Canton, Massachusetts · Saved source text
Minutes Oct. 3, 2012
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Source page 1
TOWN OF CANTON PLANNING BOARD MEETING WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2012 SALAH MEETING ROOM 7:00 P.M. TOWN HALL MINUTES Present: Chris Connolly, Chairman; Gary Vinciguerra, Vice Chairman; George Jenkins Also present: Tom Houston, Professional Services Corporation Karen Lawlor, Planning Board Administrative Assistant Meeting came to order at 7:00 p.m. Chairman Chris Connolly called to order the Planning Board meeting of October 3, 2012. 1 St Item on the Agenda — Homewood Suites, 20 & 50 Royall Street (Joyce Law Group) — Modification of a Site Plan. This was continued until October 17, 2012. 2nd Item on the Agenda — Washington Commons (Stephen T. David, Manager) — Bond Release. Mr. David was late so the Board took Item 3 before this one. 3 Item on the Agenda — Knob Hill — Cost to Complete — (Tom Houston, P.S.C.). Mr. Connolly he stated that there are approximately twelve (12) people in the audience for Knob Hill and these people come to all the meetings. He explained for people watching this on television that the Developer has walked off the project, leaving $112,000.00. The Developer has sent a letter through his attorney that he will turn the money over to the Town. There have been meetings with Tom Houston and the Public Works Department to get the streets to a level that they can be accepted at a Town Meeting so this can be an accepted street. The road is not considered finished and we need to get the development and roads to the next step.
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Planning Board Minutes of October 3, 2012 The Planning Board has received from the Board of Selectmen a "Policy on Converting Private Streets into Public Ways ", which lays out what the steps are to get streets approved. These were passed out to the abutters who were present at this meeting. Mr. Connolly further explained that we had asked Town Counsel to look this over and to give us advice on how to proceed from here. We received written notice from the Developer to take the money which totals approximately $112,000.00. Under Chapter 41 -81 U, because the funds in 'question are over $100,000.00, the money to be spent or used by the Town has to be appropriated at Town Meeting. This means that we have to get an Article on the warrant for the April, 2013 Town Meeting to petition the money to be transferred from the Planning Board to the Treasurer's Department so the money can be used to complete the development. This is the only legal way we can get the money to complete this subdivision. We have to follow procedure and the Planning Board can sponsor this for the Knob Hill residents. Contractors will submit bids for the completion of this project. So the first thing we can do is get a warrant article accepted at Town Meeting and then use the money to fix the streets and at the next Town Meeting, the following year, we go for street acceptance. Mr. Connolly asked if any of the members had any questions and then asked if the audience had any questions. Mr. Bob Mario of 35 Knob Hill Circle asked if the money for the development which exceeds $100,000, when they use a bidding process, could the Town bid and do the work? Also, if the money is transferred to the Finance Department will it go into a town fund or all to be used for Knob Hill? He then asked the Board to clarify exactly what needs to be done. Mr. Jenkins explained once those funds are released from the insurance company or whoever the party is that is backing the bond, the money goes into a segregated account so it cannot be used for anything else but Knob Hill, so rest assured that when the money gets to the Town Treasurer, it would in fact be segregated solely for that purpose. So what alluding to, the bidding process, now under state law we become then the owner that is bidding out the work to be done. Under bidding laws you have to have a set of specs done and would have to have the items listed, there is not enough money to cover what has to be done, so when you devise or build this spec list you would have to do it very carefully that you can get the most that you want within the amount of money you have, and if you bid the whole thing out the way it is list with every damn thing in the world, the bids would be throw out and you would have to start over. Making a bid is very important and you have to enumerate what those things are that need to be done. You have to be very careful because the cost can come in double or triple the amount. I don't know if 01