Selectmen recommend 10 articles at fall town meeting
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

The Ashburnham Board of Selectmen held a quick meeting after the Ashburnham- Westminster Regional School on Tuesday night to vote on recommendations for the articles on the special town meeting warrant.

The board voted to recommend all but one article that they had left on the town meeting warrant during their last meeting. They also voted to remove an article that would ask voters to form a board of trustees for the Bresnhan Scouting and Community Center when it is built.

"I'd rather do it once and do it right," said Board Chairman Mark Carlisle.

Carlisle and Selectman Chris Gagnon said there are still too many questions about the responsibilities of the trustees, the procedures of the group and the relationship of the trustees with the town.

"I'd like to see more work put into it," Gagnon said.

Selectman Jonathan Dennehy said he was concerned that if the selectmen removed the article it would hold up the building of the project. He also he would help to recommend a lawyer to the building committee group, which is interested in becoming the trustees.

Voters will face 10 articles at the special town meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 15, at Oakmont Regional High School.

Selectmen voted unanimously to support all 10 articles that remain on the ballot including two articles requested by the regional school committee. Dennehy reluctantly voted to support the articles.

One article asks voters to approve money to repair a set of exterior doors at John R. Briggs Elementary School for $5,000 and to do repairs on the HVAC system at the elementary school for $10,000. The second article asks voters to support no more than $2,416 for a new telephone and voicemail system for Overlook Middle School.

The articles are separated because Ashburnham residents are solely responsible for the articles relating to Briggs, while the cost of the telephone system at the middle school is split proportionally according to student enrollment with Westminster, so the legal wording of the articles needs to be different.

Voters will also face articles to transfer costs for relocating municipal offices back to town hall from Oakmont after the town hall renovations are completed. The expense is expected to be $20,000.

Gagnon said he would like to see a breakdown of the entire move process but supported the request for funding.

In other business:

• Dennehy expressed concern that DPW Director Don Ouellette has reviewed the parking lot of Overlook Middle School and sent the report directly to the school system. Carlisle said he had given approval for that but would consult the board next time.