Minor Change to Dalton Landfill Project in the Works

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The Planning Board tentatively approved Citizens Energy's request for administrative approval of a "minor" change to the site plan during its meeting on Wednesday. 
 
To support the Warren Landfill solar project, Citizens Energy is interested in installing utility poles along the access road to interconnect the project to the electrical grid. 
 
Since the access road is public property, the board requested that the organization obtain written approval from the town attorney, the police chief, fire chief, and highway department. Once that is complete the building inspector can approve the permit. 
 
Board member Donald Davis Jr. advocated for obtained approval from the town attorney in an effort to prevent liability. 
 
"Because now we're putting structures on town-owned property that the town doesn't own, it should go to the attorney to nullify the town of any problems," he said. 
 
When the board approved the nonprofit's site plan and a special permit in April it was unclear how the access was going to work so optionality was included in the site plan, TRC Companies Inc. Senior Director Max Lamson said. 
 
TRC Companies Inc. is representing Citizens Energy for solar permitting matters.
 
One option had been to create its own access road parallel to the town's. At the time, the Select Board had not yet approved the organization's Solar Easement that granted unobstructed access between Bridle Road and the Warren farm's landfill, located off Park Street Extension, outside of the transfer station's hours for vehicle and pedestrian access.
 
The Select Board approved this easement during its meeting in July. Citizens Energy is hoping to start construction before the winter season.
 
More information on the project here
 

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Letter: Is the Select Board Listening to Dalton Voters?

Letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

A reasonable expectation by the people of a community is that their Select Board rises above personal preference and represents the collective interests of the community. On Tuesday night [Nov. 12], what occurred is reason for concern that might not be true in Dalton.

This all began when a Select Board member submitted his resignation effective Oct. 1 to the Town Clerk. Wishing to fill the vacated Select Board seat, in good faith I followed the state law, prepared a petition, and collected the required 200-plus signatures of which the Town Clerk certified 223. The Town Manager, who already had a copy of the Select Board member's resignation, was notified of the certified petitions the following day. All required steps had been completed.

Or had they? At the Oct. 9 Select Board meeting when Board members discussed the submitted petition, there was no mention about how they were informed of the petition or that they had not seen the resignation letter. Then a month later at the Nov. 12 Select Board meeting we learn that providing the resignation letter and certified petitions to the Town Manager was insufficient. However, by informing the Town Manager back in October the Select Board had been informed. Thus, the contentions raised at the Nov. 12 meeting by John Boyle seem like a thinly veiled attempt to delay a decision until the end of January deadline to have a special election has passed.

If this is happening with the Special Election, can we realistically hope that the present Board will listen to the call by residents to halt the rapid increases in spending and our taxes that have been occurring the last few years and pass a level-funded budget for next year, or to not harness the taxpayers in town with the majority of the cost for a new police station? I am sure these issues are of concern to many in town. However, to make a change many people need to speak up.

Please reach out to a Select Board member and let them know you are concerned and want the Special Election issue addressed and finalized at their Nov. 25 meeting.

Robert E.W. Collins
Dalton, Mass.

 

 

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