MEETING MATTERS
BOARD OF SELECTMEN MONDAY, DEC. 10, 2007
Compiled by Caitlyn Kelleher Journal Reporter

Top story:

Ashburnham Selectmen promised that the Advisory Board would be kept fully informed of financial matters after Advisory Board Chairman Bill Johnson said he wasn't getting the information the board requested, especially from the town accountant.

"We've never been as unhappy as we are now," Johnson said.

Issues arose before Monday's meeting because a financial statement the Advisory Board had requested wasn't ready for Johnson earlier Monday afternoon.

Johnson said his board members "just want a seat at the table." He said he wasn't planning on complaining, but the selectmen began discussing the upcoming budget season.

Selectman Jonathan Denney said the responsibility of the Advisory Board is the budget and financial recommendations, so they do have a seat at the table and that is why he wants a series of joint meetings to discuss the budget.

"If you are out in the wilderness, I'm trying to bring you in," he said.

Selectmen Chairman Mark Carlisle said he would personally see that the Advisory Board is getting the information they request.

"This is just unacceptable," Carlisle said.

Interim Town Administrator Paul Boushell agreed. "You will not go begging for that report again," he said. "(The town accountant) has been directed that he will produce this report."

In other news:

• Town Hall Renovation Committee Chairman David Sargant told selectmen that the building is about 60 percent complete and renovations are expected to be finished around mid-March.

He said the project is about a week behind schedule but that the general contractor expects to catch up, as the elevator is expected to be delivered in January and work on the heating system will be done this month.

Sargant said the issues that have arisen in the last few weeks include questions about plowing the site, repaving the parking lot and a tightening budget. Boushell said the town will take care of the plowing of the site and that repaving the parking area will become part of the Department of Public Work's spring bidding.

• Selectmen announced the state Department of Conservation and Recreation will be buying a parcel of land running from the intersection of Jewell Hill Road and Route 12 towards Russell Hill Road.

• Dennehy said Sen. Stephen Brewer (D- Barre) and MassHighway officials said in a meeting with town officials that the town will be allowed to access money to repair the bridge on Ashby Road before 2011, when the state is expected to appropriate money to repave that road.

• Selectmen are still looking for a member of the general public to serve on the committee charged with rezoning the center of town.