Special Town Meeting Called to Vote on Kronos Article

Numerous new jobs could be created.

Selectmen last night approved a special Town Meeting for Oct. 20, where town meeting reps will vote on one article that could create numerous new jobs in town. The articles comes as Kronos, a company that develops employee management software, is considering expanding its world headquarters in Chelmsford. Kronos is currently located at 297 Billerica Road but has the option to lease a building across the street at 300 Billerica Road. The article asks town meeting reps to OK a tax increment financing agreement, a measure that allows municipalities to provide flexible targeted incentives to stimulate job-creating development, according to the state. "We have been having discussions with officials at Kronos and (the building landlords) …

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Residents Discuss Robin Hill Road, Development at Public Input Session

The Board of Selectmen last night held a public input session.

Selectmen last night held a public input session during which residents were encouraged to ask questions and voice concerns over any issues in town. Steven Incropera, who lives on Nashoba Road, said he prefers the lines stay on Robin Hill Road. Those lines were accidentally painted on the street, according to the town, and officials had agreed last week to remove them. "I find driving you can coast from my house to Rte. 27 and you can get up to 40 or 50 if you don’t brake, so when you’re going around curves you sway," he said. " ...  I find people are actually slowing down. People are saying it's more dangerous but I find people are going slower." Incropera said he's also an avid runner and said he hasn't had any issues with drivers not …

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Recall Election to be Held August 2

Selectmen OK'd the Aug. 2 recall election.

Selectmen last night OK'd an Aug. 2 recall election for Selectmen Matt Hanson, Jon Kurland, George Dixon and Pat Wojtas in accordance to state law. The election comes as lead recall petitioner Roland Van Liew has collected enough to force an election for the selectmen. Van Liew asserts the selectmen acted unlawfully and participated in back-room deals regarding an office building at 9 North Road. Town Clerk Betty Delaney said the summer is always a difficult time to hold an election due to many people taking vacations. Delaney said she unofficially asked the staff and poll workers when the most convenient time would be, and they said Aug. 2 would probably be best. "We’re talking summer months, and there's no good time this summer to have …

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Residents Rally Against Recall

Chelmsford residents against the upcoming recall discussed last night how and why they should vote against the recall.

A group of Chelmsford residents rallied together at the American Legion last night discuss the recall that Roland Van Liew has initiated against Selectman Jon Kurland, Pat Wojtas, George Dixon and Matt Hanson.  Some residents, such as the Planning Board member Colleen Stansfield, said they feel the actual reason for the recall is being misrepresented.  Stansfield said she believes Van Liew’s actual goal is to remove Town Manager Paul Cohen from office.  “A certain angry man has bought himself an election based on misrepresenting what the true reason is that he seeks this recall, to remove Paul Cohen,” said Stansfield.  “This is not about a building or acting unlawful.” Many of the residents said the repercussions of the recall is going to …

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Superior Court Judge Restarts Recall Clock

The judge today decided the 14-day window for Roland Van Liew to collect signatures from 10 percent of the town's voters will start today.

A Middlesex Superior Court Judge this afternoon ruled that the 14-day window for Roland Van Liew to collect signatures from 10 percent of the town's voters will start today. Van Liew is trying to recall four selectmen. Richard McClure, Van Liew's attorney, brought the case to court in an effort to seek an injunction on the grounds that the 14-day time period should start when the lead petitioner receives the blank petitions on which to collect signatures, and not when the initial 25 signatures to start the recall process were turned in, which was Tuesday. "(The judge) reset the clock today," said Town Manager Paul Cohen. "He also determined the town clerk’s preparation of recall blanks met the requirements for delivery, so she doesn’t have…

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5 Things You Missed at Last Night's Meeting

Selectmen Honor Four for Town Service, Grant Temporary License

Honors, utilities, and budgets were topics of discussion for the Board of Selectmen.

Couldn't make it to last night's Board of Selectmen meeting? Chelmsford Patch has you covered. Here is what you missed. 1. Appreciation Awards for Town Officials. Three longtime town officials and a selectman received proclamations for their service to Chelmsford last night:  2. Used Car Business Permitted Temporary License. Philip Smith, d.b.a. P&S Car Sales, came before the boar requesting a temporary license to use 103 Tyngsborough Road as his business address. Smith's current place of business in Groton is under foreclosure by its owner and he is at risk of losing the business if that foreclosure takes place. The selectmen voted to grant a temporary Class II Auto License to Smith allowing him to use the Tyngsborough Road address for …

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VIDEO: Fire Station Debate at League of Women Voters Candidates Night

Eric Dahlberg and Brian Latina debate the fire station ballot question.

Candidates in the April 5 election gathered last night at the League of Women Voters Candidates Night to give their statements, talk about the issues and even engage in some debate. The only contested race this spring is for a seat on the Planning Board. Mike Raisbeck and Richard McClure have tossed their names into the hat for that seat, but McClure was not present last night to debate with Raisbeck. Selectman Eric Dahlberg and Town Meeting Rep Brian Latina debated the pros and cons of Question 1 on the ballot, which asks for a debt exclusion for a $9.1 million fire station. Check out the video from that debate.

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Van Liew Tries to Recall Four Selectmen

Van Liew took out an affidavit to recall all members of the Board of Selectmen except Eric Dahlberg, whose term is up next month and cannot be recalled.

Roland Van Liew last week took out affidavits to recall Selectmen George Dixon, Jon Kurland, Matt Hanson, and Pat Wojtas. In a pages-long document, which can be read and downloaded in the upper right hand corner of this page, Van Liew makes allegations about each of the selectmen he is trying to recall. Van Liew asserts the selectmen did not vote in accordance to the best interests of the town and did nothing when they saw Town Manager Paul Cohen "act unlawfully." Van Liew said Kurland "told voters not to exercise their voting rights" and "has done nothing to rectify Cohen's abuses of authority." Kurland calls the claims and his recall attempts "absurd." Many of Van Liew's claims come from the 9 North Road controversy. Phil Eliopoulos …

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Potential Planning Board Recall Stirs Up Residents and Selectmen

Planning Board also hears and voices opinion about recall, upcoming ballot questions.

Even though discussion about the Nov. 2 ballot questions was scheduled for later in the evening, several residents voiced their concerns about the initiatives during open session of the Board of Selectmen meeting. Salim Talbit, an Andover resident, spoke in support of question three, a measure to lower the state sales tax from 6.25 percent to 3 percent. The state had recently raised sales tax from 5 percent to 6.25 percent in order to increase state revenues, specifically when faced with budget shortfalls during the recession. Talbit's concerns were that border towns, or Massachusetts cities near sales tax-free New Hampshire, are seeing a drop in business as residents travel across the border for purchases. Studies have shown that as much …

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