WESTBOROUGH – Jim Robbins is coming back – temporarily.
During its meeting on April 4, the Planning Board voted to appoint Robbins as temporary town planner, effective Tuesday, April 18.
The town has been searching for a permanent replacement for Robbins, who retired on March 31.
The appointment will be for “no longer than two months,” said board Chairman Mark Silverberg.
Should the search take longer, Silverberg said a meeting could be scheduled for a possible extension.
Boroughs Islamic Center update
During the board’s continuance of a public hearing with the Boroughs Islamic Society, traffic became the main topic of discussion.
The Islamic center, currently at 182 Turnpike Road, is in the process of converting a former daycare at 6 Bellows Road. At a previous public hearing, the center said in order to have enough parking, it had arranged to use some of the parking lot behind the post office.
During the continuance, members of the society’s board of directors, including President Mynuddin Syed, said they have contacted the owners of the office park at 110 Turnpike to use some of its parking lot.
That brought up the issue of traffic, especially where Bellows meets East Main Street.
“The intersection is already overstrained,” said Silverberg. “We need to find a solution.”
The board discussed several options, including having a police detail at East Main Street after services.
When asked whether the society could contribute toward a traffic study, Syed said the center “operates on a shoestring budget.” He added that such a potential financial burden could slow or halt the project.
The board decided to ask the Westborough Police Department about the traffic and to continue the public hearing to April 25.
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