Wareham’s annual fall Town Meeting will be held on Monday, Oct. 25 in the Wareham High School auditorium, beginning at 7 p.m.

Voters will be asked to vote on 20 issues, ranging from the town’s capital plan to funding for a playground in Swifts Beach.

Town Meeting attendees will decide on five citizens’ petition articles, which include a proposal to reuse the soon-to-be-vacant Decas Elementary School as a community center and a call for the town to enforce existing earth removal regulations. In addition, three of the five petitions would change some of the established practices of Wareham’s government by requiring remote access to meetings, reducing the Select Board’s control over the Town Meeting warrant, and reconfiguring the Redevelopment Authority.

Citizens’ petition articles require signatures from ten registered voters to be put on the warrant. 

Voters are encouraged to arrive early to allow time for the check-in process.

Attendees will be asked to approve a number of routine financial articles, including the town’s capital plan, budget transfers and PEG Access Receipts, which fund WCTV.

The town’s $1,613,000 capital plan includes large purchases and improvements to town properties.

The Emergency Medical Services will get a new ambulance. The Municipal Maintenance department requested funds for two new trucks with plows, a stormwater monitoring system, and funds to repair and paint the interior of the Town Hall auditorium.

The Department of Natural Resources requested $225,000 in funds for a survey of the Onset Pier. 

The police requested $55,000 for new firearms, tasers, and equipment; funds for an unmarked cruiser, and radio equipment.

The schools requested $280,000 for a fire suppression system for the high school and three new school buses to the tune of $330,000.

Those items will be funded by free cash, with a total cost of $1,373,000.

The 11 parking kiosks in Onset will get an upgrade for a total cost of $110,000, to be paid from parking program income.

The Police Department is also seeking permission to spend $130,000 of its capital funds on two new cruisers.

Both the Select Board and Finance Committee recommended the approval of the capital plan.

Voters will also be asked to weigh in on two articles brought forth by the Community Preservation Committee. 

These articles include a request for $250,000 to install new playground equipment in Swifts Beach and a separate request for $150,000 to help cover the cost of the Buzzard Bay Coalition’s efforts to restore the stone pier on Wickets Island. The Select Board and Finance Committee voted to recommend both articles.

Article 7 on the warrant asks voters to approve spending nearly $200,000 of Community Preservation Act funds to continue covering the costs of the ongoing Tremont Nail Factory remediation efforts. Both the Select Board and Finance Committee recommended the approval of this article.

Another article (Article 14) asks voters to consider reducing the Wareham Affordable Housing Trust’s quorum. The five-member board currently needs four trustees to conduct a meeting, but approval of this article would reduce the quorum to three trustees, which would allow the group to conduct a meeting with only a simple majority present.

Although social distancing is no longer required, masks are required to be worn over the mouth and nose at all times in town buildings. 

Voters can bring a bottle of water, but no other food or beverages will be allowed. No political buttons, clothing or signs will be allowed.

Click here for the complete Town Meeting Warrant and Finance Committee report.