Adams To Write New Five-Year Plan
 The Selectmen approved the development of a five-year plan. |
The Board of Selectmen initiated the process on Wednesday after Selectman John Duval and Town Administrator Jonathan Butler developed guidelines to such a process. The goal is to eventually have a new five-year plan to help direct town decisions.
"I'd like to have it as a supplement to the budget process," Butler said.
Butler and Duval hope to gather about 30 residents representing a cross section of viewpoints. The majority of the work will be done in one day in January. Those involved will meet on the Friday before and then have a full-day session to create the document. The efforts will include breakout groups and will be directed by a hired consultant.
The plan is aimed to be in place by the spring.
In other business, Butler reported that the contract for the cleaning of Tophet Brook is expected to be awarded to RC&D Inc. from Rhode Island. The bid was $295,000, lower than budgeted.
The Selectmen also approved waiving a 120-day waiting period for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to purchase 394 acres off East Mountain Road from Robert Fritz and Lynne Lattin. The state wants to add the land to the Savoy State Forest.
The Selectmen previously tabled the discussion because they were unaware what the sale would mean to townspeople. Town Attorney Edmund St. John III said the sale would allow the town to recoup more than $80,000 in back taxes and relieve a 1970s court-ordered liability. The town is responsible to provide access to the land after a land court ruling, which St. John said is a liability.
"There really aren't any negatives," Butler said.
The Selectmen also set trick-or-treat hours for Oct. 31 between 5:30 and 7 p.m.
Tags: strategic plan, Tophet Brook,
