BOS to act on Wayside Lane connector issue

By Mike Berger

Selectmen will call a special meeting on Friday, December 6, at 4:15 p.m. to decide the fate of a new road layout on Wayside Lane and a connector road to a 28-unit subdivision. There is currently a disagreement over whether to build a traffic island on the cul de sac in the new subdivision development.

The DPW does not want the island while the Planning Board favors it, and Planning Board Chairman Jeremy Comeau asked selectmen to hold off their vote until after the Planning Board meets on December 4.

Subdivision developer Pat Considine asked selectmen to act on the plan, noting that the matter had been debated for well over several months and he was hoping to begin construction on the connector road before the winter weather sets in.

However, in deference to the Planning Board, selectmen said that they would wait until after the December 4 meeting but would meet in special session on December 6 to act on the plan either way. Most of the selectmen voiced support for the DPW engineer’s recommendation not to build a traffic island and said they would be open to hearing a compromise plan.

Frederick Geisel of Civil Environmental Consultants, representing Considine, described the new connector road to selectmen, noting improvements to the area’s drainage and storm water management systems. Considine will pay for an underground oil and particle separator to treat discharge from Wayside Lane.

Selectmen appeared to endorse the plan submitted by Considine and Geisel. This subdivision has been in the permitting stage for nearly eight years, and Considine expressed his hope that the matter could be resolved so that he could finally move forward with the project.

In other business, selectmen began the budget process for the next fiscal year by hearing capital spending requests from two department heads. The capital budget for FY15 is $1.186 million, with $500,000 earmarked for cash capital items and $686,000 for debt capital items. Department heads submitted $527,100 in cash capital requests and $2.92 million in debt capital requests — more than $2 million above the spending limit. The largest debt capital request was for $2.1 million from the DPW for dam repairs to Shepard Pond.

At Tuesday’s meeting selectmen heard from Library Director Mark Lague, who requested $20,000 in cash capital spending for computer upgrades and interior painting. The board also heard from Information Systems Manager Louis Jutras, who requested $75,200 for computer replacements and server and equipment replacements. Department heads from the Fire, Police, and Public Works departments will present their capital requests on December 17.

In other news Tuesday night:

* An auction will be held on Thursday, December 12, at the library to sell two properties that came under the town’s jurisdiction through a foreclosure process. Two parcels of land at 35 Turnpike Street and another at 65 Pleasant Circle will be auctioned off. A site visit at noon at 35 Turnpike Street will be followed by registration at 12:30 p.m. and the auction at 1 p.m.

* Bonnie Jette was appointed staff librarian for circulation services. She currently works part time at the circulation desk at the Attleboro Public Library.

* Selectman Avril Elkort reported that the Canton Food Pantry, directed by Carolann Browne, delivered 167 turkey dinners to needy families in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.

* Selectman John Connolly asked for a moment of silence in memory of Ruth MacDonald, mother of Bob MacDonald, a member of the Conservation Commission and a former Planning Board member.

* Selectmen approved a request by the Mass. Hospital School to hold a road race on Sunday, December 15, at 10 a.m.

* The selectmen’s next regularly scheduled meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 17. Selectmen will light the holiday tree on Friday at 4:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

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