Select Board, CPC rehash old wounds, point fingers, argue a while

Everyone carried a grudge to the table Tuesday night.

Playing on home turf was the Select Board, dismayed about what they saw as the Community Preservation Committee’s attitude and lack of transparency when responding to requests on some funding requests.

On the hot seat were three members of the CPC, all Select Board appointees (Ken Holberger, Brook Padgett, and Paul Scarlett), called to discuss recent developments, including a board appearance seen as an Open Meeting Law violation.

While CPC Chair Jim Gallagher took full responsibility for the alleged OML violation during the Select Board’s March 15 meeting, at which five CPC members — a quorum — showed up for a discussion, other members brought up past issues with the Select Board.

Scarlett was critical of the board’s decision to remove Jennifer Thomas, an 18-year member of the CPC and a former Select Board member, from the committee last June, when she was due for reappointment. She was replaced by Richard Whitney, now a candidate for Select Board.

He also expressed concern about the board’s discussion of adding first a veteran affairs representative to the CPC and, more recently, a representative of the Affordable Housing Trust.

“Really, committees should not have to monitor your agenda to find out you’re talking about them,” Scarlett said.

he added. “Perception is reality. You aren’t communicating with us and I don’t know why.”

Town Administrator Evan Brassard approached the CPC at their March 24 meeting, seeing funding to replace rotting siding at the South Grafton Community House. CPC members rejected the idea because the plan involved painting the entire building, which would be considered maintenance.

While Brassard mentioned getting the OK for similar projects from the Monson CPC when he was town administrator there, the Grafton board said the project was not qualified.

“Lots of other towns have unsophisticated CPC committees and they approve of projects they shouldn’t have,” Holberger said.

Padgett said CPC funds — raised through the Community Preservation Act, which helps communities preserve open space and historic sites, create affordable housing, and develop outdoor recreational facilities —are not supposed to fund projects that should be included in the town budget.

 “There is a fundamental problem with some members of this board,” Padgett said. “You don’t understand CPC.”

Select Board member Doreen DeFazio said she was disappointed in how CPC members behaved at previous meetings and reminded them that they are representing the town of Grafton.

“This behavior toward the acting chair and the town administrator that night was unfortunate,” she said.

Whitney said his tenure on the CPC to date has been rocky at times, possibly because he replaced Thomas.

“First of all, I’m tired of getting thrown under the bus by the committee, particularly Paul Scarlett,” Whitney said. “I raise my hand at the meeting. I get fired down.

“Let’s drop all the stuff and go forward,” he added. “The old days are the old days and today is today.”

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