Around Town: Cops Prevent Theft Behind Igo School, Lafayette House to Add Parking, Town Seeks Note Taker and More

Foxborough Chief of Police Edward O’Leary told Foxborough Patch prior to Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting that Foxborough Police arrested two teens Monday night after they allegedly broke into “a booth at the fields near the playground behind the Igo School.”

“The two teens took some merchandise from the booth,” O’Leary said. “The alarm went off and the evening shift [officers] did a great job of responding to the situation.”

O’Leary said Foxborough Police were able to recover “most” of the merchandise and arrested the teens, who were attempting to call a friend to pick them up, according to O’Leary.

“They didn’t plan they’re escape well,” O’Leary said. “They didn’t have a get-away car and tried to call one.”

O’Leary said the names of the teens won’t be released until complaints have been filed with Wrentham District Court.

The incident occurred during the New England Patriots Monday Night Football game – another reason O’Leary praised the quick work of his officers.

“The evening officers did a great job handling the situation,” he said.

Lafayette House to Increase Commercial Parking by 15 Spaces

The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved General Manager Ron Young’s request to increase the restaurant’s commercial parking by 15 spaces, increasing the number of available spaces at 109 Washington St. from 125 to 140.

Young said the space is already there to add the parking and all he needed was the town’s approval.

“I’m not clearing anything and I’m not doing anything,” Young said.

Board of Selectmen Seeks a Note Taker

The town of Foxborough, specifically the Board of Selectmen, is looking to hire a note taker to record meeting minutes.

“We are looking for a secretary who can take notes for us every other Tuesday,” said selectman Lynda Walsh. “If there are folks out there looking for work [let us know].”

Foxborough Town Manager Kevin Paicos added that the only significant requirement of the position is strong writing skills.

“Could be a stay at home person,” Paicos said. “They just need to attend the meetings and take the minutes.”

While the town has not posted the advertisement yet, those interested are welcome to apply immediately or seek more information at Town Hall.

“If there’s someone who’s interested, send a letter of interest with a resume to the town and don’t wait for the ad,” Paicos said.

BOS Chair Discloses Statement Regarding Possible Conflict of Interest

Board of Selectmen chair James DeVellis went on public record Tuesday to disclose his statement regarding possible conflict of interest – two weeks after Walsh did the same thing regarding her involvement with several organizations in town and her new role with the public advisory committee that openly meets with the Kraft Organization on a weekly basis.

DeVellis disclosed he heads a local non-profit organization called “TurfsUp” that solicits donation in the form of the money and services to build a community artificial field for the town.

“As this is a community outreach effort, this organization has received donations in the form of money and services from many businesses and residents in the town,” DeVellis said. “All are publically detailed for everyone to see since the very first day. The Kraft organization has made donations over the past several years in the form of grants, tickets to raffle and the use of their facility for an event. I have filled out the Disclosure Statement in the past, have done it again recently as well as publically put this topic on the Board of Selectmen agenda immediately when elected for the sole purpose of disclosing to the town and board as well as ask if anyone had objections. I am doing this again to be in conformance with the state regulations as they require me to do so.”

Executive Session Postponed to Aug. 28

Per request of Board of Selectmen vice chair Mark Sullivan, the board postponed its scheduled executive session related to negotiations with union and non-union personnel to Tuesday Aug. 28 because a recording secretary wasn’t present.

The board had used a tape recorder for note keeping during the public portion of Tuesday’s meeting.

Sullivan said he wasn’t comfortable with the executive session being recorded or a public official at the table recording the meeting’s minutes.

“This [tape recorder] is not a legal device for executive session,” Sullivan said.

Paicos agreed with Sullivan, saying he didn’t think the session should be recorded and offered to record the meeting minutes but Sullivan said he preferred to have an “independent party other than a board member or town official” record the minutes.

The board agreed and rescheduled the executive session.

Selectmen Approve …

The Board of Selectmen approved the following action items at Tuesday’s meeting:

• Board of Selectmen meeting minutes from July 24
• Perpetual right and easement grant to Massachusetts Electric for the right to install, construct, reconstruct, repair, replace, add to, maintain and operate an “underground electric distribution system” on a parcel of land situated on the westerly side of Cannon Forge Drive.
• Paicos’ goals and objectives, which he will be evaluated on at the end of the fiscal year. The town manager has 20 goals and objectives, amended from 21 after the selectmen voted to remove a goal that says Paicos is responsible for making sure events at Gillette Stadium are not rushed for approval at Town Hall without appropriate notification. The selectmen agreed that responsibility falls on the board. Paicos will provide the Board of Selectmen monthly status reports on his goals and objectives. To view the town manager’s FY13 goals and objectives,

Tuesday’s meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m.