Police chief wants to punish fear mongering
By Karen Mann

"People need to be held accountable. A $50 fine is not enough to stop them." - BOARD OF SELECTMEN CHAIRMAN ROBERT PLAMONDON

Police Chief Erving Marshall is proposing a harsher sentence for those who cause great fear or disruption in a city or town.

Marshall presented his idea to selectmen this week. He would like to see a bill passed that makes negative acts that disrupt a city or town, cause great fear or public harm, or put a city or town in danger, punishable by a fine ranging from $500 to $1,000, or up to a year in jail.

Marshall started drafting the legislation after an incident this summer in which two alligators were released in residential areas. The matter not only caused fear among residents, it used a lot of resources and cost the town a lot of money, he said

An incident like that only carries a $50 fine, as well as some civil penalties, according to Marshall.

It is a bigger issue than the alligator issue and Marshall wants the bill to cover any thing similar to this, he said.

"They are incidents that start small, but cause widespread fear," said Marshall.

State Rep. Robert Hargraves, who attended the meeting will help try to get a bill passed. The pair plan on presenting it as a statewide bill instead of a home rule petition that would apply exclusive to Townsend.

Hargraves said the bill would carry more weight if State Sen. Robert Antonioni simultaneously brought it to the Senate.

Hargraves also asked Marshall to seek endorsement of the bill from the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association.

Selectmen gave Marshall their support.

"People need to be held accountable," said Board Chairman Robert Plamondon. "A $50 fine is not enough to stop them."

In other business:

 Selectmen appointed Leslie Gabrilska as the temporary conservation agent until a permanent agent is hired. Gabrilska is the administrative assistant for the conservation commission. According to Karen Chapman, chairman of the conservation commission, Gabrilski has been taking on the work of the conservation agent since the spot became vacant in July. The selectmen voted against the commission requested that Gabrilski be given retroactive pay for July 31 at the conservation agent rate.

 Selectman Maureen Denig was appointed as the representative to the North Middlesex Regional School District Planning Committee.

 An electrical contract was awarded to Dan Haney Electrical in the amount of $55 per hour with 15 percent mark up.

 Selectmen appointed 10 new recruit firefighters, contingent on each one passing a physical and criminal background check. According to Fire Chief William Donahue, each firefighter spends six months as a recruit, and then if he/she passes the proper tests, has a six-month probationary period.