High School Reporters February 6, 2018

Ayer Board of Selectmen Meeting
February 6, 2018
Writer: Bryce Valliere, ASRHS Correspondent

One important topic that was briefly discussed was the special Town meeting taking place on March 19th at 7:00 pm to discuss the zoning bylaw. There is a draft of the new zoning bylaw on the Town website for anyone who would like to review it. The new zoning bylaw will be expanding on the old one. There must be a two thirds vote in order for it to pass, and if it is rejected or even tabled, by law, it must be put off for another two years. This makes it vital for people to be there to vote on it, especially since there have been many requests for a new one. So mark the date, March 19th in your calendars.

In addition, Alan S. Manoian and Alicia Hersey from the Office of Community and Economic Development presented a proposal for a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) project. The new developments would be put in place behind the courthouse, on Prospect Street between Elm and Oak streets, and on Oak street between East Main and Grove Streets. These developments would be similar to the ones done on Pleasant and Pond Streets. Part of this project would be trying to fix the water problems as Prospect Street is ranked number one for the worst water main in town. Another issue with Prospect Street is its lack of drainage. Additionally, in this project would be the hope to address the parking issue for the courthouse as many people end up parking on these streets, limiting the ability for pedestrians to use the streets as well as causing general traffic congestion.

Later on, as if following a perfect plan, Superintendent Mark Wetzel of the Department of Public Works gave a presentation on the Town’s water issue. In September of 2016, the Town’s water tested positive for unregulated contaminants called Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) specifically, PFOA and PFOS. These chemicals are not particularly dangerous and are used in firefighting, but they may be sensitive to pregnant women and infants. The town has been in communication with MassDEP, who is attempting to make a quality limit for water. As of right now, one well, Well 8, is above the health advisory warning. This poses a problem for the Town, and the Town is actively working on both a short term solution and a long term solution. For the short term, the Town is looking at different decontaminants, getting water from Devens or Littleton, and/or reopening old wells. Some of these are overlapped into long term solutions which include a full treatment once a plan can be made. Be on the lookout for posts regarding this as well as a letter from theTown to inform everyone about the water issues.

In addition to all of this, the Town hosted Senator Jamie Eldridge at this Board of Selectmen Meeting. It was a very appropriate meeting for him to attend as some of the topics he wanted to bring up happened to be mentioned at the meeting already. Senator Eldridge agreed to engage in talks with MassDEP about the water issue as well to make it a larger scale problem. Budgeting issues from a state perspective in terms of how it affects Ayer were brought up by the Senator and by questions by the Board directed at to the Senator. This included the possibility for increasing public transportation with improvements to the train station. One issue that did not settle well with the Senator was the lack of a wheelchair accessible ramp at our Town’s train station, and he agreed to look into that issue immediately, but the decision is not ultimately up to him as to what happens.

Finally, one of the opening issues was addressed with the Senator. Mr. David McCoy, a representative from the Groton Ayer Buzz who presented his case about the flight training issue that he and the group he represented have been fighting for nearly twenty years. In 1999, approximately 200 Ayer residents complained about the noise and fear that the flight training was causing. In 2003, a nuisance suit was filed which was ultimately successful as the flight trainings violated state and federal laws and it was settled in 2008. Unfortunately, the defendants in the suit breached their contract in 2012 and that was settled last summer. The real reason that was presented to Senator Eldridge was, “Is there is a bill being set forth by Representative Kate Hogan which would take away the right of anyone to file against the defendants for a nuisance case anymore?” Be on the lookout to see what happens in this case to come, especially if you are in the area where it affects people.