disability on or before Nov. 11, 1996.

The Finance Committee recommended postponement. The meeting first approved the postponement and later approved the increase. 

The increase applies to only three elderly people in town, Driscoll said.