As a resident of Cedarville and a precinct 8 Town Meeting member, I am upset to read that the Select Board is proposing to use part of the $2 million that was just presented to them by the Plymouth Foundation to pay for the fees to record the legal documents to protect the adjoining 130 acres [to a business park development on Hedges Pond Road] as conservation land. The $2 million was earmarked for traffic improvements at the intersections of State, Hedges Pond and Herring Pond roads in the original deal in 2018 when the land was sold to the Plymouth Foundation for $1. Also mandated as part of the deal was the designation of 130 adjoining acres as conservation land in perpetuity.
Since part of the agreement between the town and the foundation required the setting aside of 130 acres as conservation land, the foundation should pay the fees for the legal documents out of their proceeds of the sale. The foundation sold the 34 acres at 71 Hedges Pond Road. for $3.45 million and has $1.45 million left after giving the town the money promised for desperately needed road improvements in Cedarville. The money for legal fees definitely should not come out of the $2 million earmarked for traffic improvements. If the engineering studies do not cost the full amount of the earmarked money, the remainder should be set aside to help pay for the town’s portion of the actual construction costs. The state does not pay the full amount of construction costs and requires a contribution from the town. Having $800,000 set aside will save the Plymouth taxpayers and most likely fast-track construction.
– Geraldine Williams