Selectmen establish negotiating committee
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Northborough - Despite unanimously agreeing to its ultimate futility, the Board of Selectmen has assembled a negotiating committee that will represent the town in meetings involving the reimbursement allocation of state grant funds related to Algonquin Regional High School's addition and renovation project.

The dispute between Northborough and Southborough centers on whether the reimbursement should be split along the lines of the terms set forth in the Algonquin Regional School District's agreement or the guidelines set forth in Chapter 70B, the law that explains how to split state funding being allocated to towns.

Depending on which criteria is used, $1.5 million could be sent to one town or the other to pay down the debt incurred due to the project.

Northborough believes the Chapter 70B guidelines should be followed, which would send the additional funds there, while Southborough believes the school district agreement should be used, which would send the funds to them.

Both the Northborough and Southborough boards of selectmen were asked to develop negotiating committees by Northborough-Southborough Regional School Committee Chair Paul Gaff ney at a joint meeting of the three groups last month.

Northborough's negotiating committee will include a selectman, Financial Planning Committee member Jason Perreault, town Treasurer June Hubbard-Ward, Town Administrator Barry Brenner and a representative of the Appropriations Committee.

The Board of Selectmen compiled its negotiating committee at its Sept. 10 meeting.

Southborough, Brenner told the board, is looking at a three- or four-person negotiating committee that will include the town administrator, as well as a current and former member of the Board of Selectmen. Should Southborough decide on a fourth member, that person and their affiliation will be decided upon and announced at Southborough's Sept. 18 Board of Selectmen meeting.

Even though the Northborough Board of Selectmen followed through on Gaff ney's wishes, no member thinks it's going to result in an amicable solution to the dispute, or keep it from where they all believe its headed - litigation.

"They believe in their position and we believe in our position and I don't see either one changing," Selectman Jeff Amberson said. "It doesn't hurt to talk, but I don't see where this is going to lead."

Selectman Dawn Rand expressed concern that even if the two negotiating committees met and worked out an agreement that both sides agreed to she is unsure that the regional school committee can even choose to accept it.

"It's my understanding that the regional school committee has no choice but to decide between the two possible solutions currently before it - allocate the money based on the regional school agreement between the two towns, or allocate the money based on the guidelines set forth in Chapter 70B," Rand said.

Rand's colleagues, as well as Brenner, were also unsure if the regional school committee had the leeway to decide on a third allocation option.

Amberson believes the disagreement is ultimately going to end in the one place Gaff ney said he wants to avoid - in court.

"Whichever way the regional school committee decides, the other town is going to go to court over this because let's face it, $1.5 million is a lot of money," Amberson said.