Town of Princeton, Mass., Selectboard Meeting Minutes
– April 30, 2018 – 7:30 PM– Town Hall Annex
Present: Chair Richard Bisk, Edith Morgan & Jon Fudeman w/ TA Nina Nazarian.
Accept minutes – The board voted all in favor to approve the minutes from April 2, 10, 13, 17 and 18 regular meetings along with April 24 Exec. Session (not to release). No action was taken on April 20 minutes.
Farmers Market Terri Steiner and Susan Priest requested use of the Town Common for the Farmers Market beginning in June with 1st and 3rd Sundays from 10 AM – 1 PM.
ACTION: The S.B. voted all in favor to allow use of Town Common by the Farmers Market and all in favor to accept a donation of $70/month for same.
Joint Meeting with the Advisory Committee on FY19 Budget/Capital & ATM warrant 7:45 PM The Advisory Cmte. convened with John Shipman, George Handy, Don Schoeny, Jim O’Coin and Judy Dino. Absent were Bill Lawton and Wayne Adams.
George Handy read a letter to S.B. recommending a tax levy not exceeding $8.5 million FY’19. See attached. Both boards discussed the possibility of changing the structure of the budgeting process next year and meeting in July to start the budget process as a team.
Joint Meeting with Parks & Recreation re: Route 140 Project 8:30 PM Parks & Rec Director Hollie Lucht and members Chair Emily Babbitt di Nicasio, Kelton Burbank, Nanette Fitzgerald and Phil Gransewicz came in to vote and sign documents required for transfer of property at Sawyer Field in East Princeton on order to construct a wheelchair ramp as part of the Route 140 project. Nanette wanted to ensure that the slide apparatus would be properly relocated if necessary and Nina indicated that it should be addressed in the construction phase.
ACTION: Both boards voted all in favor to sign the document titled, “Vote of Joint Meeting of Board of Selectmen and Parks and Recreation Commission,” to declare a portion of Sawyer Field surplus, Parcel E-1. The P & R members then voted all in favor to grant and sign a “Revocable Grant of License for use of Parcel E-1, to allow installation and maintenance of a wheelchair ramp.
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to declare Parcel E-2, which is 462 sq,ft, along road edge of Mechanics Hall property, as surplus to be used for public way purposes, and sign document titled “Vote of Board of Selectmen.”
Route 140 Project Hearing on Alteration of Redemption Rock Trail 8:40 PM
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to open the April 30, 2018 Hearing for the Order of Laying Out for Alteration of Redemption Rock Trail (Routes 31 & 140), Main Street (Route 140) and East Princeton Road (Route 31) hearing.
Note: The hearing was required under Mass General Laws to layout the public way for Route 140, specific to the alterations of E-1 and E-2.
Bill Holder from R.A.C. described the proposed road layout in front of Mechanics Hall to accommodate a wider travel way with a sidewalk, benches and bike rack. The board opened the hearing up to public comment. Karen Cruise asked if Mechanics Hall might lose parking space. Bill stated current parking spaces would be only slightly impacted.
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to close the public hearing.
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to approve the Order of Laying Out for Alteration of Redemption Rock Trail (Routes 31 & 140), Main Street (Route 140) and East Princeton Road (Route 31).
ACTION: S.B. voted to allow the T.A. to sign Right of Entry for Sawyer Field and Mechanics Hall.
Paving proposed for Calamint Hill Road North Bill Holder discussed memo from Mike Scott, PE, principal at WDA Design Group, the road engineering firm. It indicated that the best solution to ongoing disintegration of the gravel roadway is paving. Bill stated that a majority of road residents who have voiced an opinion have favored the paving solution. Bill and Highway Superintendent Glenn Lyons indicated their strong support for paving.
Two residents who spoke in opposition to paving. Both expressed concern that paving would change the rural nature of the road Resident Steve Kessler noted that Administration Road on Wachusett Mtn. is an example of a well-engineered gravel road. Resident Bruce Weinstein warned that paving will increase traffic volume and speed as he believes it will be used as a short-cut from Rutland to Worcester.
The SB encouraged participation of all residents in the process as the road gets re-constructed. The engineers will be filing an NOI with the Conservation Commission in June and a public hearing on the design will be scheduled after that. Meetings of the RAC include time for public comment
ACTION: 9:25 PM The board voted all in favor to endorse the paving of Calamint Hill Road North and continue the engineering work.
ATM Warrant Articles 9:30 PM Board considered articles on Draft #13 of ATM warrant
ACTION S.B. voted all in favor to accept and place on warrant: articles numbered 1,2, 4 through 14 and 17 through 25. They voted to increase the sum in Article 6 to $40,000. No action was taken on articles 15 and 16. Some figures in article 3 still need to be finalized. This is will done at a SB meeting on Thursday, May 3 at 10 AM.
ACTION: 10:10 PM S.B. voted all in favor to approve road use in town for Wachusett Mtn. Hill Climb on May 12, subject to proof of insurance and requirements of police chief and fire chief.
ACTION: Group voted all in favor to nominate Bill Holder as “citizen of the year” and Jon offered to write up text for a presentation.
Adjourn 10:20 PM
Respectfully submitted, Marie Auger, Admin. Asst.
S.B. Referenced Documents: Proposal/request from Farmers Market on Town Common; A.C. report/letter to S.B.; documents required for transfer of property at Sawyer Field; document for Mechanics Hall property as surplus; Draft #13 of ATM warrant; memo from Mike Scott, PE, principal at WDA Design; letter from Steve Kessler.
Marie Auger
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
978-464-2100
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