April 2022 Town Meeting Articles

FALMOUTH VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ON FASTER, MORE RELIABLE INTERNET

Article 25 - PASSED ✓

Confirms Last November 2021 TM Vote to Establish the Legal Structure for Falmouth’s Network

  • A Municipal Light Plant (MLP) is the legal structure in Massachusetts law that allows towns like
    Falmouth to build and operate a fiber optic network.
  • Town Meeting overwhelmingly voted in favor of establishing an MLP (175 – 13) at the November 2021 Town Meeting. Adopting an MLP required a second YES vote with a 2/3 majority at the April 2022 Town Meeting.
  • Establishing an MLP does not cost the town of Falmouth ANYTHING. Town Meeting maintains approval authority over any future network construction or major expenditure

Article 26 - PASSED ✓

Creates the Municipal Light Board

  • Article 26 allows for the election of a Municipal Light Board (MLB) made up of 5 Falmouth citizens.
  • This board develops operating models, financial plans, and applications for federal/state grants.
  • The board is also responsible for negotiating with potential contractors to build and operate Falmouth’s network, and is tasked with finding and hiring a manager to oversee day-to-day operations of the network.

Article 27 - PASSED ✓

Calls for November Election of the Municipal Light Board

  • Town elections are usually scheduled annually in May, meaning we would have to wait roughly an additional 13 months before a board could begin work.
  • Town Meeting may use a routine procedure to petition the Commonwealth for a special election in November.
  • There are significant costs associated with delay:-
    – Missing out of Federal infrastructure funds worth million
    – Falmouth would experience increased construction costs due to inflation and would wait behind other communities for fiber and communities capable of building the network.
    – Falmouth residents continue to pay the high cost of unreliable internet.

Questions or Comments? Email us at info@falmouthnet.org