Friday, July 10, 2015

Dacey's Market liquor sales restricted by Town Council

The Town Council had a busy meeting on Wednesday. They approved the sewer extension for a single family home on Crocker Ave and penalized Dacey's Market for liquor sales to an underage person. They sent a zoning bylaw change to the Planning Board for the area around the current Thompson Printing facility. They also authorized the funding of the trust fund to help resolve the OPEB issue.


Sewer Extension

The single family home owner will pay for the sewer extension and repaving the road where the sewer line is laid. The land is mostly ledge and won't support a septic system per Franklin's Health Dept inspector. The vote was 8-0 for this item at the second reading. Members of the Council had objected to the absence of the home owner for the first reading of the bylaw change. The home owner was present on Wednesday.


Dacey's Market

Dacey's Market was handed a 7 day penalty, 4 days to be served beginning July 16th and 3 days held in abeyance for 2 years. This is the second instance for underage liquor sales. The first took place in 2011. 

The underage sale was discovered when an off duty sargent was making a personal purchase and observed the individual making his purchase. A vehicle license check confirmed the underage status. An officer on duty happened to be in the area, he was contacted. Confirmed the underage status and made a vehicle stop to confirm the liquor purchase. He confiscated a CT license. The individual claimed to not have used it as the store employees regularly did not check for licenses.

The owner of Dacey's Market was present. He had purchased the license validation machine after the 2011 incident to prevent underage sales. If the machine says the license is good, he makes the sale. The license itself may be good but it may still not match the individual. Dacay's has 5 days to appeal the Council decision by going directly to the ABCC, otherwise the penalty will take effect as agreed to.


Zoning Bylaw

A zoning bylaw change was referred to the Planning Board to begin the process of changing the last industrial zone in downtown to residential. This was an outcome of a prior zoning workshop the Council, Planning Board and other Town official held March 25, 2015. (My meeting notes can be found here)

The area around the location of the current Thompson Building is the target for the change. It already abuts another similarly zoned parcel. The proposed change is hoped to provide additional residential space near the downtown area. The Planning Board will do their public hearing process and bring the bylaw back to the Council where there will be a public hearing and two readings before a vote. 

Franklin Municipal Building
Franklin Municipal Building

OPEB Trust Fund

Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB) account is underfunded by the Town of Franklin to the tune of about $80M. An actuarial study currently underway will confirm the current requirement. Franklin had established a trust fund to help manage the money being put aside. The primary purpose for such would be to increase the rate of return on the funds invested. Current regulations impose a more conservative return opportunity for the money in 'stabilization' funds but allow for more aggressive funding opportunities in a managed trust fund.

The trust fund was established previously. The management committee had been meeting to discuss investment options and finally reached their decision. The Council's action was to approve the transfer of $1,875,334.64 (plus accrued interest) to the Trust Fund.  


The complete set of notes recorded live during the meeting can be found here



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