The Tax Possession Sale Committee was missing one of its three voting members on Thursday night and decided to hold the Vose parcel vote until their next meeting in July. 

As soon as the meeting began, members Bill Harman and Darrin Wizst stated that they would wait for missing member Ernie Hyde to be present before taking a vote. This did not stop the forward motion on the parcel, however. 

The neighbors’ group, led by Wade Ripley of Acton Road, presented a memorandum of understanding to the committee. The memorandum laid out the agreement and the deed restriction details starting with the assumption that the TPSC will transfer the Vose parcel to the Conservation Commission. 

In the agreement, the Conservation Commission will hold ownership of the parcel and a private, third-party group will own the deed restriction. This frees up the Conservation Commission from having to oversee and enforce the restrictions on the property.  

Chris Barrett from the Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail was in attendance and was in agreement with the memorandum. 

Wizst advised the neighbors to forward the memo to the Conservation Commission and ask that it be discussed at their next meeting. Once the Conservation Commission reviews the memo, the TPSC will incorporate their edits into a Request for Proposal for the deed restriction. 

TPSC members will coordinate their schedules for the next meeting so that they are all present. Assistant Town Manager, John Mangiaratti, will work with the committee on the procurement process and the wording of the deed restriction.  

Once the details are agreed to, the TPSC will convey the parcel to the Conservation Commission who will add the conveyance to the town meeting warrant for October 15. 

In the meantime, a RFP will be posted soliciting proposals for a qualified private  organization to become the custodian of the deed restriction. The neighbors’ group stated at the meeting that they are forming a non-profit trust and will respond to the RFP so that they can hold the restriction. 

Included in the deed restriction are no motor vehicles on the parcel, no parking areas, structures, lighting, or signs except those restricting parking.