Councilor Matthew Lovell said the council's main goal should be to support the town manager in his goals. "If he succeeds, then the town succeeds," Lovell said.
PALMER — How to bring more businesses into town, tap unused recreation land and improve sidewalks were some of issues town councilors discussed at their meeting Monday night.
District 4 Town Councilor Donald Blais Jr. said he wants to see more businesses, as he said he has noticed new businesses moving into other towns, and not Palmer. Blais said he would also like to see sidewalks improved.
"There are a lot of things we could do, but haven't been able to do because we've been too caught up in the casino," Blais said.
Mohegan Sun of Connecticut is one of two announced companies interested in the lone Western Massachusetts casino license. Mohegan wants to build a resort casino off Thorndike Street (Route 32). The other company is Ameristar Casinos of Las Vegas, which bought land in Springfield for a resort casino.
Council Vice President Barbara A. Barry said small businesses have moved into town, and said she thought it was wrong for the council to give the impression that nothing good is happening in town of Palmer.
Blais also criticized the appearance of the former Three Rivers Grammar School, and questioned who would want to move into Three Rivers after seeing it.
Barry noted that the Board of Health has taken the school owners to court to get them to fix it up.
"The town of Palmer is a good town," Barry said. "I think we have made a lot of progress in the past year."
Council President Philip J. Hebert asked about utilizing the beach at Forest Lake, and Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard said he would research its ownership.
Six years ago, then-town manager Richard L. Fitzgerald had a plan to redevelop Forest Lake, which once was a destination with a merry-go-round and roller skating rink. Its purchase would have been funded by the Community Preservation Act surcharge, something voters shot down.
At-large Councilor Jason Polonsky suggested a "restaurant week" to promote the good food in Palmer. Blanchard said communities that feature restaurant weeks generally have a tourist association or chamber of commerce organizing them.
Councilor Matthew J. Lovell said the council's main goal should be to support the town manager in his goals.
"If he succeeds, then the town succeeds," Lovell said.
Councilors also brought up other issues of concern, including Monson Developmental Center, which has phased out most operations, but once employed numerous Palmer residents; civil service, as the police chief had discussed possibly withdrawing from the system; the economic development position, which the charter requires but was not funded due to budgetary constraints; and the Palmer Redevelopment Authority, which has not met regularly in some time.
Hebert said he felt anything casino-related should go to the town manager.
"I don't feel I'm the point man for the casino," Hebert said.
The past council president, Paul E. Burns, was a vocal casino advocate.