MIDDLETON — Town Meeting voters flocked in record numbers Tuesday but left most of the warrant unfinished. That work will continue at 7:30 tonight.
Town Meeting adjourned at 11:40 p.m. Tuesday, just after voters rejected an adult entertainment district on Sharpners Pond Road. Selectman Timothy Houten said he expects another such proposal will arise in the future — with a place more likely to draw a strip club or similar business.
"We were trying to get a place which was remote enough to qualify under constitutional law, but in all likelihood would not be built. The problem is both of those locations have some residential abutters," he said yesterday.
The second location that was considered is the current Bostik adhesives plant, which borders homes in Middleton, West Peabody, North Reading and Lynnfield.
The Sharpners Pond Road site — across the street from North Andover and behind the Candlelite Motor Inn — drew a vote of 93 yeses and 59 nos, not enough to pass the two-thirds requirement for zoning changes.
Houten predicted industrial areas off Log Bridge Road and Lonergan Road — behind North Shore Technical High School and a Fast Freddie's gas station — could be the next proposal. Both have easy access to Route 114 and are close to Route 1 and Interstate 95, making them much better for an adult business, he said.
Under state law, until a community establishes an adult district, any property in the town is fair game.
The 152 votes cast on the adult entertainment district paled in comparison to registered attendance of 942. Most of those people were drawn to a tax override vote to replace Howe-Manning Elementary School, which easily cleared with 663 yes votes and 118 no votes. The school override still needs a majority vote in Monday's Town Election to pass. For a home worth $450,000, the additional taxes would peak at $214 for the year 2014.
Town Clerk Sarah George said Tuesday's session saw record turnout. The previous record was set in the 1980s, when Middleton Jail was on the Town Meeting warrant. Turnout then was in the 600s, she said.
Tonight, Town Meeting will consider jointing a regional dispatch center for emergency police and fire calls. The town will also consider significant revisions to its flexible development zoning ordinance and its sign code.
A number of costly warrant items also remain, among them: $40,400 for computers for the Police Department; if needed, potentially $75,000 for renovations to Howe-Manning's rooms, $88,000 for school technology and reading programs, and $42,000 for school roof repairs and furniture; $49,000 for plows and mowers; and $113,000 for a dump truck.
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