by Frank Schroth
The Board of Selectmen’s deadline for bids on the town owned parcel on Central Avenue was 3:00pm last Monday. The parcel represents a portion of the Hendries building. It is essentially the parking area and building above it. The rest of the property is owned by the Connelly’s. There was one bid. It was from the Connelly’s.
The amount of the bid has not been disclosed as the Selectmen have not yet been able to meet as a group to discuss. Discussion of the bid will be on the agenda for their October 17th session.
At the last meeting of the Planning Board they resumed their hearing on the Womans Club property. The engineering peer review performed on the proposal by Eggleston Environmental found some issues. Mr. Morrill who has an agreement with the Womans Club to by the property said that his engineers had reviewed Eggleston’s feedback and they did not see any problems with resolving them. “That’s what engineer are for . . . to talk to each other.” Chair Whiteside said.
Three residents spoke during the hearing. Mr Langley who lives next to the property discussed a drain in his yard which town owns and maintains but he would like to see it upgraded. Member Kelly encouraged Mr Morrill to factor that into his efforts to improve overall drainage of the area. Janet Christiansen said that she would prefer to see condos on the site and that the idea of condos had never been put forward to the entire membership. Whiteside said that it could be done with a variance. “With a variance it could be anything. . . like a power plant.”
Another abutter Michael Balfe rebutted the statement about condos saying the neighbors “would fight tooth and nail against condominiums.”
Vicki McCarthy also addressed the board and asked if Senator Joyce had made the introduction of Mr. Morrill to the Womans Club, whether he was the attorney for Mr. Morrill, and mentined that neither the clerk of the Womans Club or Coldwell Banker were involved in the sale.
Mr, Morrill said that Joyce had made the introduction per a request from the Womans Club to assist in finding a buyer. He said Joyce was not receiving any compensation for any efforts made to assist in the sale.
The hearing will continue at the Planning Board’s meeting on 10/24 at 6:45. They expect to vote on the matter at that time.
See related post here.