Posted Oct 14, 2009 at 12:01 AM

 

TEMPLETON -- As an Oct. 26 public meeting with state officials to discuss the closing of the Templeton Developmental Center looms, Board of Selectmen Chairman Gerald Skelton Tuesday addressed the confusion surrounding the reuse committee for the center, while reiterating his opposition to the closing of the facility. Mr. Skelton discussed Tuesday the need for the public meeting to address the issues that have arisen as a result of the state’s decision to close the center, particularly over the role the reuse committee would take during the expected closing of the center, slated for 2013. While Mr. Skelton is supposed to be on the committee -- serving as its chairman -- the select board chairman reiterated his stance in opposition to the closing of the center. “I have a problem with being on a committee when I don’t believe in reusing (the center). I think it should stay open,” he said. The state Senate announced in May the passage of an amendment that would create a reuse committee in Templeton for the purpose of allowing the town to become more involved as the decisions about the center and its lands are made. The committee would include three Templeton representatives -- one from the select board, one from the Planning Board, and one member to be chosen by the selectmen. In addition, the committee would feature one representative each from the Community Preservation Committee, the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance and the legal guardians of the clients currently housed at the center. Since the announcement, Mr. Skelton said there were numerous town residents who expressed confusion over what the role of the reuse committee would be in the center’s closing. “There’s a lot of people in town that were confused over what ‘reuse’ meant, instead of not closing it,” he said. “So we’re having this meeting to get everyone together because it’s going to affect the whole area, including the employees of the center.” The chairman said that in speaking with Robert Hubbard, Gardner’s director of planning and development, and John Henshaw, chairman of the Community Preservation Committee, while the opposition in town to closing the center has been strong, they advised filling the committee seats in order to be in compliance with the amendment. “We have to go down two paths here,” he said. “We have to get on the path that we don’t want to close, but yet we have to fill that committee.” Mr. Skelton will be meeting with both Mr. Hubbard and Mr. Henshaw to create an agenda for the meeting. Currently, state Sen. Stephen Brewer, D-Barre, and State Rep. Anne Gobi, D-Spencer, are the only members of the committee. Mr. Skelton said he expected a large turnout for the meeting, particularly if all, or a majority, of the center’s 450 employees attend. The public meeting on the closing of the center is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 26 at Narragansett Middle School.