Lanesborough Planning January Special Town Meeting
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town is planning for a special meeting sometime in early January to accept funds from the Baker Hill Road District for a combined police and ambulance building.
The Select Board discussed the potential meeting on Monday, after the town received the gift earlier this month. A taxpayer vote is needed to accept the gift.
Police Station Committee Chair Kristen Tool said the sooner the town meeting, the better. Tool said she would also like to have the project itself approved by the town at the meeting for grant reasons.
"I would love to be able to have the project on a special [town meeting warrant] so that it can be approved and we can apply for grants because we can't apply for grants without federal taxpayer approval," she said.
Tool had suggested December for the meeting, but the board and Town Administrator Joshua Lang felt that January would be better, due to the timing related to Christmas. Lang said more time would also allow the committee to request more funds for other technical work, if needed.
"I think in January, that might be a good time because you hopefully will free cash will be certified as well as well as other retainer items," he said. "You don't want to push it off too much, but is it is it worth it to wait so that you you know some of these other things so that if you have to request additional things you have that available."
The board also approved $15,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for geotechnical and other studies that need to happen for the project. The vote was contingent on ARPA Committee approval later this week.
In other business, resident Anne Underland voiced concerns to the Select Board on Monday over proposed sidewalk work on Route 7 performed by the state Department of Transportation removing trees in town.
Underland said the proposed work removes trees along the sidewalk, including one on her lawn. She also discussed speed limit issues and the use of Jake brakes by trucks using the road.
"It will impact the quality of life in the town. It will mean that traffic will speed up in front of my house, because it will seem even more like a highway. It will mean that there's more pollution and noise in the air that will significantly uglify the town," she said.
The board voted to send a letter to Francisca Heming, MassDOT District 1 highway director, about the trees. Goerlach said he would also mention it to the Tree and Forest Committee.
Underland said she also spoke with someone from MassDOT about the problem. Lang said he was unsure of exactly when the proposed work will begin.
- PJ Pannesco of the Fire Department asked if the town could look into increasing the age limit for volunteers. The limit is currently 70, and the board said it would look into raising the age limit.
"I don't know what, if anything, you can or are willing to do to be helpful. There are plenty of other volunteer firefighters in the area that are still going after the ages to 70 and other towns and I'd like to continue to serve," he said.
- The board approved a one-day alcohol license for Wandering Star Brewing.
- The board approved a change of manager for Donnybrook Country Club to Matthew Kelley, who was already the co-owner and manager of the golf course.
Tags: police station,
