The Board of Selectmen met this evening with Clerk Carla Goodwin presiding. In attendance were William Hardin, Patricia Webster, and Town Adm. Kevin Paicos, Assistant Town Administrator Martha White.

Selectmen Tufts, Clark absent.

Also in attendance were three representatives each of the Boards of Selectmen in Raynham, and Stoughton, along with Executive Secretary Randy Buckner and TA Phil Farrington.

Tim Taylor was present, representing Rep. David Flynn.

(See attached list of attendees)

W. White noted the meeting is to discuss the critical items to be discussed with Secretary Durand and Secretary Sullivan in the upcoming 3/8/00 meeting.

White viewed the list of areas that need Secretary Durand’s attention (see attached).

Goodwin noted we only have 1 hour on 3/8/00 to present the concerns/issues.

G. Luciano, Raynham noted that each individual community has their own concerns but we don’t want individual concerns brought forward, rather we want a unified front of the regional issues that affect all communities.

Mokrisky – Stoughton noted it is unfair that the Governor won’t meet with the municipalities and he has only met with the proponents of the train. Mokrisky noted there is a plume of contaminated groundwater near the proposed second rail through Stoughton that DEP and EPA are investigating. He noted the MBTA hasn’t even look into this. DuPont-Raynham noted that the railroad will destroy the 20-year planning and growth management that each of the town’s have been establishing. DuPont noted he is concerned that mitigation measures will be withheld if the communities don’t show cooperation.

Paicos noted that Rep. Flynn met with him and stated that one member of each Board and one staff person from each community will be allowed into the meeting. He noted all of our Legislators will be present also. Paicos noted the need to point out that Secretary Durand didn’t give enough credence to the issues on the attached sheet. We know that Secretary Sullivan already wants the train and is convinced it should go forward. We need for Secretary Sullivan to understand that certain major issues need to be resolved. We need to make sure we are telling everyone that the Big Dig and the MBTA is taking all of the Ch. 90 monies from the communities. We need to really go over the bus alternative as proposed by Rep. Flynn, as an inexpensive superior cost ratio, alternative. We need an explanation of the now raised High-speed rail issue in Attleboro.

Louis Gitto – Stoughton noted the need to emphasize the bus alternative and that free bus service could be offered, would take many cars off the road, and noted that he has suggested this already and received a response from Secretary Durand, which he copied to M. White.

Rick Fitzgerald - Stoughton noted the DEIR covered the area from Wyman Street and went south, they never looked at the North area and the environmental issues that exist there. He noted that CSX is in the process of bringing more freight to southeastern MA. He noted that this proposed line will be handling the freight every day.

Hardin noted the alternative to re-engineer the Braintree station to accommodate the riders from Fall River/New Bedford.

DuPont suggested looking at the OCPC traffic studies done recently stating there is no traffic problem coming out of Fall River/New Bedford. He stated the need to make the MBTA prove their traffic counts.

Don McKinnon-Raynham noted he thinks the freight is the real issue and you can’t stick freight on busses. He noted the original SERPID study had time frames of bus service, but recent studies have no real consistent data. McKinnon noted we really need to promote D. Flynn’s bus alternative proposal.

Webster noted the need for justification of the whole project. Webster noted that if the real intent is economic growth issues in Fall River and New Bedford, reinvest in those communities with job training, etc, and use the monies proposed for the rail to accomplish it.

Goodwin suggested each community have their one Selectman and one Staff person meet prior to the 3/8/00 to fine tune the suggestions this evening.

Goodwin noted that we need Secretary Sullivan to understand there is a real political issue on the money if they go forward with this, i.e. Big Dig funds and MBTA overruns.

C. Hannigan noted that an HOV lane should be included in the enhanced bus alternative.

Jay Sullivan noted the need to coordinate the citizen efforts in all the communities against the rail.

G. Heino noted the need to disprove the high-speed rail argument with the Attleboro line.

G. MacDonald noted the upcoming desalinated water line may be affected, and the terrible affect of freight on this line.

Goodwin noted the need to hit the discrimination of not being consulted and to let the Secretaries know we are not going away!

The consensus of the group was to promote the issues as discussed and to include the suggested amendments in the written document.

Motion by Mokrisky, seconded by Fitzgerald, to have 1 Selectman and 1 Staff person per community, come to a meeting prior to 3/8/00 meeting, to refine the presentation further in preparation for the 3/8/00 meeting, and that the presentation be as written and as amended this evening.

On McKinnon’s motion, seconded by Mokrisky, it was agreed that a letter be drafted and signed by each of the Chairs of the Boards of Selectmen to ask the Governor to meet and discuss the concerns each community has with this matter. Mokrisky will draft the letter to be signed by the Chairs.

Webster suggested having the communities of Attleboro and our region join on the enhanced bus proposal, noting that the railroad affects Attleboro as well as it does Easton, Stoughton, Raynham and Canton. Webster noted that the bus alternative is preferable to all of these communities.

Goodwin noted that each Town will contact Paicos’ office with the names of their Reps, and then a time and date for the next meeting will be established.

At 8:45PM, the meeting was adjourned

APPROVED______________________________________

DATED__________________________________________