LEVERETT — The Select Board is endorsing designation of a local cultural district for Leverett, even with some questions remaining about how it will work in practice and possible costs to the town.
The board also voted to oppose a request from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to withdraw an additional 20 million gallons of water daily from the Quabbin Reservoir.
The board’s unanimous vote Monday to move forward with an application for the district came at the end of a second hearing on the concept, first brought forward by David Henion, president of Leverett Crafts & Arts. The effort is supported by artists who live and work in the community, including at Leverett Crafts & Arts, and by institutions such as the Leverett Village Co-op and the Rattlesnake Gutter Trust.
Select Board member Jed Proujansky said there is a lot of work still to do after the February filing deadline, such as learning what the budget would be, the costs of hiring a person to administer the district and how people would be appointed to serve on an oversight committee.
The premise of a cultural district comes from the Mass Cultural Council, which in 2011 opened the opportunity for cities and towns to create one or more cultural districts, designations that can join together historic buildings, conservation areas, cultural centers and individual artists.
Cultural districts are eligible to receive annual funding through grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Should funding be needed, this would likely be requested at annual Town Meeting next spring.
As for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority request, Proujansky said the Swift River, which flows from the Quabbin, doesn’t have that additional capacity to give up and it would be absurd for the request to be supported when no reason has been provided.
Proujansky said the Quabbin, which is already in a depleted state, should be recharged and leaks in pipes should be fixed before the request is considered.
Other business
In other business, the board:
- Expressed concerns about installing new signs at entrances to public trails reminding dog owners to keep their dogs on leashes or under voice command, with Proujansky suggesting that this would be a waste of resources, since such advisories are ignored. “I don’t think they’re useful, I don’t think they accomplish anything,” he said.
- Examined possible plans, presented by board member Tom Hankinson, for relocating the driveway for Town Hall from the south side of the building to the north side. The idea for the new driveway comes as questions arise about the right of way the town has for joint use of the post office driveway, though the north side of the building is complicated by the presence of the building’s septic system.
- Dismissed a complaint brought against Walter and Django, dogs owned by Julie Patterson of Ryans Hill Road, by Hakim Noah, who said they were loose and charged at him on Aug. 26 in a conservation area off Rattlesnake Gutter Road, between the Red Dot Trail and Old Whitney Road. While that incident would be a violation of an order issued a year earlier after one of the dogs bit Noah’s wife, the Select Board heard conflicting testimony, with Patterson saying her dogs are always on leash and under control, while Noah contends that on that day the dogs were alone when they chased him.
- Announced receipt of a $1 million state grant that will go toward the next phase of improvements to Dudleyville Road, with bank stabilization and peat moss that will prevent erosion and protect a nearby stream.
- Learned from Town Administrator Margie McGinnis that eight Verizon copper phone lines used by the town are being phased out as the company closes its Centrex service, with the town likely to switch to a more expensive option.
