Open Space Committee advocates for Forest Legacy Project
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Westminster Selectmen heard from the Open Space Committee on Wednesday, April 9, that it would prioritize the funding for the Forest Legacy Project over the purchase of the Wintturri project, but voters will see both proposals at May's Town Meeting.

In an article at a special town meeting (immediately preceding the annual town meeting), voters will be asked to appropriate money for two appraisals on the Wintturri property.

The Wintturri project is 85 acres off of Route 140 that Selectmen want to buy for town sports fields.

The Open Space Committee is seeking $60,000 this spring at the Annual Town Meeting to help continue to fund the Forest Legacy Project. This is the second of four expected requests. In the fall there will be a request for $15,000 and a request for $304,000, which will allow the town to buy about $2.2 million worth of preservation restrictions on private land.

"The Open Space Committee thinks the Wintturri land is a worthwhile project," Altieri said.

The committee simply has a number of questions about the project, such as whether all 85 acres are needed, and they are also concerned about the limited time of preparing a self-help grant application from the state.

Not everyone was in support of the Forest Legacy Project.

"I voted against this on capital planning," said Keith Harding, a member of the Advisory and Capital Planning boards.

Harding said for him, supporting this article would put capital planning spending over budget, and he thinks it is time to move away from funding land purchases.

"I think we are getting to get to the top of the open-space collection," said Selectman Thomas O'Toole.

But, he said, four years ago he supported the Forest Legacy Project, and he does not want to withdraw his support. He said he thinks there is also a need to increase the budget focus on infrastructure such as roads.

"There needs to be a balance," O'Toole said.

Jen Shenk, a member of the Open Space Committee, said she thought it was important for the voters to see this year's request for the Legacy Project because voters supported previous articles knowing this request and more would be coming.

"It is up to the voters. It will still be on the warrant," Selectman Nick Hay said.

In other business: • The Selectmen voted to give a oneyear extension for the Earth Removal Business Park, on Batherick Road. The vote came after many one-month extensions were given to the project's developers, while Selectmen waited to get the submittal from the developers to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act office.

Developers told the Selectmen a traffic light for the intersection of Batherick Road, Depot Road and State Road East/Route 2A has been declined by the state. The state has said there is not enough traffic through that intersection to warrant a light.

The Planning Board has approved the second phase of the project, which includes a road connecting the existing cul-de-sac to North Common Road.

• The Selectmen voted to close the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting.