LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Board of Selectmen on Monday recognized four longtime firefighters who have a 130 years of combined service.

 

Town Manager Kelli Robbins presented Capt. Ryan McCormick (20 years), Deputy Chief Jeff DeChaine (30 years), Inspector Tom Rathbun (40 years), and Capt. Charles Garrity (40 years) with certificates for meritorious service. Chief Charlie Durfee was on hand for the presentation.

 

Robbins, Selectmen Henry Sayers and Gordon Hubbard, and everyone in attendance gave a short round of applause and "Thank you for your service" as each received their honor. They reluctantly posed for photos and were gone shortly after.

 

The new general manager of the Lakeside Restaurant showed up to answer a few questions and finalize the establishment's liquor license. The eatery on Pontoosuc Lake had been remiss in picking up its liquor license renewal and also submitting a change of manager application among other small problems. The board had given them until Monday's meeting to get all its paperwork and on-site issues straightened out. 

 

James Maston is the new general manager and seemed happy to answer the board's questions.

 

"I just want to touch base with the town inspector as well. I want to make sure all the permitting is done right, we are on good faith there," Maston told the board. 

 

Sayers posed the question about the presence of the outside dining area's speakers and what his plans were for those.

 

"We're gonna actually remove the outside speakers. I think it's just not worth the nuisance for yourself and myself," the new manager answered.

 

Robbins reminded him of the terms of the entertainment license.

 

"You understand that your license is for acoustic, which means no amplification inside or out?" To which Maston answered "correct."

 

The board was pleased with what it heard and unanimously approved the liquor license.

 

Robbins gave the board an update on the status of the needs assessment being performed by Jacunski Humes Architects to measure the town's need for a new police station. The town also issued a request for quotation for potential sites for the new station. She said it is progressing to her satisfaction.

 

"The way the process works is they get the data from the police chief. They get information on statistics, what they have for space now, how many officers, what their call volume is over the last several years and then he compiles all of that. Then he compiles all of that into the needs assessment," she said. "It then goes to the chief to make sure the information he gathered is accurate. Once the chief says, 'Yes, this is what I said,' then it comes to you, the Board of Selectmen. Once both parties agree to it ... then it will be finalized and only then. You will be included before anything is set in stone."

 

When asked by Hubbard if she was happy at the pace the process was moving, Robbins said she was.

 

"Considering how long it took to get started, yes. Now that it has started the process is moving along at a reasonable pace."