Government at a glance

September 05, 2008 03:49 am

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West Newbury Board of Selectmen

Sept. 3, 2008

Two candidates running for an open selectmen's seat — Tom Atwood and Bert Knowles — were present. The seat will be filled at a special election on Saturday, Sept. 27. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the first-floor hearing room of the 1910 Building.

APPROVED

Designating special employee status for a special town counsel and the Board of Registrars (2-0).

A $4,800 contract for consulting services by the Horsley Witten Group, an environmental science and engineering firm. The firm is to investigate the potential value to the town of the Sullivan property, a privately owned parcel currently under a 61A agricultural restriction. The firm will eventually work with a committee to be designated by selectmen (2-0).

Writing a letter to Peter Flink, 368 Main St., asking him to move his mailbox out of the town's right of way. Flink, who arrived at the meeting after the motion was voted, said the mailbox is in an appropriate location on the state's right of way, not the town's. He noted that it was "peculiar" to him that the issue of his mailbox placement has been raised twice, both times after he spoke publicly about his concerns over proposed development of the Mullen property, which abuts his property. "Did former Selectman (John) McGrath say something to you about this?" Flink asked. Selectman Chairman Glenn Kemper responded by saying that as long as the mailbox wasn't on town land, it was a non-issue (2-0).

A street opening permit for 9 Way to the River Road.

Use of the second-floor hearing room for Garden Club meetings on Thursdays throughout the year (2-0).

A request by the Myopia Riding Club to ride through portions of the town for special events on Oct. 2, 18, 30 and Nov. 15. The group is requesting a more limited police detail for this year (2-0).

Taking the meeting behind closed doors to approve executive session minutes. (2-0)

DISCUSSED

A decision by the Planning Board to allow no changes to an existing special permit on the Ocean Meadow Over 55 Development. The decision means all six affordable units included in the permit must be built on site. The developer had wanted to move some or all of the affordable units off site, but met with strong opposition from a vocal group of residents.

A plan to review the town's personnel policy during the first meeting in October.

Briefly, an update on the Special Town Meeting warrant articles.

A memo from the Mill Pond Committee on new sign placement to emphasize the rules of the town-owned recreation area. Selectmen will meet with the committee later in the fall for an update.

With Felicity Beech, her efforts at trail clearing at Riverbend Conservation Area.

The status of the Pentucket Regional School District's lease with the Children's Castle.

Getting input from Town Counsel Larry Murphy on the process for implementing a non-binding article passed at Town Meeting in 2000 that called for voting for capital items over a certain monetary amount by ballot instead of at town meeting.