Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Oversight topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Resident urges Select Board to keep fire‑station contaminated‑soil issue on agenda
Summary
A resident called the board's attention to $2 million of contaminated soil removal costs at the new fire station and asked for recurring public updates; several board members agreed to add the item to future agendas and to seek staff and legal briefings as appropriate.
A Northborough resident, Aaron Hutchins, asked the Select Board during public comment on Nov. 3 to make contaminated soil removal at the fire station a recurring Select Board agenda item, calling it "a $2,000,000 issue" that warrants public accountability and transparency.
Hutchins said the costs were not included in special town meeting materials and asked why the board had not made the soil remediation a standing topic. He urged the board to provide public updates and to pursue accountability for increased costs.
Board members responded that they would not stop pressing the issue and that it should be added to future agendas until resolved. Several members recommended the board seek counsel and staff briefings; some indicated portions of the conversation might appropriately occur in executive session if attorney–client or personnel matters arise. Jacob Jones said he would continue advocating for accountability and noted issues in previous public materials and statements that he called misleading.
The Select Board asked staff to track the matter, bring regular updates to the board, and to advise whether privileged legal or personnel briefings should be handled in executive session. The board did not take a motion on any specific remedy during the meeting.
