~ THE NEW ~
Uxbridge Times
“Your Hometown News” VoLume 22 • issue 11
FREE Monthly Since 1991
uxbridge • north uxbridge • Linwood • douglas • northbridge • whitinsville • sutton • manchaug
noVemBer 2013
Voters approve grant application Sutton Library Grant debated / approved By ConsTanCe dwyer Town Meetings are not everyone’s top priority for the day’s activities and that was evident in Sutton at its Fall Annual Town Meeting held on October 21 at the Simonian Center for Early Learning at 7 pm with only 76 of the town’s 6,000 plus registered voters attending. However, it was worth taking the time to attend, if only to hear the pros and cons of the Sutton Free Public Library’s two warrant articles: Art 12, asking the Town to “authorize the Trustees of the Sutton Free Public Library to apply for, accept and expend any state grants for a library building planning and design project” and Art. 13, to authorize the Trustees “to proceed with a feasibility study to examine options for expanding and renovating its current library building or building a new facility.” But to first deal with the articles in order; Art 1 passed unanimously to make a final $97,486 adjustment to the FY2014 budget. Art 2 was “passed over” because there were no unpaid FY2013 bills. Under Art 3 the meeting voted unanimously to transfer $10,500 from the Capital Stabilization Fund for the “Shaw Lane upgrade and parking lot design engineering,” Art 4 passed by a near unanimous vote to create a “Compensated Absences Reserve Fund.” In accordance with Sutton’s Home Rule Charter, Town Meeting voted under Art 5 to authorize a Selectman to serve on the School Building Committee and a Selectman to serve on the Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) Committee, each for indefinite terms. The meeting voted to “Pass Over” Art 6 seeking (prematurely according to the Finance Committee) to create an associate member of the Conservation Commission. The Moderator then
PosTaL PaTron
allowed the Town Meeting, with neither discussion nor vote, to skip Art 7 that sought to petition the General Court to allow Sutton to establish a new Town Charter. Art 8, to approve filing to establish a ”Priority Development Site” was approved unanimously as were Art 9, Art 10 and Art 11: Art 9 to improve development potential by changing from Industrial to Office Light Industrial (OLI) a currently inactive industrial site; Art 10 to approve a Tax Increment Financing Agreement (TIF)
“the library, for some kids, is the only place to go.” - Cynthia Rielley Sutton LibRaRy tRuStee
between Sutton and MCY Properties LLC and Access TCA, Inc.; Art 11, at the request of the Planning Board, to add “Railroad and Railway Express Service to OLI Districts a permitted use, needed and already available at the site referred to in Art 9. Now, for anyone who’s gone to the Sutton library, one thing is clear: parking is very limited, sharing a lot with the Fire station. Also, the physical building is very small (about 3,000 square feet) and yet offers a myriad of services for children and adults despite its limitations. The new Library Directory, Betsy Rajotte, and her staff are more than eager to lend a helping hand and find what a resident asks for. This is the background for articles 12 and 13. For some, it seemed that the library need was clear, but the Finance & Warrant Advisory Committee had voted 7-0 to not support the requests; based on insufficient information. As a board, the Selectmen took no position, PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID BOSTON, MA PERMIT NO 55800
eCRWSS
but Selectman Michael, “Mike” Chizy touted the needs for a new police station and a public works facility as being far higher priorities. Sutton Library Trustee Cynthia Rielley spoke passionately about how a bigger library is needed and downplayed the suggested use of the new Sutton school library since it is “not accessible” to townspeople as a public library is designed to be. She added that the Sutton library is not just a “receptacle for books” but it is also a resource for educational programs for both children and adults, including the teaching of classes (tutoring, etc…) and being able to rent DVDs… She added “the library, for some kids, “is the only place to go.” In defense of the library requests a few citizens spoke up, including James Dwyer, a researcher and for 20 years, an adviser to the Hanscom Field science library, and also involved in preparing the Town of Framingham to apply for the federal grant for their downtown library. He quoted directly from Sutton’s Master Plan which gives “equal priority” to the library, police and public works planning stages and grant acquisitions, all in the 2013 to 2018 time frame. He added that one current Selectman was a member of the Master Plan steering committee, stressing that the Master Plan is the Town’s plan and reflects the consensus of a significant proportion of the voters in Sutton, as opposed to the number of voters present at this night’s meeting. Another resident, a newcomer to town, also spoke strongly in favor of the library. Following the debate, the Moderator called for a “standing vote” and the article passed by a better than 3 to 1 margin; the following article (Art. 13), submitted according to the potential grant’s normal application process, passed on a majority voice vote. Article 14, a complicated “Special Permit for retreat lot access,” an continued on page 6
buSineSS bio:
P.A.W.S Bed & Biscuit a “Home away From Home” for your furry family members.
see story on page 35
Buried Treasure - recently, sam Criscola unearthed a 1874 "seated Liberty" dime in his yard on Foxwood Lane. sam was using his metal detector, a favorite hobby of his, and struck it big! He is the son of Bob & shannon Criscola of uxbridge.
Wright’s Farm to offer electric charging station Motorists who drive electric vehicles now have another option to charge their engines at the newest EV charging station at Wright’s Farm Restaurant. The Wright’s EV station is located at 84 Inman Rd., Harrisville, Rhode Island. The electric vehicle charging station at the Wright’s Farm Restaurant facility is one of 50 scheduled for installation statewide. The sites are chosen because they are publicly recognizable entities and are in proximity to major transportation arteries. “Wright’s Farm Restaurant has always been a destination for Rhode Islanders
so it was logical that we were approached to be part of this great program. From a business perspective it’s only going to help us to have the station, because now we are also a destination for electric vehicle owners who could use it,” said Frank Galleshaw, President and CEO of Wright’s Farm Restaurant. “We have noticed more and more electric cars in our parking lots over the weekends. This is a great idea for businesses who want to increase customer traffic and do something positive for the environment.”
~ INDEX ~ Town news ..............Page 4 Calendar...................Page 21 dining out…………Page 22 society .....................Page 23 senior Corner ..........Page 27 school news............Page 31 Business news........Page 35 sports.......................Page 37 Classified .................Page 39