GROTON — Selectmen met new Board of Assessor’s member Garrett Boles on Monday night, and were told by the chairman of the Town Manager Search Committee that Aug. 28 would be the deadline to apply for the position of Groton’s first town manager.
In other business on June 23, selectmen:
* Signed off on a State Aid Anticipation Note that would reimburse the town with Chapter 90 money for an expenditure of $188,200 by the Highway Department for various road improvement projects.
* Voted to approve a professional services contract with the engineering firm of Meisner Brem for work performed at town owned land located along Nashua Road. The work was part of a feasibility study being conducted for the Housing Authority to see if the Nashua Road property could be used for the construction of affordable housing. To pay for the study, voters allowed the Groton Housing Authority $25,000 in CPC (Community Preservation Committee) funding at last spring’s town meeting. Selectmen were hesitant to sign the contract, however, due to questions regarding missing items such as liability insurance and workers compensation. Instead, the board voted to approve the document contingent on the missing items being added to the contract.
* Voted to sign an agreement with the Lowell Regional Transit Authority for the lease of a van to be used in town to transport senior citizens and disabled residents in need of transportation. With the cost covered by the LRTA, the board was told that delivery of the van could come at any time. “This is a huge home run for the town’s seniors,” Selectman Peter Cunningham said of the deal. Selectmen voted to sign the agreement contingent upon its review and approval by town counsel.
* Voted to appoint Chief of Police Donald Palma and two officers as liquor license agents for the town.
* Voted to establish a seven-member Bylaw Review and Advisory Committee and charged it with reviewing and overseeing implementation of the town’s new charter and making sure the charter’s provisions will mesh with existing town bylaws.
* Voted to abate a total of $16,000 in uncollected bills for ambulance services, provided by the town to residents over the past several years. According to town accountant Valerie Jenkins, the bills were uncollectible for a number of reasons including the deaths of the persons who had used the service. — Pierre Comtois
