Council approves Health Care Trust Fund transfer
By Sarah Freedman Contributing Writer

Marlborough - The Marlborough City Council voted Oct. 29 to approve a proposal to transfer $1 million from the Health Care Trust Fund to the Stabilization Fund.

Under the leadership of former Mayor William Mauro, funds were borrowed from the Stabilization Fund to cover the health care fund deficit in December 2003.

Approval of the transfer was discussed by the council's financial sub-committee in response to a Sept. 5 letter sent by Mayor Nancy Stevens.

The $1 million transfer is the second in a series of two transfers totaling $1.6 million to date. A balance of $2.2 million remains to be transferred to the Stabilization Fund. This balance is tentatively set be transferred by the end of 2008.

Another motion to accept a $10,000 gift from a private donor was passed by the council, with a small amendment by Councilor Paul Ferro. The funds will be put toward tree replacement.

In addition, the council approved the motion to "purchase all of the city's right, title and interest in a certain parcel of land abutting their property at 107 Phelps St." In a related matter, it approved a proposal to allow the city to maintain a sewer truck line in regard to a permanent sewer easement at said location on Phelps Street.

Public hearings set

In other business, two public hearings were set regarding the installation of NSTAR gas lines and a permit to modify a local wireless facility.

Scott Alexander, a company supervisor for NSTAR, and Joanne O'Leary, the community relations manager for NSTAR, spoke about the petition to install approximately 2,000 feet of a plastic gas main to improve the system for the Regency at Assabet Ridge Development off of Fitchburg and Crowley streets.

The matter was considered and referred to a public service sub-committee for further discussion.

NSTAR also submitted an application to relocate existing vaults on Maple Street with state-of-the-art equipment. The result would provide noninterruptible access to the Marlborough Fire Department's parking lot. A public hearing was set for Monday Nov. 5.

An application from Sprint Wireless Broadband Company LLC for a special permit to modify the facility at 75 Donald Lynch Boulevard was also discussed.

The application was referred to the wireless sub-committee and given a public hearing to take place Monday Dec. 3.

The meeting also included

formal ceremony in which Mayor Stevens presented six Japanese exchange students from Marlborough's "sister city" of Akiruno, Japan, with gifts. The students and their school officials gave a gift to each city councilor in return, as thanks for their warm welcome in Marlborough.