MEETING MATTERS
WESTMINSTER BOARD OF SELECTMEN WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
Compiled by Caitlyn Kelleher Journal Reporter

Top Story:

Selectmen and Advisory Board members all have differing recommendations to the voters of Westminster on many of the articles on the schedule for the upcoming town meeting.

The boards are not recommending a $1 million request from the Department of Public Works to fund a road repair study, but they are recommending a $500,000 request to continue repairs on the road.

The boards had a split vote on a number of articles appearing on the warrant, including two citizens' petitions. The Selectmen voted 2-1 against the appropriation of $10,000 for the 250th Anniversary Committee, while the Advisory Board voted 4-1 against.

"We agreed to it five years ago. To go back on it is not right," said Advisory Board member Vance Butterfield, who was the one vote in favor of the article.

Ken Burstall, an Advisory Board member, is the amount of the money the committee wants to spend on the parade and other events "is a luxury."

The Advisory Board's opinion was also split on $40,000 for the repairs to the Department of Public Works building, but Selectmen all recommended it. The other DPW requests for funding were also debated, with a majority of Selectmen and Advisory Board members voting in favor of the purchase of two vehicles.

The majority of the Advisory Board did not vote to recommend the $60,000 funding of the Forestry Legacy Project.

The groups also debated the issues of some proposed changes to the town's zoning. Selectman Thomas O'Toole voted against many of the proposals because he does not like the piecemeal process nor does he like the concept of mixed-use zoning. He said he would like to see special zoning for the center of town.

In Other Business:

• The Board of the Selectmen appointed a Senior Center Building Committee of seven voting members of the community and Alicia Alitieri as a non-voting advisory member.

The committee will include Selectman Nick Hay, Advisory Board and Capital Planning Committee member Keith Harding, Council on Aging member Neysa Miller, Planning Board member Donald Barry, Daniel Stango and Kevin Keena.

Fairbanks said the Selectmen and the building committee will meet in May to discuss the parameters of Committee's responsibility and goals of both groups.

• Selectmen also appointed representatives to two more committees. Andy Hertel was appointed to fill one of two vacancies on the Industrial Development Committee.

John Fairbanks (Selectmen's representative), and Peter Remelius, a resident of Route 140, were appointed to the Route 140 Corridor Improvement Committee. The committee is designed to represent the three towns along 9.7 miles of road between Legg Road in Sterling to Patricia Road in Westminster. Of that, 4.1 miles are in Princeton, 4.2 miles in Sterling and 1.4 miles in Westminster.