Selectboard Meeting of August 4, 2009

There is no Selectmen's agenda as the town clerk was on vacation.

First, Wettlaufer read a statement written by our acting chief of Police Brian C. Haughey. In the statement, Haughey praised Officer Eric Stanley for his professionalism in the handling of a missed person case back on Friday July 24, 2009. A ten year old boy followed the family’s pet dog. After a while the dog returned to the families house without the boy. According to the statement, the boy has a medical condition which does not allow him to have a sense of orientation which made the situation extremely difficult for everybody. The search which involved the state police and a k9 unit lasted close to five hours. The boy was found and returned to his family.

The board of selectmen signed an $800,000 ATN (anticipated tax note). The interest on this loan is 1.72%.

The selection process for a new zoning enforcing officer is nearing its end as it is down to one applicant.

The board discussed the purchase of a system to make ID cards for town officials. A new law requires that every police officer, fireman, as well as all town officials, whether elected or appointed, has an ID card. As of now, the required ID cards are purchased and the recurring expense could be minimized if the ID cards would be made at the town hall. Systems do cost between $600 to $1,000. Petersen suggested to have representatives from two companies demonstrate a system to determine which system should be acquired.

Wettlaufer updated the other two selectmen on the progress of the Elementary School modernization. The bid-process to change the windows to more energy efficient models is nearing its end. Thereafter, the bids will have to be submitted to the Department of Energy for approval.

The selectboard announced that a tri-town meeting will take place on Monday August 31, 2009.

Johnson informed the other two selectmen of the fact that no definitive builder for the elderly housing project is named, and also about an other attempt to find funding to improve some private roads and convert them into public roads.

Former member of the selectboard and longtime resident Carolyn Reardon made an appearance.
The selectboard sent Carolyn a letter complaining about the parking lot located at the corner of Vinton and Mashapaug Road. According to Wettlaufer, seven residents complained about the alleged “mess” on the paved parking lot. The “mess” consists of strewn fire wood and three FEDEX trucks, one of which is not registered. There is at least one other car parked there that is not registered.
According to a town bylaw not more then one unregistered vehicle can be parked on any lot. This bylaw is arbitrarily enforced if at all. Everybody whit open eyes will notice a violation of this bylaw by many homeowners.
Petersen finds it “somewhat odd” to have three FEDEX trucks parked there.

Wettlaufer: “Is there a reason why we can’t have that [mess] shielded from public view in some fashion?”

Carolyn’s response was that the locus is zoned commercial and wondered why Wettlaufer would make such a request.

Wettlaufer: “I’m sure you must understand that people who take pride in their ownership of their property are a little bit annoyed of having to look at what’s parked there and write [complain] to the town. Can’t you [Carolyn] take the feeling of your neighbors into consideration?”

Wettlaufer is now the caretaker of neighborly feelings.

Here are two pictures of the parking lot, the reader can form his/her own opinion whether there is a “mess”. . .
These trucks are just parked there. . .
Our selectboard (especially Selectman James Wettlaufer) is favoring a truck stop, a truck stop where hundreds of trucks are not just parked there; they will drive to the proposed truck stop site on Mashapaug Road all day long, especially in the evening, and park there with running engines all night long, summer and winter. In the morning the trucks will drive away to make room for more trucks.

Three parked trucks will be the least of problems for the seven residents who allegedly complained (if they do exist). I wonder What they will complain to the selectboard about once the proposed truck stop is built.

By the way, Carolyn Reardon is not even the owner of the property. The selectboard failed to check this fact and sent the harassing letter to Carolyn Reardon under the assumption that she is the owner.

August 10, 2009, Peter Frei