The Onset Protective League and Town Moderator Claire Smith hosted Town Meeting Preview on Thursday, which gave citizens a chance to learn about the agenda items on tap for voters when the meeting kicks off on October 22.

Smith and Interim Town Administrator Derek Sullivan offered information and fielded questions from residents. Debate was not allowed.

“This is not the place for debate," Smith told the attendees gathered at the Dudley L. Brown VFW in Onset. "It’s more of an informative gathering."

One of the articles that may be a sticking point is the state's McKinney-Vento reimbursement money. The state is reimbursing a number of towns in Massachusetts, including Wareham, for money spent busing homeless students to Wareham or their out-of-town schools from their temporary homes. Some students come from as far away as Fall River.

“This would be a reimbursement for what was found to be an unfunded mandate,” Sullivan explained.

The School Department is asking for that money to be appropriated to the schools. Technically, the reimbursement comes to the town and could be used anywhere.

Sullivan said that the Department of Revenue has expressed concern about approving the article before the town knows for sure how much money it will be getting back.

“We will have trouble setting the tax rate if we don’t have a 'certified' number,” said Sullivan.

There’s a chance the number will be confirmed before Town Meeting kicks off, but as Sullivan noted: “Time is running short.”

Finance Committee Chair Donna Bronk said members of the FinCom all abstained from voting on whether to support the article, and noted it may be prudent to wait to vote until Town Meeting in the spring.

“We have every intention of [supporting the request] once we have the number,” said Bronk.

Residents wondered about another school-related article — whether to appropriate $110,000 to repair the Wareham High School gym roof.

The money for the gym roof is on the warrant as both an individual article and as part of the town’s Capital Plan — which appropriates money for various town purchases.  This raised the question of which article would be most beneficial to the town.

“It would be better for the town if we could lump it in to one bond," Sullivan said. "We could get a more attractive rate."

Town Meeting will begin October 22 at 7 p.m. in the Wareham High School auditorium.

Click the link below to download the full warrant!