Templeton OKs 'Gansett funding

Templeton OKs 'Gansett funding

Voters reject school building sale, creation of town hall study group
Kerry O'Brien
News Staff Writer


TEMPLETON — Special Town Meeting voters on Wednesday approved appropriating funds from a $620,000 Proposition 2 1/2 override toward the Narragansett Regional School District’s budget and the restoration of town employee hours, but rejected citizens petitions seeking to continue efforts to renovate 252 Baldwinville Road for use as a town hall and sell the vacant East Templeton Elementary School building.

“I believe 252 belongs back on the tax rate and used as a factory,” said Peter Farrell. “East Templeton could add to the charm of this town.”


The school district will receive an additional $550,459 following voters’ formal approval of the funding. The district’s full requested budget for the current fiscal year was approved at an August joint town meeting with Phillipston, resulting in Templeton’s need to provide the additional funding over what the town had already authorized.

Town employees’ hours cut in 2012 will be restored using $58,941 from the override, while the town will use the remaining $10,600 to cover the cost of recent special town meetings.

By a hand-count margin of 143-86, voters rejected appointing a building committee to continue plans for 252 Baldwinville Road, which the town bought in 2010.

The Advisory Board recommended against continuing the project, stating that there is no money available to fund the effort and that the building’s location in a commercial-industrial zone makes business use more appropriate and beneficial to the town.

The Board of Selectmen currently has the property up for sale.

“The town zoning map shows that area to be commercial industrial. If it was sold it could generate tax revenue which will offset the purchase price,” said advisory board Chairman Wilfred Spring.

Voters also followed the advisory board’s recommendation in not accepting a citizens petition seeking the sale of the East Templeton Elementary School building.

“The board concluded the building is a town asset that could be used ... in many ways, and the town should explore what it wants to do with the building,” Mr. Spring said.

Town officials indicated the building will be evaluated for future use along with all town-owned facilities as part of the recently created Town Building Assessment Committee.

The special town meeting also decided to accept Victoria Lane as a private way.

Town officials remarked that the article had not been brought to voters through the protocol set forth in the town’s bylaws.

The developer of the roadway — which is part of a 10-year-old subdivision — submitted plans for a review by the board of selectmen and Planning Board, but never received the approval of the selectmen.

“I believe when we accept the roads we accept all the infrastructure underneath those roads as well,” said Selectman Julie Farrell. “We never did meet with the developer, which is why I think there is a citizens petition. The residents are upset because they’d like to get their roads plowed. I’d like to get their roads plowed, too, but I also want to make sure that the town is not liable for the sewer infrastructure.”

No one seconded a motion to vote on accepting the sewer pump station for the same housing subdivision, also submitted by citizens petition. Planning board Chairman Kirk Moschetti advised citizens against accepting it since town boards have not conducted their review.