Candidates split on Beewalt rail-trail funding and routing

The Boston–Worcester rail-trail (referred to at the forum as Beewalt/BWALT) drew mixed reactions from candidates. Mark Silverberg, citing planning-board support, said he is "supportive of the BWALT" but urged that as much cost as possible be borne by outside funding rather than taxpayers, noting sections built with private money and state grants. "The section that is being built next to Stop And Shop [was] also being built by a private developer," he said.

Select-board chair candidate Patrick Welsh said he supports the trail "over time" and described steps taken to reconstitute a committee to move the project forward, but he raised a routing concern where the trail would pass through the wastewater-treatment-plant site and noted future expansion needs for that facility. "It currently routes right through the wastewater treatment plant," Welsh said, adding the plant may need space for future DEP-required expansion.

Kelly Collins and several others urged caution and recommended pausing or stopping new work until the town frames a 'grand picture' of roads, sidewalks and how the trail fits into those plans, with Collins saying outside funding should be secured to limit tax impact. Conklin questioned the trail's stated costs and criticized what he described as a push toward higher-density, "green" development incentives tied to the project.

Candidates agreed that outside grant and private funding has paid for several sections to date; the forum discussion centered on whether remaining sections should proceed now, how to minimize local tax exposure, and routing concerns near town infrastructure.