The Groton Board of Selectmen pushed the long-pending construction of a new central fire station forward on several fronts at its Monday evening meeting.
First, they approved and signed a purchase and sale agreement to buy 2.7 acres of land owned by the Lawrence Homestead Trust on Farmers Row for $350,000. Signing the P&S fulfills an article passed at Spring Town Meeting authorizing the town to negotiate the contract.
Town Manager Mark Haddad negotiated the contract, which has been signed by all five trustees of the trust. Selectman Peter Cunningham moved to approve the agreement. His motion was seconded by Selectman Anna Eliot and passed unanimously by all five selectmen.
The closing date is set for February 14, 2013, provided the project isn’t derailed by Fall Town Meeting passage of either of two citizen’s petition articles that would bar the construction of a fire station on the site. The P&S also hinges on Fall Town Meeting passage of two articles sponsored by the town that would extend the town sewer line to the site and to rezone the lot from residential-agricultural to public use.
The town would ask for funds to actually construct the fire station, currently planned to be about 18,000 square feet and to cost about $7.5 million, at a special town meeting in early 2013 that has yet to be scheduled.
The purchase of the portion of the Lawrence Homestead Trust’s 11 acre holding by the town would clear the way for subdivision of the remaining acreage into three buildable lots.
Later in the meeting, when the board went through the list of pending articles that will make up the Fall Town Meeting warrant, it unanimously voted to endorse and recommend passage of both the sewer extension and the rezoning articles. And also unanimously voted not to support either of the two citizen’s petition articles that would stop construction.
It amazes me that the town is going to bow down to the conservation commission again and will relocate the Fire Station onto beuatiful Farmers Row. What a crime. First the High School gets bumped because of the CC and now this. Will this end up costing the town millions more thanks to a blue spotted salamander or a vernal pool? Unbelievable.
It is also an outrage that the BOS is moving forward with the Lost Lake sewer plan. First off, it has not even been proven to be necessary. All the studies were done decades ago, and since then the majority of homes on Lost Lake and Knopps Pond have installed Title 5 compliant systems.
Plus why is it that when the sewer went in down Main St the town covered 50% of the cost yet for the lake residents, living in the least affluent area of Groton, only 25% will be picked up by the town? It’s an outrage. There are more foreclosures in this area than any other section of Groton. And with the huge financial burden this ill conceived system will place on the lake residents, that foreclosure rate will skyrocket. No one will be able to sell their homes in this area either since they will need to pay off the lien (up to $40K) before selling.
Lost Lake and Knopps pond receives the least services from the town. The roads surronding the lake have been in complete disrepair for over 20 years as a case in point. We are taxed the highest in Groton due to a huge tax assesment increase a few years ago based on our ‘desirable’ location. The lake is barely usable thanks to the invasive weeds that the town will not help eradicate.
The ‘theory’ is that whatever ends up in Lost Lake will eventually end up in the Whitney Well wish serves as Groton’s water supply. If this is so, then the entire town needs to cover the cost, not just the folks being extorted down on Lost Lake and Knopps pond.
There are dozens of Lost Lake and Knopps pond residents who have recently put in Title 5 compliant septic systems which cost them 40, 50, and upwards of $90K, yet they will be forced to pay for this new sytem for 30 years even if they do not hook up to it.
Step 1. Prove the system is necessary and that the phosphorus and nitrogen levels really are from septic systems and not from storm water run off or from the feeder streams from Martins Pond. Fertilizer and decaying plant matter can raise levels as well, and Lost Lake is absolutely loaded with decaying plant matter as is Martins Pond which feeds the lake.
Step 2. Provide waivers for residents whose homes meet Title 5 requirements.
Step 3. Fund the project fairly. It is high time the town gives a little something to the Lakes area.