Framingham Board approves Village Hall accessibility funding, sets May 4 special town meeting

FRAMINGHAM -- April 18, 2017, Framingham Board of Selectmen reorganizes and advances key transition decisions at a sweeping April 18 session. The board unanimously re-elected Chair Cheryl Tully Stoll, Vice Chair Charlie Sisitsky, and Clerk Lori Lee, then voted 4-0 to support a revised capital plan prioritizing the Saxonville Fire Station and a $2.2 million accessibility overhaul of Village Hall, a project that Disability Commission Chair Nancy Dempsey and others said had been deferred for 15 years despite ADA liability risk. Town Counsel Christopher Petrini outlined the charter transition framework governing all board action through December 31, 2017, under Article 10 Section 7A, which requires that decisions be "essential and necessary" and not "contrary to the charter," and told selectmen they are the "sole gatekeeper" over special town meetings, which must involve matters "not admitting of delay." The board closed the warrant for a May 4 special town meeting covering four articles, including a citizen's petition for Village Hall capital funding and a transfer development rights bylaw cleanup. On licensing, Salem Street Motors won approval for a no-cars-on-premises Class 2 dealer license with revocation conditions, while the Framingham Motors application was tabled 3-0 with one abstention after co-owner William Calderon was unable to describe basic vehicle identification record-keeping requirements.