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Date: 10/26/2023
PALMER — During its Oct. 16 meeting, the Palmer Town Council discussed whether to approve additional funding for the roofing project at the Wastewater Treatment Facility.
The discussion centered on whether the town should borrow $2 million to cover the rising cost of materials and to use as a safeguard in case the other financial contributors fail to pay the town in time, Town Manager Ryan McNutt explained.
Currently, Monson and Belchertown are expected to contribute to the cost of the project, with Monson paying $820,000 and Belchertown paying $50,000. While Belchertown does not need approval to submit funds, Monson is not able to approve the transfer of their contribution until its Nov. 6 Town Meeting, McNutt said. The discussed $2 million will allow Palmer to move forward with the project even if Monson experiences delays in transferring the funds.
Furthermore, due to legal agreements, Monson will still have to pay Palmer the agreed $820,000 even if their Town Meeting fails to support the fund transfer, McNutt explained. This means that the roofing project will not ultimately cost Palmer an additional $2 million even if the money is borrowed.
Both Monson and Belchertown’s contributions, as well as the additional $2 million from Palmer, if authorized, will be utilized alongside the $2.9 million that Palmer previously borrowed when the project was originally to be conducted two years ago, McNutt stated.
“We’ve been trying to do this project since June of 2021. It was in the middle of COVID, so a lot of the procurement stuff was not easy to do or unable to do it,” McNutt said, “Then we had a vote that failed and we had to start the entire process over again.”
It was this delay, compounded by years of little maintenance to the treatment plant, which led to the plant’s degraded state and high restoration price.
The Town Council also hosted a public hearing on the topic, allowing residents to share their thoughts on the project. Resident Chris Smith brought forward concerns about the council’s preparation for the discussion and advocated that all residents should help pay for the Wastewater Treatment Plant project, rather than only the residents who use that system.
Councilor at-Large Mark Caci later responded to the public comments, stating that he appreciated residents’ expressing concerns and reminding residents that he and the other council members will also have to pay the high cost of the project.
District 1 Councilor Philip Hebert also commented on the public hearing concerns, agreeing that the wastewater plant project should be paid by all Palmer residents. He explained that other town buildings, such as the library and schools, are supported by all residents even if they are not used and the Wastewater Treatment Facility could be another example.
Cannabis retail
During the same meeting, the Town Council conducted a public hearing on whether to increase the number of cannabis retail establishments allowed to operate from three to four. The discussion was initiated after the Palmer Planning Board recently recommended to approve the increase at their Aug. 7 public hearing.
At the discussion, attorney James McMahon came forward to advocate passing the amendment. McMahon is the attorney for Green Gold Group and ADMass 4, the businesses that petitioned to change the zoning ordinance.
McMahon explained that the change from three to four operating establishments was designed to clarify the law, stating that the zoning code is unclear whether three establishments are allowed or three operating establishments.
Since the Planning Board has already issued special permits to four cannabis retail establishments, this number made most sense when placing the limit, McMahon emphasized, saying, “What this really comes down to, it removes the ambiguity from the zoning bylaw, it allows the four facilities that have been permitted to open to definitively open and it reduces liability for the town.”
The council did not provide any comments on the issue.