Reporter’s Notebook: Final warnings from Terenzini; Grafton gets more liquor
Temporary Town Administrator Carter Terenzini had some parting words about Grafton to the Select Board last week — beginning with the always reassuring words “not bad or wrong — nobody’s going to jail.”
Terenzini, speaking at his final Select Board meeting before Town Administrator Evan Brassard takes over, reiterated some of the concerns he brought up when presenting the Fiscal Year 2022 budget — specifically taking everyday items out of the budget annually to be paid with free cash.
“It’s like buying a car on overtime,” he said.
He also expressed concerns about the lack of support staff for human resources and town finances and the town’s problems in attracting talent due to salary.
“It’s my observation this community has a lot of growing up to do,” Terenzini said, criticizing the town for thinking of itself as an island rather than part of the region.
He also suggested the town is not being well-served when it came to legal representation.
He did have praise, however, to several hard-working Municipal Center staffers, singling out Assistant Town Clerk Paul Cook for stepping up to manage two very challenging elections last fall during Town Clerk Kandy Lavallee’s medical leave.
“I want to thank this board for the opportunity to work with you,” Terenzini said.
**********
UltraMart in North Grafton started life as a convenience store, selling groceries as well as beer, wine and cigarettes.
But times and neighbors change, attorney Bill Carroll told the Select Board last week.
“While he sells groceries now, you’ve no doubt noticed the large Cumberland Farms right next door,” said Carroll. “His grocery business is more or less nonexistent.”
The 215 Worcester Street business is now rebranding itself as primarily a liquor and tobacco stores after receiving a license upgrade. The business, owned by Manish Patel, now has an all alcohol license.
Patel, who has owned the business since 2013, will bar people under the age of 21 from entering the store. Although Five Star Liquors is just down the street, Carroll called it a “calculated business risk.”
“He thinks he has a base of clients, and so forth, to support the change in business,” Carroll said. “It’s his livelihood. He takes his business seriously.”
**********
Grafton now has a plaque, and a banner that will hang somewhere, recognizing the town’s high voter turnout over the last two years.
Select Board Chair Peter Carlson waved around the Senator Louis P. Bertonazzi Outstanding Citizenship Award, which is awarded every two years to one of the 19 towns in Bertonazzi’s former district. Zoom, of course, is a difficult venue in which to present awards.
Across five elections in the last two years, Grafton had a voting rate of 38.79 percent.
Town Clerk Kandy Lavallee said her office will use the $1,000 award to further assist with voter turnout.
Like Grafton Common? Help support local journalism with a donation.
