Robinson: Town Should Guard St. James Appraisal

The St. James Study Committee got an update from the Playing Fields Task Force and the Community Preservation Commission last night, along with a warning to keep a town-commissioned appraisal of the property secret.

Last month, the town hired Colliers, Meredith and Grew of Boston to appraise the St. James plot. Last night, Town Counsel Al Robinson advised the committee that when the figure is reported, the information should only be shared among Executive Director Hans Larsen, Selectman Chairman Katherine "Gig" Babson, Planning Board Chairman Don McCauley, Robinson and a member of the Advisory Committee.

The topic is one of several reasons listed in the state's open meeting law for officials to convene in executive session:  "To consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property, if an open discussion may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the governmental body with a person, firm, or corporation," according to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 39, Section 23b.

Robinson said the town should limit access to the information further, to prevent word of the appraisal figure from being used against them. "The fewer, the better," Robinson said. The appraisal is expected within two to three weeks.

Recreation Commission Chairman Andy Wrobel reported that, following a meeting with the Playing Fields Task Force, Bill Seymour of Gale Associates had drawn up a three-phase development plan for the site. The first phase would develop the property into two playing fields. In the second phase, a hockey rink would be built on one of the fields. In the third phase, a pool would be built as an addition to the rink, and the two facilities would share a common concession and lobby area, with only one field remaining.

Allan Port of the Community Preservation Committee reported that his board would be willing to contribute up to $500,000 to aid in the acquisition of the property and the development of any CPA-eligible portion of the project.  "The exact amount that we would borrow would be determined by the interest rate and length of the bonding, but $500,000 would be the limit of our annual contribution to paying back the bonds," Port wrote after the meeting.

As Robinson and CPC determined in June, the funds would not be applicable to construction projects for the buildings intended for the site. Port said if the CPC allocated that figure, (which is half the amount the CPC raises from a 1 percent tax surcharge annually) it would be the limit to what they would contribute to the redevelopment.