BREWSTER – A crowd of more than 1,000 people is expected for Brewster Town Meeting Monday evening and town officials are asking the public to arrive early to Stony Brook Elementary School.
Check-in begins at 5 p.m. as town meeting has a new start time of 6 p.m.
A new entrance has also been established at Stony Brook Elementary School at the eastern side of the traditional meeting entrance to better accommodate the crowd.
“We are encouraging all Brewster residents to get to the Stony Brook Elementary School early. If they can that will be incredibly helpful to us to get the meeting going at just the right time and get us through the night pretty quickly,” said Mark Forest, of the Town Administrator’s office.
The town will also offer transportation and child care services.
The Council on Aging offers rides to and from town meeting. For information or to schedule a ride call 508-896-2737.
Overflow parking will also be located at the Eddy School and town hall parking lots. A shuttle bus service to and from these parking lots will start at 5 p.m.
“We are just making extra effort to have plenty of parking spaces available and seats available there,” Forest said. “I think the biggest challenge is just going to be getting everyone parked and in their seats.”
The Nauset Youth Alliance will provide free child care services for children ages 5 to 14 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in rooms 220/225 at the school.
Parents who would like to use the service are asked to call the NYA at 508-896-7900 or email [email protected] before 4 p.m. Friday, May 3.
The NYA will also provide food and refreshments for purchase from 5:30 to 9 p.m. during town meeting. Items include sandwiches, chips, desserts, water, coffee, tea and juice.
Along with the normal operating budget, school budget and municipal business, Forest said special citizens’ petitions are really what is driving the interest for Town Meeting.
A citizens’ petition has been advanced by a group of residents who are not supportive of the retail sales of marijuana.
At a town meeting in December, residents narrowly passed a general bylaw change that prohibited recreational marijuana distributors in town.
The bylaw change was struck down recently by Attorney General Maura Healey.
“This next step is to revisit Brewster zoning and find a way to restrict marijuana sales there,” Forest said.
Other petitioned articles include one that would seek to establish a commission that would look at and recommend changes to the state flag and seal.
“It is largely because of objections from the Native American community who feel there are aspects of the state flag and seal that they find offensive,” Forest said.
There is also a petition article for a municipal bottled water ban, and a ban on plastic bags.
Town meeting is Monday, May 6 at 6 p.m.
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