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NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. – Northbridge voters at Tuesday’s annual fall town meeting rejected a $1.8 million Department of Public Works proposal designed by engineer Neal Mitchell.
The controversial Mitchell plan was the last article on the 17-article town meeting warrant and was decided in a secret ballot vote by 187 residents in attendance.
A two-thirds vote was needed for passage. The final vote was 69 in favor of the proposal, and 118 against.
Prior to discussion of the plan, voters were asked to approve an amendment to the article that specified the $1.8 million would be borrowed as a debt exclusion from Proposition 2½.
An amendment was necessary because of an error in the article. All expenditure requests must have a source of funding and article 17 did not.
Finance Committee member Christopher Thompson, when asked by Town Moderator Harold Gould, said the Finance Committee did not have an opinion on the debt exclusion request.
“The Finance Committee doesn’t have a position … we do not support it in general. Coming here and making an amendment at the last minute … this should have been discussed before,’’ he said.
The amendment failed by a vote of 47 to 73.
Mitchell has proposed a modular, pre-fabricated steel building on town-owned land at either the waste water treatment plant on Providence Road or the DPW site on Fletcher Street.
Former selectman Roger Mathieu presented the article and requested a secret ballot
“We’re proposing to save you some serious money,’’ he said, comparing Mitchell’s plan to an $8 million design by HKT architects on Fletcher Street, and a $3.1 million proposal on Douglas Road.
“We appreciate what they do. We disagree on the way to proceed with this project,’’ Thompson said.
The Douglas Road plan, which has the support of the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee and Building, Planning and Construction Committee, goes to voters at a special town meeting in December.
Voters will be asked to purchase the Old Colony building for $995,000 and renovate it for DPW use for $2.1 million.
Comments (12)
Jack,
I know we don't see eye to eye on everything but I truely appeciate the effort that you and others have put into this issue.
In spite of last nights set back I for one hope that your group continues to work towards a resolution of this issue, Judging by the lack of rationale displayed by the people pushing the Douglas Rd. proposal I believe you may be the only ones out there capable of doing so.
Thank You!
J.A.G.
Submitted on October 24, 2012 - 7:08am.
Just A Guy,
Again you are correct a lot of Taxpayers feel the Mitchell Boys received a nice kick and their Gluteus Maximus Muscle's, for trying to bring a $1.8 Million Dollar DPW to the Town and trying to save the Taxpayers money.
That will teach those Mitchell Boys from trying to change what was ordained by the long standing ruling elite. Could you imagine these Mitchell Boys trying to save the Taxpayers Money, how dare them?
The Abutters on Castle Hill Subdivision they will just fall in love with the new DPW Compound on Douglas Road, yes it's our way or the highway!
Charter, Sharter, it's always the Ruling Elite way or no way! lol!
J.A.G.
We believe that all the residents of The Town of Northbridge should review the town charter so that we may understand its organization and decision making process. We also strongly believe that if any of us wish, we have a "right" to propose a revision or revisions to the Charter or any any other Rule or Regulation previously set forth in our go
J.A.G.
We believe that all the residents of The Town of Northbridge should review the town charter so that we may understand its organization and decision making process. We also strongly believe that if any of us wish, we have a "right" to propose a revision or revisions to the Charter or any any other Rule or Regulation previously set forth in our governance
Jack....Thank you and thank Mr. Mitchell when you see him. I just don't get it. I don't understand how the DPW is going to make the Douglas Rd., site work. And the salt shed is going to remain on Fletcher St.? Am I missing something or is the reason we were trying to get off of the Fletcher St., site was because of ground contamination? Anyways Jack, thanks for trying. Maybe the BOS should resign and let the Finance Committee run things.
The one and only location is at it's current location. It's amazing how a couple of committee's feel the need for power and won't do the job that was instilled in them when they took their oaths. The Finance Committee and the BPCC continue to rule this community because what they say is what rules and nothing else. This logic cannot continue to manifest itself over what a few individuals think. Both of these committees should be looking at every plan submitted to them without bias over what a few individuals are trying to do to help the town and not on the whims of a few individuals. The Chairmen of both committee's and the Town Manager should understand this!
Bunky Hughes,
We believe that all the residents of The Town of Northbridge should review the town charter so that we may understand its organization and decision making process. We also strongly believe that if any of us wish, we have a "right" to propose a revision or revisions to the Charter or any any other Rule or Regulation previously set forth in our governance.
I'd like to say THANK YOU to Mr. Davis, Mr. Mathieu, Mr. Mitchell, and all the others who worked on this and traveled to view comparable facilities.
Even though their proposal was judged by voters to not be the solution, at least they took action while the rest of us sat on our butts blowing smoke.
I encourage them not to quit. Never give up. Even though the proposal was voted down, valuable information was presented that will not allow me to support the Douglas Road proposal.
Mr. Shuris, the DPW director, said at the town meeting: "Fletcher Street was the right location for the DPW in 1941, and it's the right location today."
According to a report in this online paper some time ago, the Whitins deeded the current site to the town with the stipulation that the property be used only for Highway Department purposes.
It makes no sense to spend $3 million, with 1/3 of that just for property acquisition, for the Douglas Road property. I'd like to know if a facility of ample size (19,000 square feet) could built on Fletcher Street for $3 million. And, if we want to truly vote on a "bundle price," add in the costs for razing the old buildings, cleanup, and prepping the site for new buildings.
Buying the Douglas Road property will:
1. Eliminate tax revenue for that property.
2. Prevent another business from moving in.
3. Render the Fletcher Street property perpetually useless. Perhaps a park could somehow be built there. I guess if the DPW maintained it, that would constitute "Highway Department" use.
I will NOT vote for the Douglas Road acquisition.
New buildings next to water treatment plant seem to be the best option.
Seems there are better options available in town that don't involve a site on a busy, narrow road at a location abutting residences.
What options are those that you speak of?
Hopefully not the Douglas Rd. location...............that is the least efficient and most costly proposal to date.
Again lets stop spending money on this (never to be builted) DPW garage. It's over done move on people.