MEETING MATTERS
ASHBURNHAM BOARD OF SELECTMEN MONDAY, DEC. 17, 2008
Compiled by Caitlyn Kelleher Journal Reporter

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Ashburnham Selectmen held a tax classification hearing in a special meeting on Monday and continued the practice of setting a single rate for both residential and commercial/industrial property.

The town has more than 95 percent of the taxable property listed as residential, so Assessor Richard Coswell said it doesn't make sense to have a separate rate for the small about of commercial and industrial property in town. The Selectmen agreed and voted to set the single tax rate.

Coswell also told that new growth is up over last year because of 32 pieces of new construction that were completed. The town's total taxable property is up only 1.5 percent, Coswell said.

This year the taxable property is $669,584,735, Coswell said.

"That reflects the real estate market in general," he said.

Coswell also told Selectmen that he thought these hearings were not as useful in towns where the decision seems predetermined because of the high amount of residential property.

The tax rate will be set within the week.

In other business:

• The Ashburnham-Westminster Rotary Club asked to meet with the Selectmen to discuss the possibility of creating a garden project near the center of town. The club wrote to Selectmen to ask them to help choose a piece of property for the garden, which according to the letter would be maintained and funded by club.

The club members are also looking to adopt a piece of highway one of the state highways that runs through town as part of the MassHighway adopt a highway program. This means the club would organize cleaning of the trash from the roadway two times a year.

Interim Town Administrator Paul Boushell said he would hold preliminary meetings with Rotary Club members on the issue.

• Boushell gave the Selectmen a preliminary summary of the upcoming budget. He said the budget is mostly level funded.

• The Selectmen's next meeting is Monday, Jan. 7.