Article # 24 triggered some questions directed to our Highway Surveyor Brian Johnson, son of Earl Johnson. Brian Johnson however did not know anything and could not answer the questions.
Article # 24 read as follows:
Article # 24: To see if the Town will, pursuant to M.G.L. chapter 82a, section 2, vote to designate the board or officer to issue permits for the purpose of creating a trench as that term is defined by M.G.L. c.82a, s.4, and 520 CMR 14.00, or act anything thereto.
The new “trench law” took effect on January 1st 2009, and the town of Holland is not in compliance with this new law since the beginning of the year.
The new law is also called “Jackie's Law.” Jackie Moore was a four-year-old girl from East Bridgewater that fell into an unprotected trench and died when it collapsed in 1999. Since then, Massachusetts lawmakers have been working on a law that would prevent similar accidents and the final law, MGL c. 82A, was passed in Nov. 2007.
In order to apply for one of this new permits, an applicant needs to provide the controlling entity with a Dig Safe number, the name of the competent person in charge, and other information as required. Most likely the town of Holland will also charge a fee associated with the permit application. If you would like get more information, click here!
The last article on the warrant was the article with the question whether the town would lease land to HAP. The article was accepted. However, there is no time limit on the lease according to the article. Leases of this kind do have a time limit of 99 years. The question is also how the town will limit the owner to only rent housing units to seniors as proposed. I personally see problems for the town to enforce this important aspect of the whole deal in the long run. One way to ensure this would be deeded restrictions without time limits.
Here are tow links to HAP websites:
Housing Partnership Network
the region's housing partnership for Hampden and Hampshire Counties in Western Massachusetts
Peter Frei