Board set to fight waste site plans; Selectmen delay action on DCR road-opening request.

Byline: Marc C. Sanguinetti

WEST BOYLSTON - The Board of Selectmen is gearing up for a fight against a proposed permanent hazardous waste collection site in town.

Selectmen said no formal site plan review has been presented, but they believe the state is going forward with plans to lease state-owned land in town to Wachusett Earthday to build a regional hazardous waste collection site.

Selectmen, acting as road commissioners, last night voted to delay a request by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation for a road-opening permit until they get more information on the road opening.

In a June 25 e-mail to selectmen, Department of Public Works Director John K. Westerling said the DCR applied for and paid the fees for a road-opening permit off Raymond Huntington Highway. Mr. Westerling said the road opening leads to state-owned land and that the request meets all the requirements for approval. The DCR did not cite a reason for the request.

However, Wachusett Earthday director Colleen Abrams told selectmen at a meeting last year that the DCR had agreed to lease a five-acre site off of Raymond Huntington Highway for the purpose of building a permanent waste collection site. Selectmen took no action at the time but raised questions and concerns with Ms. Abrams about collecting hazardous materials so close to Wachusett Reservoir.

Last night, selectmen angrily voiced their opposition to the recent road opening request by the DCR. Allen R. Phillips, chairman of the selectmen, questioned why the DCR would choose a site designated as protected land so close to Wachusett Reservoir.

"What gives them (the DCR) the right to come in and arbitrarily build a driveway on this (protected land)?" Selectman Valmore H. Pruneau asked. He said the request especially upsets him because the DCR previously took possession of a baseball field from the town to protect the reservoir.

Selectman Kevin M. McCormick agreed with selectmen but questioned whether they could reject a legitimate request for a road-opening permit. He suggested selectmen not deny the permit but delay granting the permit until the DCR states its purpose.

The board voted to ask Mr. Westerling to delay granting the permit pending further information. Selectmen also voted to seek the advice of town counsel and to contact their state representatives.

In other business, selectmen voted to postpone a seven-day suspension of the Reservoir Motor Lodge's operating license until Aug. 13. Selectmen voted initially not to postpone the July 9 suspension set last month after repeated health code violations at the motel, located at 90 Sterling St. (Route 12).

However, selectmen voted to reconsider the matter after motel owner Kirit Malaviya's lawyer appeared before selectmen. Paul Sushchyk, a lawyer with Berg & Laipson in Worcester, is also a member of the Board of Selectmen in Sterling.

Mr. Sushchyk told selectmen that if the list of code violations had happened in Sterling, he probably would have revoked the motel's operating license himself.

However, Mr. Sushchyk said, he is working with Mr. Malaviya to get the facility up to code and to help relocate long-term renters of the motel during the weeklong suspension. Selectmen voted to move the suspension to Aug. 13 and cautioned Mr. Malaviya to use the time to get the motel up to code.

NAME: WEST BOYLSTON SELECTMEN