News
An ad hoc committee of town officials and residents unanimously recommended the town accept a bid of $100,000 for the Center Fire Station, a bid submitted by Dan McElroy. The bid proposal would convert the second floor of the historic building to a residence, while using the first floor to house a...
Despite Town Accountant Patricia Dufresne and Town Manager Mark Haddad providing monthly reports detailing spending based on budget line items voted at Town Meeting, Selectman Jack Petropoulos insisted that he also wants to have a quarterly report that summarizes budget spending. Haddad and...
Results of the Tuesday, April 1 vote to exclude the debt from provisions of Proposition 2½ to pay for the bond issued to construct the new Center Fire Station on Farmers Row totaled 1439 "yes" votes to 579 "no" votes, with 18 blanks.
Voter turnout was 26.7 percent or 2036 of the 7615 registered...
The Local Option Tax, where cities and towns across Massachusetts can impose a 3/4 of 1 percent sales tax on meals and lodging is again under consideration by Selectmen as a means of raising revenues for the town. This tax is on top of the 6.25 percent state meals tax.
Selectmen looked at this...
Town Moderator Jason Kauppi Town Meeting, suggested to Selectmen that using a so-called 'Consent Agenda' could streamline Town Meeting. Items placed on the Consent Agenda would be considered non-controversial, housekeeping items such as paying small bills.
Kauppi explained said that if a voter...
Groton Electric Light Department [GELD] received Planning Board approval for a Special Permit for their proposed solar power array farm to be located off of Nutting Road and Sandy Pond Road. GELD will lease their land to a private contractor who will install and maintain the solar panels and the...
Selectmen voted to grant a Certificate of Exemption to Groton School to transport 5,500 cubic yards of earth from one side of the main road to the other, and move it back when their project was finished.The approval is conditional in that any damage to the road as a result, would be repaired by the...
The future of three major town-owned buildings will be placed in the hands of voters to determine their fate at Spring Town Meeting April 28 as Selectmen are looking to sell or lease Prescott School, Groton Center Fire Station and Squannacook Hall, respectively.
Prescott School, currently occupied...
The Wetlands Bylaw Review Committee was created last year by Selectmen to simplify the lengthy, contentious and circuitous application process Groton Electric Light Department (GELD) endured in securing permits for their new office and garage facility. The primary goal of the Wetlands Bylaw Review...
After several years of apparent lack of interest, the 2014 Town Elections have quietly become the focus of strong interest in town governance. With slightly more than two weeks remaining in the nominating process, there are potential contested races for five town elective town offices including the...