Foxborough Selectmen: Town Manager Did His Job

Though there was no new vote, the Board of Selectmen’s decision last week to not support any zoning changes to allow gambling in Foxborough played a big role at Tuesday night’s meeting.

The board to not move forward with any plans to accommodate Foxborough for casinos, specifically, changing Foxborough’s zoning laws for casino gaming. Town manager Kevin Paicos brought the motion forward, saying that the town had been approached by several developers in the wake of the Gambling Bill unveiled at Beacon Hill this August.

The move irked many Foxborough citizens. Though they fall on both sides of the proposal, several citizens believed the measure was rushed and that they were not given ample notification of the discussion.

“I’ve received a lot of calls this week about last week’s vote,” said Selectman Lynda Walsh.

Many of the Selectmen nodded in agreement. One resident, a contractor, said during citizen’s input, “This change could bring hundreds of long-lasting jobs to Foxborough, and I would have liked to have been here for the discussion.”

After citizens input, Walsh asked Paicos to explain the timing of the vote for the record. Chairman Lawrence Harrington interjected, stating that although he’d allow Paicos to answer the question, that's as far as he would go. 

“We didn’t put time in the agenda to discuss last week’s issue any further than we already have,” he said.

As Harrington explained, the motion was put on the Sept. 6 agenda in order to “fit into a window” with the state.  Had the selectmen approved the measure, they would have had a bigger voice in the discussion on Beacon Hill. 

“Paicos has taken a lot of undeserved heat,” said Harrington.  “He was just doing his job.” 

Selectman Mark Sullivan agreed.

“I thought you did a great job. You were just looking out for the best interests of the town,” he said.

According to the Sun Chronicle, Harrington switched his course recently, believing that the board did in fact move too quickly to deny placing a zoning change on a special town meeting warrant this fall and before the voters.

Selectman Lynda Walsh commented by email to Patch on the Board's Sept. 6 gaming vote and agreed with Harrington that the meeting should have been publicized more in order to hear both sides. 

"I had received several phone calls from folks concerned that they didn't know the issue was going to be brought up and motioned during last Tuesday's meeting," she said. "I agree with Larry (Harrington) that perhaps we should have publicized it more in order to be able to hear both sides."

Walsh added that she would need "more information and guarantees" before she would change her original vote against supporting zoning changes that could pave the way for gambling in Foxboro. 

"My only concern is that adding something like this could change the way of life we Foxboro residents live our lives or jeopardize the character of our home town of Foxboro," she noted.

Citizens can reopen the discussion on gambling by putting a "gambling article" on the town warrant, which would require a petition signed by 100 registered Foxboro voters.