ROXBURY — After postponing their indoor annual Town Meeting due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions, officials and residents are hoping for a successful outdoor meeting in heated tents Sunday.

Selectman Tim Derouche said the noon town meeting will take place outside the Town Office at 1095 Roxbury Road.

“We’re putting two large tents up in the parking lot and bringing some heaters, chairs and two sets of microphones with speakers,” he said. “Dress warm. We’re going to have heaters, but it might not be effective, depending upon the weather.”

There will be social distancing and residents are asked to wear masks to prevent the spread of the virus. Sanitizer will be available.

“Normally we have about 45 people. We should have plenty of room for that. If someone doesn’t want to wear a mask, they can go stand out in the parking lot.”

Members of the Fire Department will direct traffic. Someone will be available to wipe down the bathroom after every use.

“We have no backup plan,” Derouche said. “We’re in Roxbury, so we do anything in any weather. Just hoping it all works.”

On Monday, the long-range forecast called for sunny and spring like temperatures Sunday.

Derouche said that due to coronavirus restrictions, it was decided in December to postpone the original March 1 town meeting.

“We exhausted every avenue to try to find some place big enough to have it inside,” Tax Collector/Treasurer Renee Hodsdon said. “We’re just hoping for good weather. The way our town is set up, we kinda have to have it in March. And we didn’t get notice until the ball was already rolling that the governor had made changes to the executive orders.”

Hodsdon said the proposed 2021-22 budget is $671,809, about $4,800 less than for 2020-21.

Among the 76 warrant articles, including one to offer a Tax Increment Financing agreement for a wind farm project that’s underway and a solar array slated to be constructed in 2022, Derouche said.

Another asks voters if they favor pursuing a 2-acre land purchase from Wagner Forest Management near Roxbury Pond.

“We want to get permission from the residents to pursue possibly purchasing that to put a walking trail in that area,” Derouche said. “We do have a local resident who has indicated that he has some interest in continuing the trail on his piece of land, too.”

While there is no trail yet, he said, “The idea is that they have an issue in the summer with people walking and vehicle traffic because it’s such close quarters down there.”

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