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Selectmen Call Special Town Meeting For Referendum on Pipeline [with video]

Selectmen, by majority vote, called a Special Town Meeting for Monday, June 30 at 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center to vote on a non-binding referendum in opposition to the Proposed Tennessee Pipeline that reportedly will traverse a number of properties including Groton-Dunstable Regional High School land as well as land under the control of Groton Conservation Commission and Groton Conservation Trust in the area of North Groton.

Town Manager Mark Haddad said he copied the wording used in a referendum that will go before Pepperell voters on the same date as Groton's Town Meeting. He said that the usual process for a Citizen's Petition to request a Special Town Meeting is to collect 200 signatures of registered voters, submit it to the town and then a special meeting would be called within 45 days of the submission.

Several Selectmen took issue with some of the wording in the proposed article, removing some sections before they approved it. The article can also be amended further on the floor of Town Meeting. Cost of a Special Town Meeting ranges from $2000 to $5000.

Haddad said that it was clear that residents who are in opposition to the pipeline would be able to collect the necessary signatures, and he and Selectmen Chairman Josh Degen agreed that instead of making the opposition residents go through the process, they would simply schedule the meeting.

Selectman Jack Petropoulos, the lone 'no' vote for the Special Town Meeting, expressed concern that there was misinformation and said he was not certain of the value of a referendum. "Can't we spend $5,000 in a better way," he said and suggested that it could be used to join with other affected towns to hire an attorney. "I am just not certain what we accomplish with a referendum," he said adding that he felt there was real value in going out into the community to get the needed signatures.

Chairman Degen said that he attended a meeting regarding the pipeline in Townsend and "there are some serious issues and some fear mongering." He pointed out that the Governor of Massachusetts has already signed approval for the pipeline. He added that he favors mid-July for the Special Town Meeting, noting, "We are not on Pepperell's timeline."

On Monday, June 16 there will be a meeting to discuss the pipeline at the Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Residents are encouraged to send their questions to Selectmen to be included in the discussion. A representative from Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC), a representative from Groton Electric Light Department, and some representatives who promote alternative energy will be present to talk about energy needs and how best to get energy into the town.

On June 23, at 7 p.m. at Lawrence Academy Richardson-Meese Performing Arts Center, energy company and proposed of the pipeline Kinder Morgan will present their plans to Groton residents.

Based on a proposal from Selectman Petropoulos, the Board agreed to appoint a Working Group that will formulate a strategy to address the proposed pipeline with the hope that this group would be able to bring solid information for collaboration with other towns. Petropoulos will work with Haddad to develop a committee charge for the group that will consist of two Selectmen, a representative from Groton Dunstable schools, GELD, Conservation Commission, the Historic Districts Commission, Fire Department and two citizens at large. The Selectmen representatives will be Stuart Schulman and Peter Cunningham. The Board expects that there will need to be a significant time commitment for participation in this group.

Groton Herald

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