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Committee to meet owner after developer warns septic plan could cost millions
Summary
A committee discussed outreach to developers and options for a disputed golf course site after the chair said a developer warned a proposed community septic plan 'would be extremely expensive,' potentially running into the millions; the group scheduled meetings with the property owner and moved into executive session to continue talks.
The committee opened the meeting, approved the agenda and then spent its public session discussing developer outreach and options for reuse of a golf course property before voting to move into executive session.
The chair said he had a follow-up call with Matt Gilchrist, identified in the discussion as president and CEO of GE Homes, who "reiterated that he felt that the community septic plan would be extremely expensive for running in the millions," according to the chair. Committee members agreed that Gilchrist is primarily a residential developer and not focused on golf-course operations.
The group agreed to invite the property owner to meet next week and to reschedule a planned guest speaker, John Gale, who had retinal surgery. The chair said the committee would then try to bring the owner, Gale and other stakeholders together "to see if we could facilitate some type of coming together of the parties" to find a solution that benefits everyone.
Members noted an approaching committee deadline in June — roughly a month away — and discussed possible outreach targets, including Banner, Birch Park/"Black Birch," Atlantic Equity Partners and operators connected to Thompson Speedway and local golf-course management. One committee member said the town's economic development commission has only part-time staff and limited capacity compared with municipalities that have full-time economic development coordinators, and cautioned that municipal resources to lead outreach are constrained.
A committee member recommended compiling developers' stated objections and barriers so the committee could determine whether it could address them. Acting on that plan, the chair moved to enter executive session to explore the issues in private, the motion was seconded and members voted in favor. The chair then said he would turn off the camera to proceed with the executive session.
The public portion of the meeting concluded without further public comment; the committee scheduled further discussions with the owner and other stakeholders in advance of the June deadline.
