By K.B. Sherman, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – Thirteen applicants for Junk Dealers” licenses appeared before the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen at its regularly scheduled meeting Nov. 12. The hearing was to determine the suitability of the applicants to do business at the New Bond Flea Market, 420 Boston Turnpike. The market will do business on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The following people appeared before the board to sell a variety of items: Jane Robinson – clothing; Genhow Ha – furniture; Hui Chang Tai – collectibles and furniture; Bao C. Lin – used electrical appliances; Zhou Zhendong – used TVs; Joseph Farrell of Renaissance Restorations – antiques and collectibles; Suzanne N. King – new and used jewelry, coins, and precious metals; David Mason of Welch House Gems – Jewelry, precious stones, and estate sales; Cindy Kurtzhals – rustic tools and miscellaneous; Zachary Gikas – used furniture, toys, and “country items;” Mark Thibeault – miscellaneous, collectibles, and “junk;” Jeffrey Harrinston – furniture, phonograph records, antiques, and collectibles; and Jennifer Landry – clothing and accessories.
No one present offered any objections to the license requests although several of the applicants did have questions for Town Manager Daniel Morgado regarding the intricacies of licensing and paying taxes. Flea market merchants fall under the definition of Junk Dealers under Massachusetts law. There is a fee of $100 to apply for a license and an annual $100 tax to exercise the license.
Vendors seeking to sell jewelry and related items fall under a new law passed by Shrewsbury in 2012 aimed at combating a growing problem of criminals selling stolen jewelry (Shrewsbury Selectmen approve plan to curb thefts – http://communityadvocate.com/2013/04/11/shrewsbury-selectmen-approve-plan-to-curb-thefts/).
In other business, the board announced that the lease for securing use of the Glavin Land for the town was ready to be signed. The parcel, on Lake Street, is being leased to Shrewsbury for one dollar after the proposal to save the land for town use had been run through the state legislature and signed by the governor. Under the lease, the use of the land must be limited to agriculture and recreation.
“This is a wonderful win for the town,” said Morgado. Added Selectman James Kane, “Many good people helped in this effort – totally professional work.”
In 2012, Town Meeting members authorized the Board of Selectmen to lease two parcels of land at the Glavin Center for $2 a year for up to 25 years for the benefit of the Shrewsbury Youth Soccer Organization and for a local farming operation.
The state had previously announced that the Glavin Center for people with developmental disabilities would close in the face of financial problems.