Town clerk to try to resolve ownership issues
By Karen Mann

Selectmen stood by their decision to use Town Clerk Denise MacAloney as an impartial third party to decide who owns some artifacts.

The Forbush Memorial Library Board of Trustees expressed their concern with her appointment, saying MacAloney was not impartial because she is a member of the Historical Society.

MacAloney came before selectmen to assure them she can remain unbiased.

"If I thought it was going to be a conflict of interest, I wouldn't have volunteered," she said.

She said that she serves as secretary for the Historical Society, taking minutes during executive meetings. However, she said she does not go to their regular monthly meetings. She said many people in town are members of the society and pointed out that some of the library trustees are also members of the historical society.

Selectman Thomas O'Toole said it is common in small towns for there to be crossover among boards.

All three selectmen agreed there was no conflict of interest in this matter.

Chairwoman Lorraine Emerson said she thought MacAloney was a good person for the job because as town clerk - an elected position - she has held "one of the most responsible positions in town" for the past 23 years.

In other business:

 Selectmen signed a contract with Unitil for gas service in the new town hall. Town Administrator Karen Murphy said it is similar to their current contract and Unitil will not charge any installation fees.

 Selectmen gave Town Planner Alicia Altieri permission to apply for a "selfhelp" grant through the Massachusetts Environmental Services. Altieri would like to use the grant to acquire a 45-acre parcel of land on West Princeton Road. According to Altieri, the current owner of the land, Jonathan Raymond, lives in California, and is interested in selling the property to the town.

Altieri said two appraisals were done on the property; one came back at $475,000 and the other at $500,000. The

self-help grant allows for 62 percent reimbursement for land that becomes protected conservation land. Altieri said they would not buy the land unless the town received the grant.

 Don Barry, a member of the Planning Board, came before selectmen to discuss a cease and desist order he was issued by the Conservation Commission for his project near the Village at the Old Mill. Barry is trying to stabilize a slope to keep water from coming into one residents backyard. According to e-mails sent to selectmen, Barry is using organic materials without any soil, which they feel will not help stabilize the slope. Barry said he is using the combination of materials he feels is appropriate. Emerson told Barry to wait until his meeting with the Conservation Commission to work out the issue.