Essex Town Meeting has Conomo Point focus

ESSEX Monday's Town Meeting has 40 articles on the warrant.

But the primary focus of the debate is expected to center on one issue the future of the properties at Conomo Point.

The first six articles are devoted to Conomo Point issues, a proposed town budget of $15.6 million with $6.4 million for education, and a sewer service bylaw.

The annual gathering of the town's registered voters will be held Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Essex Elementary School, with registration to begin at 6:30 p.m.

Townspeople are encouraged to show up early, since the turnout is expected to be very high, town officials said; if the meeting runs too late, it may be extended to Tuesday.

At Special Town Meeting, just held April 25, an article that would allow the town to offer the current tenants the right of first refusal to buy the properties an article some officials expected to pass easily barely squeaked through at 144-141.

Monday, Town Meeting will take up the issue of allowing the possible sale of the properties south of Robbins Island Road, with the article authorizing the selectmen to take any and all actions relating to the properties.

Another potential flashpoint will be the proposed zoning bylaw for Conomo Point. The version contained in the warrant that is publicly available, however, has undergone significant changes enough so that the Planning Board is not recommending the article's approval Monday night.

"The board has specific concerns relative to the proposed dimensional requirements and the time available to review the documents," the Planning Board said in its report.

Resident Bruce Fortier said he did not think enough time was given to read the proposed changes, though Town Administrator Brendhan Zubricki said the town's Boston-based law firm of Kopelman and Paige ruled the edits acceptable and that changes would be made at Town Meeting. Members of the Planning Board agreed with Fortier, and voted not to recommend the article, without prejudice.

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Essex Town Meeting has Conomo Point focus