MEETING MATTERS

BOARD OF SELECTMEN WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 2007

Compiled by Caitlyn Kelleher

Journal Reporter

Top Story:

Paul Aldrich appeared before the selectmen on Wednesday, June 6, to ask them if they wished to buy an approximately two-acre parcel of land in the center of town.

In December 2005, Selectmen agreed to support Aldrich's plan for a 22-unit housing development off Adams Road near the intersection with Main Street. The housing project was at the time considered to be a "friendly 40B," so at least 25 percent of the houses would full in the state's affordable housing guidelines.

Aldrich said he has full-filled the selectmen's desire to have slightly more land for the project and has slight reconfigured the layout. But that most of the project was the same as in 2005.

Aldrich told the board he was approaching them with this offer because of the recent discussions about town infrastructure.

"I think it would be perfect for a park," Aldrich said.

Board Chairman John Fairbanks said that his personal interest in buying the land is "relatively low."

Selectman Thomas O'Toole said he would like to walk the land again as did Selectman Nick Hay, who was not on the board in 2005.

The board said they would get back to Aldrich.

In Other News:

+ Selectmen approved a three-article warrant for a special town meeting on Tuesday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Westminster Elementary School.

The town will face two articles related to repairs to the Forbush Memorial Library. The first article is pay for emergency repairs to the roof above the Eloranta Room at $39,000, which will be permanently repaired by the engineering designed developed if voters approve the second article. The cost of the design and engineering study yet to be determined.

Selectmen and library trustees say that before the final repairs on the roof as well as the repair/replacement exterior of the building - which is already in a design phase - would repair before the voters when plans and costs were determined.

The third question voters will face at the town meeting is requests to allow town officials move money from specific line items to other to balance the FY07 budget.

Selectmen decided not to place a fourth article on the ballot that would have requested that voters buy a parcel of land for recreations use. They postponed the article until the fall town meeting because they did not have enough information on the project.

+ Selectmen discussed the pending request for proposals on the 69 West Main St. parcel of land which selectmen hope to have senior housing built on as well as a senior center.

The selectmen said they would like two two-story buildings with at least 70 units on the property. The selectmen wanted to see the cost differences if the town planned to build the senior center or if the developer built the center.

The selectmen couldn't agree on whether or not to request the house that currently sits on the property to be torn down.

+ Selectmen agreed to hold a meeting in a July where they would set the goals for the upcoming year.

+ Advisory Board Chairman Ken Burstall met briefly with selectmen to present a consolidated list of goals for the upcoming budget process. Burstall and the selectmen agreed to an in depth discussion on these issues over the course of the board's next two meetings.

The list of issues from the Advisory Board range the short-term and relatively simple to accomplish - start the budget process one to three months earlier and improve the sound system options for town meeting - to changes to the town's bylaws - returning the town meeting to a Saturday and requiring a ballot vote for all new town positions.

The board is also looking to make changes in the expected budget process as well. Burstall said the board would like to make it mandatory that department heads submit a five-year business plan by Dec. 31, they would like to start fencing off all of the income from the landfill contract and they would start all departments off with a budget of negative 1 percent (excluding salaries).