PALMER – The Palmer Town Council met to discuss a variety of agenda items including economic development and wastewater treatment plants on April 11.

To start the meeting, Conservation Agent Sarah Fortune spoke on the upcoming town-wide cleanup. The event will take place on April 23 at Laviolette Field from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Residents will be encouraged to do both a town-wide cleanup and a river cleanup.

“We’re trying to expand our cleanup efforts to tackle litter all across town,” said Fortune.

There will be a dumpster at Laviolette Field for participants to bring their trash back by 12 p.m. The rain date for the event will be April 30.

“We’re looking forward to getting out there and making both the town and our local rivers cleaner,” said Fortune.

Town Planner Linda Leduc then presented her Economic Development plan to the council. She showed the top 15 chronically vacant/underutilized commercial sites in the town.

She said that Palmer currently has 11 potentially developable commercial sites that are sitting vacant.

“I don’t see Palmer as having this expansive opportunity for commercial growth,” said Leduc.

She added that she has a hard time placing companies into properties that want to come to the town due to the buildings’ private ownership, lack of infrastructure and development costs.

Leduc then went through ideas and plans for how Palmer can become more economically viable. She said that the town can ensure proper infrastructure is in place for maximum development, ensure proper zoning is in place, consider amending town zoning in non-industrial zones, prepare a transit-oriented development to prepare for an East-West Commuter Rail stop and partner with the state in their various economic development incentive programs.

The Town Council decided that they will put together a Master Plan Committee to help work on these issues and make changes within the town. The committee is anticipated to have about five members.

During the meeting, a public hearing also took place. Many residents came out to discuss their thoughts on the potential of $5 million being approved for the purpose of paying costs for designing and reconstructing wastewater treatment plant roofs and centrifuges.

After a lengthy discussion, no loan was authorized.

The Town Council will now have to start over in the process of approving this plan. This will consist of another first reading, second reading and public hearing. It will begin again in either May or June, according to the council.

Those interested in viewing the Palmer Town Council meeting in its entirety are encouraged to visit the M-PAC-TV website.