The Past Speaks.

• Position: Coulter

25 years ago

Sept, 21, 1989

Among the 140 new United States citizens sworn in as part of a ceremony in Worcester was 5-year-old Christopher Manion, a three-year resident of West Boylston and son of Ron and Kathy Manion.

A week after Boylston selectmen fulfilled town-meeting approved negotiations with Digital Equipment Corp. regarding the right to build a large-scale center in town, the Conservation Commission asked "why are we here?'' during a meeting with the company. The commission, which had earlier denied the company a chance to start work, citing the proximity of wells in the area, ultimately agreed to a site review. Days later, company representatives told selectmen, while Boylston was the preferred home for its education center, it was looking at other places to build in case things did not work out here.

The expansion of Christ Lutheran Church in West Boylston was well under way, 18 months after the growing congregation started fundraising. In addition to an expanded worship area, work included a new heating system, a meeting room and off-street parking for 40 cars.

Boylston's town counsel informed selectmen that the people would have to settle the disagreement between the board and the opposition group to the Digital project, the Concerned Citizens of Boylston. A town meeting article, the result of a citizens' petition, had to be included on the warrant, Counsel Gregory Angelini advised.

The Boylston Playground Committee and Adult Fitness Trail Committee were addressing residents' questions, specifically, why was the playground being built at the school? The short answer: "That's where the kids are.'' By building at the school, which itself needed new equipment, the project "would kill two birds with one stone'' and be open to the public during non-school hours.

20 years ago

Sept. 22, 1994

The proposal to change West Boylston's government was in. The Town Reorganization Committee proposed a strong town-administrator form of government. The administrator would be hired by the Board of Selectmen, and assume its powers to hire department heads. Selectmen would switch from CEOs to policy makers.

While the state had yet to confirm an amount, Boylston selectmen scheduled a November special town meeting to accept a town-requested waiver from the Department of Revenue. The waiver would allow the town to spend below the state-mandated minimum on schools. The town had spent almost $450,000 in one-time funds on the current school budget and...