Natick Report

More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

Natick reveals 2021 Spring Annual Town Meeting Warrant: Lower speeds, amusing churches, pot shop buffers & TMM recalls up for debate

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The Natick Select Board this Tuesday is set to sign the 2021 Spring Annual Town Meeting Warrant, which features the usual batch of budget- and bylaw-related articles, as well as some less routine material that will be sure to spark discussion in light of recent pot shop developments and calls for handling certain Town Meeting member behavior.

The warrant (embedded below) features 33 articles to be voted on at Town Meeting, slated to be held online starting on April 13. The town’s Finance Committee and Planning Board will hold hearings on articles in weeks to come that should help clarify the wording currently in the articles.

Among the articles that might be good for lively debate:

  • Article 23: Accept State Legislation Allowing Lower Speed Limits. You can get a good feel for this issue by watching a Natick Pegasus recording of a discussion on this subject (second half of the recording).
  • Article 27: Re-Zoning of 26-28 Eliot Street & Article 28: Amend Historic Preservation Zoning By-Law (Article 28 text: “To see what action(s) the town will take to amend the Historic “Preservation By Law section of the existing Zoning Bylaws (Section III-J) in order to allow certain additional uses by special permit in former houses of worship that qualify under the Bylaw, such as indoor amusement and recreation uses, performing arts training, education and live performances and/or to amend the Definitions section of the Zoning Bylaw (Section 200) so as add a definition for “Houses of Worship” and/or related definitions and/or otherwise act thereon.” Inspired by efforts to run an acrobatics school out of the shuttered Sacred Heart church on Eliot Street in South Natick.
    acrobatics schools sacred heart church

     

  • Article 29: Amend Zoning By-Laws to Create Residential Buffer Zones Regarding Licensed Marijuana Retailer Establishments under Section III-K.2: Adult Use Marijuana Establishments (See: Pot shops get another shot at locating on Rte. 9 in Natick)
  • Article 33: Town Meeting Member Removal/Recall Study Committee. Not that any Town Meeting members have been behaving badly of late…

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It’s official: Natick Annual Town Meeting date announced

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The Town of Natick has officially given pubic notice that Annual Town Meeting will be held on Tue., April 13, at Natick High School via remote participation.

Natick Town Hall

All articles requested for inclusion in the warrant for Town Meeting must be received in the Office of the Select Board, Natick Town Hall, 13 E. Central St., by 5pm on Thur., Feb. 11.

Details here.

MORE:

Natick’s March town-wide election races are on

Natick political calendar

Natick’s March town-wide election races are on

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The Natick Town Clerk’s office has released the list of candidates for town-wide elected offices that will be voted on during the March 30 election. There will be contested races for Select Board, School Committee, and Natick Housing Authority.

The town will be electing the following town-wide officers:

  • One member to the Select Board for a 3-year term
  • Two members to the School Committee for 3-year terms
  • One member to the Planning Board for a 5-year term
  • One member to the Board of Assessors for a 3-year term
  • One member to the Board of Health for a 3-year term
  • One member to the Recreation and Parks Commission for a 3-year term
  • One member to the Natick Housing Authority for a 5-year term
  • One member to the Morse Institute Library Trustees for a 2-year term
  • One Constable for a 1-year term

For Select Board, Guimel Reche De Carvalho and Paul Joseph vie for one seat, as Chair Jonathan Freedman’s term expires in March.

For School Committee, the candidates for two spots are incumbent Mathew Brand, incumbent Shai Fuxman, and Catherine Brunell.

For Natick Housing Authority, one 5-year term is up for grabs between candidates David Parish and Barbara Fornaro.

See all candidates for town-wide offices in document embedded below. There are candidates for all vacancies except for Constable.

Natick Town Hall

Town Meeting vacancies

Here’s what’s open for Town Meeting:

  • Precinct 1: Vote for 11 members
  • Precinct 2: Vote for 7 members
  • Precinct 3: Vote for 6 members
  • Precinct 4: Vote for 7 members
  • Precinct 5: Vote for 6 members
  • Precinct 6: Vote for 7 members
  • Precinct 7: Vote for 6 members
  • Precinct 8: Vote for 6 members
  • Precinct 9: Vote for 9 members
  • Precinct 10: Vote for 7 members
  • Intent to run forms for incumbent Town Meeting members are due in the Town Clerk’s office by 5pm on Tuesday, Feb. 2
  • Nomination papers for new Town Meeting members are due in the Town Clerk’s office by 5pm on Tuesday, Feb. 9.  Town Meeting nomination papers require a minimum of 10 signatures of registered voters in your precinct.

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