MATTAPOISETT— From new equipment for emergency services to banning nip bottles, Mattapoisett residents can expect a number of familiar items on the Town Meeting ballot on Tuesday, May 8.

The Mattapoisett Select Board voted to close the town meeting warrant on Tuesday, March 28. 

Annual items like a vote to approve the town’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which is approximately $32 million, will be on the ballot at Town Meeting. 

According to Lorenco, there was a 2.9% increase from last year’s budget to this year. 

Lorenco said that the finer details of the budget have yet to be finalized. 

Additionally, about $2.4 million worth of capital expense projects — including the purchase of a police cruiser and a backhoe for the highway department will be on the warrant. 

According to Lorenco, $1.4 million of the capital expense budget will be set aside for the reconstruction of Pearl Street and Oakland Street. 

This road reconstruction is a result of ongoing sewer and water line replacements for outdated infrastructure. 

The sewer replacement portion of the project was approved during the 2022 Town Meeting, said Lorenco. 

According to Lorenco, the reconstruction of Pearl Street will cost $620,000 and the reconstruction of Oakland Street will cost $817,000.

Other capital expenses include a feasibility study for the renovation of Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School. 

According to school superintendent-director Aaron Polansky, the feasibility study is estimated to cost the school $1 million. 

According to a report provided by Old Colony, the school’s building committee has identified several areas of the school building in need of evaluation: brick and walls, windows, doors, flooring, ceilings, lockers and storage, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance issues, plumbing, classroom space and more.

Old Colony is prepared to put $500,000 toward the study but wants member towns, including Mattapoisett, Rochester, Acushnet, Carver and Lakeville, to contribute to the fund based on each town’s enrollment numbers.

A citizen’s petition submitted by Mattapoisett resident Don Cuddy will look to ban nip bottles in an effort to minimize litter across town.

“I’m just tired of seeing them on the ground when I’m running,” said Cuddy.

Town officials discussed the possibility of banning nips in 2022 but the issue was not put on the warrant because the town ran out of time before the date of Town Meeting. 

According to Select Board Chair Tyler Macallister, the warrant, which consists of 29 articles, is still in “draft” form.

“It’s not complete, there are some details that need to be added,” said Macallister.

Macallister said that the finalized warrant will be made available to view on the town’s website.

“There really isn’t a surprise this year on the warrant,” said Lorenco.