With the current Roderick J. Ireland Courthouse on State Street in downtown Springfield in need of replacement, the process of identifying its location continued with a virtual public hearing on Jan. 2 at which a timeline and plan were proposed.
Reminder Publishing file photo
WILBRAHAM — It was standing room only at the Jan. 6 Select Board meeting as about two dozen residents attended to express their concern about the future of the community garden. For several years, Melissa Graves, the administrative assistant for Wilbraham’s Conservation Commission, has managed the garden outside her normal duties. With Graves’ impending retirement, Wilbraham’s gardeners are wondering what will become of their pastime.
Some of those in attendance assumed management of the garden was part of Graves’ official job. Others thought the town had decided to stop funding management of the garden. Select Board Chair Susan Bunnell assured residents that the town is not attempting to eliminate the garden. She reiterated that Graves took on management of the garden as “a passion project,” and was not paid for it.
Eric Ball described the “joy” of seeing his 4-year-old pick and eat vegetables “off the vine.” Charlie Hines said the cost to the town to pay someone to manage the garden is “a drop in the bucket” considering the number of retired people and young families that use the garden, which contains 60 plots. Another resident said many people do not have enough sun in their yards to grow a garden. Yet another person pointed out that residents who live in condominiums cannot plant a garden.
Town Administrator Nick Breault said town leadership understands the “value” of the garden in terms of its produce, as well as its social and educational aspects.
Denise LaFountain asked what the town plans to do if Graves’ successor does not take over the garden management. The board was asking themselves the same question, Select Board member Marc Ducey said.
Breault said the board needed to decide if the garden was the town’s responsibility and if so, whether management of the garden should be paid. It would also have to determine which department would oversee garden management and where the funding for a paid position would come from. Breault suggested hiring a part-time employee to manage the garden and revisit the issue after one year.
Select Board member Michael Squindo wondered about the cost of a part time employee and estimated the position would need about 19 hours per week at the minimum wage of $15 per hour. Whether it would be a year-long position or seasonal, he said he was unsure.
Ducey suggested the position might be paid for through a mix of town funds and user fees. The seasonal cost of a plot is $30. He also posited a revolving account, with a goal of being self-sufficient.
Alternatively, Breault noted that some town-owned properties, such as the Wilbraham Children’s Museum and Fountain Park, are managed by nonprofits.
When it was suggested that a volunteer manage the garden, resident Kathy Robbins said, “We want to garden. We don’t want to worry about who paid their fees.” John Jensen said that before Graves began managing the garden, it was volunteer run. The volunteers “did their best,” he said, but the experience has been “so much better” with Graves at the helm.
Bunnell said the board would gather more information but acknowledged the time constraints of the growing season that begins in a couple of months.
Cottage Avenue
A resident who has been contacting the Select Board since July of 2024 about conditions at a neighboring property, 176 Cottage Ave., said the issues have not been addressed. She acknowledged a fence was installed around the property, but said the laundry list of problems remain, including a vacant building with unsecured first-floor windows, an empty commercial propane tank, abandoned vehicles and a burnt-out washing machine. The neighbor said that when she complained of the issues, the Police Department informed her that the site is private property.
Breault said the resident was correct. The town has been in contact with the property owner’s lawyer, who, Breault said, informed the town that the issues would be addressed if the owner was provided enough time to do so. Breault said they have had several months to comply. In the interest of providing a basic level of public safety, the town paid for the fence to be erected in December 2024.
“The town is not happy,” Breault said, sighing loudly.
The neighbor asked how long property taxes could go unpaid before the town could seize the land. However, Breault informed her that the taxes were up to date. A full year of taxes in arrears is required before the town can begin the process of seizure and another year of advertising must be completed to ensure the property is legally abandoned.
“We’re a long ways from being able to take the property over,” Breault said.
Ducey asked Breault about the town’s ability to address other safety concerns, such as the inboarded first-floor windows. The resident said area kids play in the cars, which have broken windows, and suggested that be the first security issue addressed.
Palmer Rail Station
The property at 5V Crane Hill Rd. was among those that had been under consideration for a railroad station as part of the state’s East-West Rail initiative to bring passenger rail from Boston to Albany. However, Breault said the property owner, Donna Merwin, did not learn of this until December 2024. Breault said that he had been in contact with a source at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and was told the property near the border of Palmer was no longer on the table. However, it was not officially removed from the six potential sites, the rest of which are within Palmer.
Through communication with Breault, Merwin had requested that the Select Board send a letter expressing that they do not support the use of that property. Bunnell allowed Merwin to address the board outside of public comment. She said the property had sentimental value as it had belonged to her grandparents. She also said it was “common sense” not to put a railroad station there.
Offering a concrete reason to not support the use of the property, Squindo said it may have detrimental effects on traffic due to its proximity to the busy intersection of Boston Road and Cottage Avenue.
Ducey said he was not comfortable signing the letter because he did not have enough information to “make an informed decision.” MassDOT identified the location in March 2024, but the Select Board did not know about it until November 2024, he said. This did not allow time for the appropriate bodies, such as the Conservation Commission, Planning Board or Economic Development Committee to vet the project, he said.
Planning Board member John McCloskey, who had attended the meeting in December 2024, agreed with Ducey. He said Wilbraham should have had input into the decision making. However, Squindo questioned whether Wilbraham was procedurally or legally required to be included. While Ducey was in favor of writing a letter criticizing the process, the Select Board decided to wait to hear the input of the Planning Board, which will discuss the matter at its Jan. 8 meeting.
