PHILLIPSTON – At its meeting on Monday, Jan. 13, the Community Preservation Community denied its support to three of six applications it received.

One of the denials was for a request for between $250,000 and $750,000 to acquire, rehabilitate or renovate the Bates Powers Dam.

The Town of Athol, the owner of the property, has given Phillipston officials until June’s Annual Town Meeting to decide whether or not to purchase the dam and rehabilitate it for recreational and other purposes. This would require the approval of Town Meeting voters.

The application states that the acquisition “is to preserve a historic dam and to place a conservation restriction upon it so that it may (be) a passive recreation asset.”

CPC secretary Linda Alger quickly offered a motion that the committee turn down the application. It was seconded by committee member Tim Haley. CPC member John Telepciak suggested if any money were to be committed it be to assess or inspect the dam to see if renovations would be worthwhile.

Phillipston Finance Committee member Ruth French said that Telepciak and Tom Specht, also a member of the CPC, should refrain from voting – or even discussing – the potential purchase of the dam because both have property adjacent to it. Alger said French was correct in her interpretation of the state’s statute regarding conflict of interest.

Town Clerk Karin Foley told the committee that she has received a number of calls from residents regarding the purchase.

“They come by and they also call me, and they’re all very much not in favor of the town buying this liability of the dam,” Folet said. “It’s something future generations are going to have to take care of years from now.

“I can tell that this is not going to pass at Town Meeting. Even if you approve this application and put it on the warrant, there is no way this is going to pass at Town Meeting. I’m not trying to tell (the committee) not to vote for it, I’m just telling you what I’m hearing from people. They don’t feel it’s a benefit to the town; that it’s a total liability.”

To bolster the reasoning behind her motion, Alger asked, “Why should the CPC put forth funds when the ultimate use is in doubt? In other words, why put that money into an evaluation of the dam if it’s not going to happen anyway?”

She then asked if Athol might donate the land to Mass Wildlife or to Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust “or some other wildlife-oriented non-profit.”

Mass Wildlife has made the removal of aging dams one of its priorities in an effort to restore fish and other wildlife habitat, increase biodiversity, improve water quality and promote climate resiliency. In December 2023, Gov. Maura Healey announced the state would spend $25 million to remove eight aging dams in central and western Massachusetts, including the Thousand Acre Reservoir Dam in Athol.

An engineering firm informed Athol officials that removal of the Bates Dam would cost an estimated $1.7 million, but Assistant DPW Director Paul Raskevitz has said that cost would likely be borne by the state.

The CPC ultimately voted 3-0, with two abstentions, to turn down the request for funds for the dam.

“Since Athol gave (Phillipston) until our Town Meeting to make a decision, I’m going to see if there’s any other way to get the funding through grants,” Selectboard member Nicole Gough told the Athol Daily News via email.

Other grant requests denied by the committee included $480,000 to purchase property currently owned by local resident Tim Leslie. The application, submitted on the part of the Selectboard, said the land would be used for “elderly and disabled housing, a senior center, etc.”

CPC Chair Peter Travisano said he had spoken with Community Preservation Coalition Executive Director Stuart Saginor, who advised him the town should have an affordable housing plan developed, as well as a committee to work on the issue, before an application for funds to purchase the property be made.

The committee also voted down an application by the Narragansett Regional School District for nearly $272,000 to reclaim a former leach field area for use as a women’s softball facility, with additional practice fields for school teams and residents. Phillipston’s CPC would cover a percentage of the cost since the land is in Templeton, with that town’s Community Preservation Committee providing the remainder. Debate over the proposal was relatively short, with most in attendance doubting its potential benefits to Phillipston.

Projects that were approved included $160,000 to rehabilitate the gymnasium at the former Phillipston Memorial Elementary School; $30,000 to restore windows on the western side of Phillipston Congregational Church; and, $50,000 to undertake repairs and restoration of the foundation at the Free Public Library, as well as work on its floor framing and make roof repairs.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.