C'mon Out and Help Fight Closure of Granby 1000 yd Range - Appeal Hearing Oct 23rd

Keep a very close eye on them.
This isn't a new tactic and i've delt with it before.
Slip it in at another meeting with little or no notice after a few delays to cut down on opposition attendance.
It wouldn't hurt to send them a copy of the state's open meeting regulations.
Never underestimate the slime factor on some of these town boards and then add the anti factor into it.
Sounds like you guys put them on notice this won't be a walkover.
 
Senior center was packed- standing room only. Seating for about 85 people was full and I'd guess another 20 or more standing. Nice turnout for what must usually be a very small group.

All I know is that the information turned over by the club's lawyer is of course very beneficial to the club and that the club seems either OK or at least not surprised with the continuance. All the club regulars I had met were extremely appreciative of the support, and the numbers must make quite an impression on the ZBA. It did seem that the opposing lawyer and his clients were not happy with the outcome.

Did not see sketchy flip phone guy. Maybe we need a sketchy flip phone guy parking lot detail next time?

Before the meeting I met some very nice people there to support the club. Locals as well as some folks like me who had a bit of a drive had arrived early. Paper City Firearms was there, as well as a guy who works at S&W. Met an ol' Airborne guy who drove up from CT. Didn't meet anyone from Savage, but a couple guys mentioned how strongly Savage supports the local clubs. Great to see how cohesive our community can be. Positive vibe similar to the State House rally but on a smaller scale, of course.

[thumbsup] for all who made the trek.
 
Keep a very close eye on them.
This isn't a new tactic and i've delt with it before.
Slip it in at another meeting with little or no notice after a few delays to cut down on opposition attendance.
It wouldn't hurt to send them a copy of the state's open meeting regulations.
Never underestimate the slime factor on some of these town boards and then add the anti factor into it.
Sounds like you guys put them on notice this won't be a walkover.

No, you have it all wrong.
 
Keep a very close eye on them.
This isn't a new tactic and i've delt with it before.
Slip it in at another meeting with little or no notice after a few delays to cut down on opposition attendance.
It wouldn't hurt to send them a copy of the state's open meeting regulations.
Never underestimate the slime factor on some of these town boards and then add the anti factor into it.
Sounds like you guys put them on notice this won't be a walkover.

That would be my suspicion, as well.
 
Yup, a good turnout. I've got an hour each way and I know a person that took the time to drive out from Boston so a couple of hours each way. Although I'm disappointed that it was postponed I plan on attending whenever it is held again and my offer to take from 1-3 people more still stands.
 
Re: last minute postponement

This is sometimes the reality of dealing with town bodies. MA's "Open Meeting Law" makes it illegal for (a majority of) members of a town board to discuss anything offline. So even if the town had received the letter weeks ago, the members could not have discussed it nor made a decision to postpone the public discussion until the meeting went into session.

All meetings require a 48-hour posting, not counting weekends, so it also should not be "slipped in" to a meeting in the future unannounced. A meeting occurring Monday night would require public posting by Thursday night.
 
Id like to know if the letter was received in advance or at the beginning of the meeting. Very pleased with the turnout and thanks to Granby cop that helped with traffic and crossing 202. I would like to know who the gent wandering the parking lot with the flip phone was. Especially when he walked within a couple feet of my bumper and snapped a pic. Seemed sketchy but I have been called paranoid before.

My sense of paranoia makes me suggest strongly that you make a formal "complaint" to the Granby Police that "someone" appeared to be photographing license plates. Put them on notice that we take our security and right to peacefully assemble seriously.
 
How do you know and how can you be sure he has it all wrong?

10/23/17 Granby ZBA Appeal Hearing Update: We first want to thank everyone who supported us tonight. We know many of you drove long hours to be here. Unfortunately at the beginning of the meeting the ZBA announced that they were going to postpone the hearing because they needed to review a document presented by our attorneys this evening before they could hear the appeal. The document was presented as a courtesy and as a reference to the ZBA. The testimony and arguments that would have been offered this evening included the content of the document. We will let you know when the next appeal hearing date is announced. Thank you again for your support.
 
We should have an official NES tailgate before the next one. [smile]

Don't we need a large body of water in the vicinity for anything like this?

10/23/17 Granby ZBA Appeal Hearing Update: We first want to thank everyone who supported us tonight. We know many of you drove long hours to be here. Unfortunately at the beginning of the meeting the ZBA announced that they were going to postpone the hearing because they needed to review a document presented by our attorneys this evening before they could hear the appeal. The document was presented as a courtesy and as a reference to the ZBA. The testimony and arguments that would have been offered this evening included the content of the document. We will let you know when the next appeal hearing date is announced. Thank you again for your support.

The other thing to watch out for is tagging this onto another contentious debate. Next thing you know it's gone from a huge turnout in favor of the range to a huge turn out against smoke-a-dopes head shop in the news.
 
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"The document was presented as a courtesy and as a reference to the ZBA. The testimony and arguments that would have been offered this evening included the content of the document."

Probably best to have waited until the session actually got underway?

Not that would have stopped them from a reschedule since one person on the board seemed particularly peeved about having a room full of people. Or, maybe he's always like that (public official and all).



 
good to see some friends in the crowd tonight. hopefully we get as good of a turn out for the rescheduled meeting. let's keep up the good work. gotta spread our message far and wide.

don't like if someone was taking license plate pictures but idk, didn't personally witness said event.

as noted above, parking is limited on the actual grounds but near enough to walk, thanks to SHPD for directing traffic.
 
10/23/17 Granby ZBA Appeal Hearing Update: We first want to thank everyone who supported us tonight. We know many of you drove long hours to be here. Unfortunately at the beginning of the meeting the ZBA announced that they were going to postpone the hearing because they needed to review a document presented by our attorneys this evening before they could hear the appeal. The document was presented as a courtesy and as a reference to the ZBA. The testimony and arguments that would have been offered this evening included the content of the document. We will let you know when the next appeal hearing date is announced. Thank you again for your support.

Yes, I was there 2 rows back from the front on the right side. This is what happened this time.I believe Dadstoys statement was not about this meeting necessarily but about keeping our eyes open to the possibility of such things happening. Also Granby's lawyer tried to articulate why the meeting could continue even though the board had been presented with new information but the board didn't want to consider it and went ahead with the postponement.
 
Keep a very close eye on them.
This isn't a new tactic and i've delt with it before.
Slip it in at another meeting with little or no notice after a few delays to cut down on opposition attendance.
It wouldn't hurt to send them a copy of the state's open meeting regulations.
Never underestimate the slime factor on some of these town boards and then add the anti factor into it.
Sounds like you guys put them on notice this won't be a walkover.

Re: last minute postponement

This is sometimes the reality of dealing with town bodies. MA's "Open Meeting Law" makes it illegal for (a majority of) members of a town board to discuss anything offline. So even if the town had received the letter weeks ago, the members could not have discussed it nor made a decision to postpone the public discussion until the meeting went into session.

All meetings require a 48-hour posting, not counting weekends, so it also should not be "slipped in" to a meeting in the future unannounced. A meeting occurring Monday night would require public posting by Thursday night.

Even if the meeting night has 2 or more topics, the topics MUST be listed on the agenda posted not less than 48 hrs prior to the meeting (only business days count). And meetings can be legally postponed prior to the meeting. The committee I'm currently on does this with some frequency as some of our meetings were based on an outside person meeting with us and if they get called out of town, our chairman has postponed the meeting until another date.

ZBA postponements are SOP no matter what the topic is. And based on my >25 yrs as a town official attending many ZBA meetings, they do get pissed at having the public show up, they do their best work in the dark (not kidding) and by making shit up to put in approvals that are not in accordance with best practices or any law.


10/23/17 Granby ZBA Appeal Hearing Update: We first want to thank everyone who supported us tonight. We know many of you drove long hours to be here. Unfortunately at the beginning of the meeting the ZBA announced that they were going to postpone the hearing because they needed to review a document presented by our attorneys this evening before they could hear the appeal. The document was presented as a courtesy and as a reference to the ZBA. The testimony and arguments that would have been offered this evening included the content of the document. We will let you know when the next appeal hearing date is announced. Thank you again for your support.

By handing in the info at the beginning of the meeting, sadly this is a perfectly legitimate reason to postpone the hearing. Too bad for those that traveled there. All you can hope for is that it doesn't happen often.
 

Quote Originally Posted by josh2600 View Post
10/23/17 Granby ZBA Appeal Hearing Update: We first want to thank everyone who supported us tonight. We know many of you drove long hours to be here. Unfortunately at the beginning of the meeting the ZBA announced that they were going to postpone the hearing because they needed to review a document presented by our attorneys this evening before they could hear the appeal. The document was presented as a courtesy and as a reference to the ZBA. The testimony and arguments that would have been offered this evening included the content of the document. We will let you know when the next appeal hearing date is announced. Thank you again for your support.

This was my answer to Josh which was his reply to me when I asked free basically the same question as you did.
Yes, I was there 2 rows back from the front on the right side. This is what happened this time.I believe Dadstoys statement was not about this meeting necessarily but about keeping our eyes open to the possibility of such things happening. Also Granby's lawyer tried to articulate why the meeting could continue even though the board had been presented with new information but the board didn't want to consider it and went ahead with the postponement.
 
Quote Originally Posted by josh2600 View Post
10/23/17 Granby ZBA Appeal Hearing Update: We first want to thank everyone who supported us tonight. We know many of you drove long hours to be here. Unfortunately at the beginning of the meeting the ZBA announced that they were going to postpone the hearing because they needed to review a document presented by our attorneys this evening before they could hear the appeal. The document was presented as a courtesy and as a reference to the ZBA. The testimony and arguments that would have been offered this evening included the content of the document. We will let you know when the next appeal hearing date is announced. Thank you again for your support.

This was my answer to Josh which was his reply to me when I asked free basically the same question as you did.
Yes, I was there 2 rows back from the front on the right side. This is what happened this time.I believe Dadstoys statement was not about this meeting necessarily but about keeping our eyes open to the possibility of such things happening. Also Granby's lawyer tried to articulate why the meeting could continue even though the board had been presented with new information but the board didn't want to consider it and went ahead with the postponement.

Yes that's what I ment.
This postponement may have been legit , but as it appears the board my have a less than pure agenda on this matter, be very very alert to shennagans .
As someone who's been in a ten year battle with a less than honest to put it mildly, board , take nothing for granted.
In a matter like this where there is a lot at stake, I would recommend someone sit in on every board meeting whether the clubs business is on the agenda or not till this gets resolved.
 
Was the fire chief there? I wonder if he recommended a postponement as well so they can have it in a larger venue such as the high school which would have a higher capacity. I tried to make it up there from RI however I got jammed up last minute.
 
Was the fire chief there? I wonder if he recommended a postponement as well so they can have it in a larger venue such as the high school which would have a higher capacity. I tried to make it up there from RI however I got jammed up last minute.

Not as far as I know. It was stated by a board member and seconded by a boaard member to postpone due to the new paperwork that was introduced so that they would have a chance to look at it.
 
Was the fire chief there? I wonder if he recommended a postponement as well so they can have it in a larger venue such as the high school which would have a higher capacity. I tried to make it up there from RI however I got jammed up last minute.

There was no discussion of crowd issues. Though many were standing, the room did not appear to be over its capacity. As Wahsben mentions, it was the new documents that prompted the reschedule so that they could be reviewed. No idea what was the content, but club leadership seemed quite calm regarding the situation. My casual observation of the folks leading the fight is that they have their act together.

Appreciate everyone keeping this thread on the high road.
 
The Granby ZBA has scheduled a new date for our appeal hearing. November 20, 2017. Apparently the board is VERY busy and this was the earliest they could get us in . Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. Thank you for your support!
 
The Granby ZBA has scheduled a new date for our appeal hearing. November 20, 2017. Apparently the board is VERY busy and this was the earliest they could get us in . Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. Thank you for your support!

thanks for the heads up. i'm coming from amherst for support.
 
The Granby ZBA has scheduled a new date for our appeal hearing. November 20, 2017. Apparently the board is VERY busy and this was the earliest they could get us in ��. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. Thank you for your support!

I will do my best to be there.
 
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