WEST BOYLSTON – Work on Pride Park can start this week, but it’s tentative.
The DPW has gotten to the point and is dismantling material in order to prepare for later work in the park.
A design discussion meeting is tentatively scheduled for this week after the Pride Park ADA Update Advisory Committee meeting was canceled last week.
This created some problems when select members learned at the June 30 board meeting that the meeting may have been postponed to July 1 without any knowledge of some on the ADA committee overseeing the project.
Selectmen indicated that it needed to be made public, especially if a discussion and decision on the plan were being considered. Otherwise, it would violate the state’s Open Meeting Law.
DPW Director Gary Kellaher said he wanted to see the plans before work began, with the crews starting stripping the material.
He said he plans to discuss the plans at the July 1st meeting.
But local resident Rachael Brown noted that when plans are revised and decisions are made, it is necessary that meeting members be made aware.
And Selectman Kristina Pedone said if it wasn’t made public, the meeting couldn’t be held.
When Kellaher suggested that some members meet and decide, Selectmen chairman Chris Rucho reiterated that this should be made public.
Selectman Michael Kittredge said they could dig up material and then hold a formal meeting for design talks.
At the beginning of the meeting, Katie Denis had raised concerns about the committee and the movement.
“The clock is ticking,” she said, but added that the city should also encourage people to submit applications for appointment to the disability committee approved at the city council.
Selectmen later in the meeting said they planned to make appointments for their July 21st meeting.
Denis also said the board should still include a zoom component in its meetings so that more people can watch and possibly participate.
Denis said she started a survey but also noted that the city needs to conduct a government-mandated ADA self-assessment.
She said the headmaster said that if the park did not meet standards, “it would be closed to all students if it is not completed by September. So people are a little worried. “
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