Candidates Talk Development, Center Fire Station

Candidates for seats on the School Committee, Planning Board and Board of Selectmen last night discussed development, state funding and a new center fire station at the

School Committee incumbent Nick DeSilvio and write-in candidate Barbara Skaar spoke about how they felt they would be assets to the committee.

"The key accomplishment (I've had) has been bringing in a top-notch superintendent," said DeSilvio. "We were able to have an opportunity to bring in Dr. Frank Tiano and he is a wonderful individual."

Skaar was asked what improvements she would look to make as a member of the committee.

"I’d like to see the ability to retain the quality (people) we have in our system," said Skaar, adding that there has been high turnover among teachers and administrators. "I'm also looking forward to the challenge of the new health and wellness guidelines, we have to find a way to meet these mandates  … as it stands school lunch purchases is down dramtically/ I had lunch (the other day) at Center School and it was grilled cheese, french fries, fritos and a milk. Not very appealing. We need to look into this seriously."

The candidates differed in their opinion on whether or not eighth grade students should be excused from class to visit Nashoba Valley Technical High School

"A parent and a student has the right to go whever they want, it is their responsibility and a school should encourage (them to look at) where they want to go, but should it be taken away from the (regular school) day curriculum? I don’t agree with that," DeSilvio said. DeSilvio said the trip should be made on the student's own time.

Skaar said much like high school students are excused from class to visit colleges, eighth graders should have the same opportunity to visit Nashoba Tech or any other school.

"I think that’s a good idea, parents can go with their students, take a tour and be excused (from class)," she said. 

Planning Board candidates Bob Joyce, Colleen Stansfield, George Zaharoolis and Mark Dolat spoke about development and their visions for the town down the road. There are three seats available on that board.

"I think there are a lot of key decisions and key areas of development taking place over the next several years. As we talk about growth and sustainability, it's going to be about what do we do with existing developments ... how do we drive utlization in that area, I’d like to be part of the board and .. one thing I would be very much against would be mixed use development. I would try to limit that and expand commercial and residential (zoning) but being separate," Dolat said.

Stansfield, Joyce and Zaharoolis all spoke to the idea of preserving neighborhoods.

"People are being more creative in trying to put buildings up. We need to protect residential neighborhoods, setbacks and buffer zones ... bylaws need to be strong enough to protect residential neighborhoods," Zaharoolis said.

Stansfield said in her own neighborhood of the Westlands, she's noticed a "creep" of commercialization.

Joyce echoed her concern.

"I'd envision changes (over the next five years), not major (ones) but we’ll some some improvements," he said.

Candidates for two seats on the Board of Selectman - incumbents Pat Wojtas and George Dixon and Roland Van Liew -

Jim Murray, who is also running for a seat on the board, was not at the debate due to a family emergency.

"Initially, my opinon is, probably, we should renovate ... but it hasn’t been thoroughly studied," said Van Liew. "So I don’t really know but I'd like to know.  So my vote would be definitely, absolutely, no."

Wojtas said she still has not made up her mind about the proposal for a new fire station.

"The Permanent Building Committee did get numbers for the Billerica Road proposal but I haven’t read through that yet. There will be another presentation on Monday after which time I will consider it, but as far as refurbingshing I think we’ve see more than enough examples of how it isn’t feasible," she said.

Dixon said it is clear to him that if the town spent money to refurbish the current station, "we still wouldn't have have the building we'd have in another place."

"There's not enough space," he said. " ... It would be almost impossible to fix the floor. The trucks are getting larger and larger and there's not enough room."

All three candidates said even though the question on the ballot is non-binding, they would consider the will of the voters as their final answer on the issue as to whether or not the station should be built.

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