Article 26 - General Bylaw Amendment: Leasing of Land by Select Board & Town Manager

ARTICLE 26. To determine whether the Town will amend the Leasing of Land Bylaw as follows; or take any other action relative thereto (changes shown in bold italics or strikeout for clarity purposes only):

LEASING OF LAND BY SELECT BOARD AND TOWN MANAGER 

A. The Town Manager is authorized to solicit, award and enter into lease or license agreements for the use of land owned by the Town for a period of up to thirty (30) ten (10) years, inclusive of any renewal, extension or option provision, subject to approval by the Select Board, but without the necessity for further authorization by Town Meeting. 

B. Nothing herein shall be construed to limit the Town’s, the Town Manager’s, or the Select Board’s authority to solicit, award and enter into such a lease or license agreement for a longer term pursuant to any applicable law, including, without limitation: (1) G.L. c. 40, § 3, authorizing the Select Board to enter into leases for the use of municipal buildings for a period of up to thirty (30) years; (2) Chapter 331 of the Acts of 1981 permitting Town Meeting to authorize leases of public buildings and lands for a period of up to forty (40) years; and (3) any action by Town Meeting authorizing the Town Manager or the Select Board to enter into a specific lease or license, or category of leases or licenses. 

Article Explanation

This article would amend the General Bylaw adopted by 2017 Annual Town Meeting under Article 12 to authorize the Town Manager, with the approval of the Select Board, to approve leases of land for up to thirty years without the need for a separate Town Meeting approval.  Any such approval would have to occur in a public meeting of the Select Board.

Article Motion

Mr. McKennitt moves that the Town take affirmative action on Article 26 as printed in the Warrant.