Voters will decide whether to approve at May 7 town meeting
By Ruth M. Lyon
Turley Publications Reporter
NORTH BROOKFIELD - There were two questions on MondayÕs election ballot; each of them were approved by votes of 168Ð90. The first, authorizing a debt exclusion from the constraints of proposition two and one-half, will enable voters at the May 7 town meeting to approve borrowing $1.24 million to cover the costs of rebuilding and repairing the dam which holds the townÕs water supply.
Water department supervisor Steve Jones has explained at earlier hearings that an application for a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been prepared and submitted, but will not be considered until the town has voted to fund the project. If the vote passes, the application will be considered; that application also seeks, and may be granted, a grant for as much as 35 percent of the $1.24 million cost of the dam. The town is under mandate to complete necessary repairs to Horse Pond Dam by January 31, 2011, or face a $500 per day fine for every day the 100 year old structure is not in compliance.
Question two authorizes the town to appropriate money for the removal of snow and ice from private ways open to public use. Certain constraints apply.
Incumbent David Hanson retained his seat on the playground committee with 180 votes; challenger Joseph Jablonski garnered 102 votes.
David OÕBrien won, unopposed, the constable position formerly held by Richard R. Ferguson, who did not seek re-election.
No candidates sought the three year term on the board of health; former selectman James Caldwell garnered 20 write-in votes.
Incumbents returned to office are as follows: Selectman, 3 years, Jason Peteraitis; Town Clerk, 3 years, Sheila Buzzell; Moderator, 3 years, Eugene Caille; Assessor, 3 years, Sheila Buzzell; School Committee, 3 years, Alexandra Caldwell; School committee, 2 years, Pamela Farley; Water Commissioner, 3 years, James Kularski; Cemetery commission, 3 years, John Lane; Library trustees, 3 years, Richard Miler and Nichole Mooney; Constables, 3 years, Douglas Blood and Peter Fullam; Planning board, 5 years, John Nothardt, Jr.
Of the 2,950 registered voters in town, 305 cast ballots in MondayÕs election.
Back-to back special and annual town meetings will be held tonight, May 7, at the North Brookfield Elementary School auditorium at 7 p.m.