Last Friday was a special day in West Boylston as the Town welcomed Lt. Governor Tim Murray and the Municipal Affairs Coordinating Cabinet (MACC).
The MACC is made up of several officials in the Governor's administration who regularly hold meetings with local officials to introduce the services they provide and to answer questions from the local officials present. Friday's meeting in central Massachusetts was held in West Boylston at the Middle/High School and it attracted municipal officials from all over the region.
MACC representatives included individuals from the Information Technology Division, Group Insurance Commission, Division of Capital Asset Management, Human Resources, Department of Energy Resources, Operational Services (procurement officials), Civil Service Commission and the Division of Local Services. In addition, I was asked to make a presentation on our shared services agreement with Sterling for inspectional services.
West Boylston officials were very well represented at this event as well with several Selectmen, School Committee members, and Department managers in attendance and asking questions. Some of the questions asked were:
1) Selectman Kevin McCormick asked about land under state control being freed from state control now that sewers are installed within the community. Officials from the Division of Capital Asset Management will be looking into it and getting back to us.
2) School Committeewoman Siobhan Bohnson made a plea for protection of local aid and school aid in an effort to avoid further cuts in services at the school.
3) A Selectman from Shrewsbury asked for relief from local mandates from the state.
4) DPW Director John Westerling asked about pension reform and how it may be implemented across the state.
5) I also pressed the need to see pension reform for Fiscal Year 2011 and made a plea for Payment In Lieu Of Taxes payments to be made on the lands under the control of the Worcester County House of Corrections.
Through our Public Access Cable System, we should soon be running this event on our public access channels so be on the look-out for this event.
I would like to thank Tom Kane, his staff, and the students who attended the event for hosting such a great event. I also thank all the Town officials and citizens who attended and represented our Town very well. Most of all I would like to thank the Lt. Governor for agreeing to make this presentation in West Boylston.
Leon A. Gaumond Jr.
Town Administrator
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