Selectmen Set March Meeting With Kraft Group to Discuss Future Development

Foxborough Board of Selectmen chair James DeVellis has kept an open dialogue with the Kraft Group since the company informed town officials in October it would no longer be pursuing negotiations regarding Patriot Place expansion.

In January, DeVellis told the board he had productive conversations with the Kraft Group and felt both sides were able to

“I thought I would take this opportunity to put it on the table and ask people to move forward as we close the door on last year,” DeVellis said in January. “Each topic that comes before [the Board of Selectmen] should be judged on its merit with the history behind us and not in front of us. …

“We can each reach our goals easier if we understand each other. I really look forward to moving forward with development plans along Route 1 and continue the dialogue so if something comes forward we are in a better situation to discuss that.”

In an effort to truly move forward with the town’s largest business partner, DeVellis told selectmen last week he has set up a public meeting between the board and the Kraft Group in March.

“One of the topics that I brought up to [the Kraft Group] is if they would entertain coming to a selectmen’s meeting and just talk in general terms what the plans are for the future and what development opportunities they are pursuing,” DeVellis said.  

The purpose of the meeting, according to DeVellis, is to hold a general question and answer period with the Kraft Group and give residents a chance to participate in the discussion.

“The reason I [set up the March meeting] was because in the past we have kind of peace mealed different development discussions with the different boards and we thought this was a good opportunity [for the Kraft Group] to bring up a topic [and] get some response,” DeVellis said. “Or if we wanted to bring up a topic from the past, present or future they are kind of on the seat of their pants to answer it.”

DeVellis said he expects that dialogue between the town and the Kraft Group to “go a long way in better understanding each other.”