Three of the warrant articles set for the Fall Town Meeting discussion were on the agenda for the Board of Selectmen last night. The Board did not vote any action on the items, but did ask questions of the petitioners for each article.

Tobacco Control

Thomas Vitolo, Chapel Street resident and Precinct 1 Town Meeting Member brought forth his warrant article which would ban the sale of tobacco products from health care and academic institutions. 

"We, as a society, have de-normalized smoking: it is no longer appropriate for a cartoon character to smoke on a billboard, or for people to smoke in public or in restaurants. This, I would argue, continues that [trend]. It would be one less place where we see cigarettes." Vitolo explained. 

There are a number of pharmacies in town which sell tobacco products, and Selectman Dick Benka was concerned about where customers of each location would go for the tobacco they purchased, and listed each pharmacy in town. For example, customers of the Walgreens and CVS locations in Coolidge Corner would be sent to Coolidge Corner Wine & Spirits.

"It would be pushing buyers from drug store, into a liquor store," Benka noted, questioning whether this was an ideal direction.

Vitolo argued that this could still have a positive effect on smoking, noting that 18-year-olds, 16-year-olds and 14-year-olds don't go into liquor stores, leaving these teens with one less impression of seeing cigarettes on a counter. 

“It is in the best interest of the town to restrict access to tobacco--like alcohol. It's not to dictate individual behavior, but to improve the health of the community. It's a similar decision to eliminating tobacco in restaurants, and trans fat regulations.” Dr. Bruce Cohen, who is on the Advisory Board and a Town Meeting Member added, “it turns that out good public health is also good business.”

According to the latest Health Department statistics, the percentage of Brookline adult smokers is down to 7.5 percent, compared to 17 percent in Mass. Comparatively, of 9-12 graders surveyed in town, 15% reported smoking in the last month. While the numbers are lower than the statewide 21 percent Public Health Director, Dr. Alan Balsam says that the numbers are "still nothing to be proud of."

Balsam also commented that “this warrant article is not the answer: there is no one answer. There are many, many strategies to deal with tobacco use, and this is one of them.”

The Board did not vote on this tonight, and will make their determination at a later meeting. The Advisory Board is also meeting to discuss this warrant article on Oct 6. 

Fingerprinting for Background Checks

For a number of the job-related licenses in town, the Police Department run a background check on the applicant, to determine whether or not this person is "in good character." In order to make that process more accurate, Police Chief Daniel O'Leary has brought an article to Town Meeting to fingerprint applicants for background checks. 

“This is not only meant to improve public safety, it’s also about ensuring accuracy.” O'Leary explained, “Anybody can use someone else’s name, but they can’t use someone else’s fingerprints.”

The article does specify certain jobs which would require this background check. For example, O'Leary noted that the town does not currently check ice cream truck operators, but there is a law requiring these operators don't have a history of sexual offense. O'Leary did also note that because a "common victualler" isn't a job, there is no check done for businesses applying for that license. 

The wording of the Article states that any applicant after May 6 would need to have their fingerprints taken for the application. O'Leary adds that the cost for each application would be $30, and that the Board can set a price for that element of the application process. 

A couple of the Board members had questions about data retention--an issue which also came up in the automated license plate reader discussion--how that information is stored and used by police officers. O'Leary explained that there are two separate fingerprint databases: a criminal database and a civilian database. 

Chief O'Leary also added that the vast majority of background checks performed come back clean. The Board will vote on this articla at a later meeting.

2012 Budget Adjustments

Deputy Town Administrator Sean Cronin explained that when the Town Budget for 2012 was composed, numbers for State and Federal Aid had not yet been released to them. They therefore made estimates which were lower than the amount given to Brookline by the Commonwealth, $113,688 lower, and with a larger amount of health insurance funding coming to the town.

This warrant article proposes that the state aid money be divided in half, putting half into the school budget, and the remaining amount into a stabilization fund. With the additional health insurance money, the town can also afford to move some funds allocated for employee benefits also into the stabilization fund. 

Cronin added that he believed this move would address a concern Moody's Rating Agency has had about the town's finances for a few years.

Selectman Nancy Daly agreed, "I think that will be a good thing. I have said before: that Aaa bond rating is critical to several of our projects."

The Selectman Chair, Betsy DeWitt felt ready to vote on the article, but as a vote was not on the calendar, the Board put off voting for now.