Town incorporates new roads
Eryn DionNews Staff Writer
TEMPLETON —Templeton incorporated three new roads after a vote Monday night brought the Cooks Pond Estate under town jurisdiction.
Gary Lorden with Benjamin Builders appeared before the board during their meeting to request the deed transfer, letting the town take the roads and responsibility for their maintenance and improvement.
Victoria Lane functions as the development’s main drive, with Gary Road and Mitchell Lane branching off.
Sewer veins run under the pavement and out to a pumping station by Hubbardston Road.
There was some controversy as to whether the town should also take over the sewer network and pumping station in addition to the roads, as they are tied into a high pressure line, which would utlimately make the town responsible for its upkeep.
Prior to the vote, the system was paid for and maintained by the Cook Pond Estates homeowners association.
Kirk Moschetti, the Planning Board Chair, advised the board to accept both the roads and sewer lines.
“Otherwise, you end up with private sewer lines under town roads,” he explained.
The town’s Sewer Commissioner Mark Moschetti agreed with his brother, but added that the town should exclude the pump station and high pressure line from the deed at this time. He did, however, hint that the commission might be open to incorporating the line and pumping station at a later date.
The issue became more complicated after the question was raised as to whether Benjamin Builders owned certain rounding easements around the roads and whether they had to the right to hand them over to the town.
After much debate and clarification, the board voted in line with the Moschetti brothers 3-0 to accept the deed for the roads with the sewer veins, but excluded the pumping station and high pressure line.
Board member Kenn Robinson left the discussion during the meeting due to a ‘conflict of interest’, but returned after the vote.
When Benjamin Builders extended the sewer line to their development, I am pretty sure they would not let any of the homes it passed tie in to it. I am wondering if that would change if the town ever took the pressure line over?? I should have asked Monday night, but I did not think of it. All of the money spent to fence in pumping stations in town sure was a waste, as the stations on South Road and Victoria Lane are wide open. I do not want to have to pay for damage to the equipment on South Road, but I am not all that worried as it seems the equipment is in a small building. I think the requirement for fencing is a order from one of the state agencies. It is to bad they did not send some money along with the orders they require the towns to follow, but what is new. It seems the requirements do not come with funding like they did in years past. This is one of the big reasons the town has had financial problems that have blown up in the faces of the people in this town. State aid was used by the towns in the eighties, but both 91 and 92 the town reports talk about the loss of state aid. Bev.
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