Selectboard Meeting of May 4, 2010

To read the Selectmen's agenda click here!

As expected, the members of the Board of Selectmen remained silent about the decision in favor of James LaMountain that was issued by Superior Court Justice, the Honorable Cornelius J. Moriarty II., 12 days earlier. While the Board elaborates on decisions in favor of the town, they NEVER EVER report or inform the voters of the final decision by judges when the three members of the Board find themselves on the wrong side of the law, as is the case most of the time. Just two days earlier, Earl Johnson slammed James LaMountain claiming that he lost about every lawsuit, when in fact the there selectmen still don’t have anything to show for besides painful and embarrassing defeats of their repeated attempts to deny LaMountain his constitutional rights.

Discussion about the proposed low income senior housing project, (at 5:36)

There will be three articles on the annual town meeting warrant in connection with the project.
The first article will be in regards to a needed easement to construct a well for the proposed low income senior housing project. The parcel is too small to accommodate every thing that is needed for the project. A total of 16 variances or other exemptions are needed to jam the $5,250,000.00 million project into the tight space, an idea that was the brainchild of Earl Johnson.
Originally HAP proposed to build one large well and abandon the already built well for the senior citizen center. HAP now suggests building three smaller wells.
The members of the Board of Selectmen had some questions. Earl Johnson questioned the necessity to bring the issue of the 99 year old lease up again in form of an article on the town warrant as he is of the opinion that the voters already sanctioned the lease last year. HAP attorney Norm Cuz suggested that Earl Johnson would consult with town counsel Vincent McCaughey.
The second article would be in regards to needed easements to discharge storm water runoff onto town property.

It is difficult to follow the specifics of the project, I can not rid myself of the impression that even the involved officials and representatives of HAP are confused over the many exemptions, variances, easements, and other legal maneuvers that are needed and that seem to haunt and complicate the project. It is typical how matters are done in this town. HAP attorney Norm Cuz recognized it himself, “I can understand the confusion,” (at 27:12).

As I noted before, there is a right way to do things and there is a wrong way to do things. This project is a mess and should have never been proposed and planed to be built on the small parcel.
I hope that the voters of Holland will come to their senses and refuse the project in its current form at the annual town meeting and thereby force town officials and HAP representatives to find a better place or buyout the neighboring property to have the necessary space to realize the project.
The project as proposed would make sense in a town where there is an opportunity to hook into a town sewer and town water supply.

Earl Johnson is treating the community with a whistling performance, (at 41:48), and praised our teenagers and emergency response personnel.

Sturbridge Road project, (at 44:33)

The project will finally start sometime in June this year.

Candidates Night, (at 46:52)

For the first time, the town will hold a candidates night. The event will take place on Tuesday May 18 after the regular scheduled selectboard meeting at 7:30 p.m. The announcement was made just three days after the Holland Blog published the piece We need a debate between candidates.
The event will be televised on the community channel.

Increase of the fee charged for late payments of propertie taxes (at 52:56)

Wettlaufer raised the question of whether the town should raise the fee.

May 17, 2010, Peter Frei