Data on Devens possibilities
The selectmen voted unanimously to send a letter to state and local officials notifying them of the board’s recent decisions and statements to seek “retention of Harvard’s historical lands” and oppose the “creation of a new municipality on Devens.” The letter also asks for assistance in collecting data to be used in an analysis of the effects Harvard’s retention and administration of its Devens land might have on the town, surrounding towns, and the region. The selectmen will send the letter to the governor, the secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, the president of MassDevelopment, Senator Pam Resor, and Representatives Jamie Eldridge and Robert Hargraves.
Hearing on Arndt retrievers
The board scheduled a hearing for June 19 at 8:30 p.m. in response to two reports from Animal Control Officer Paul Willard that golden retrievers owned by Tania Arndt of Glenview Drive have been “unrestrained.” According to Valeska Ross of the selectmen’s office, this would be a violation of a November 2004 restraint order that resulted from neighbors’ complaints about the dogs often being off Arndt’s property in the neighborhood and on nearby trails.
Ezekiel Fitzpatrick Flaton Day
The selectmen signed a proclamation declaring June 5, 2007, to be Ezekiel Fitzpatrick Flaton Day in recognition of his achieving the highest Boy Scout rank, Eagle. Zeke lives on Warren Avenue, graduated from Bromfield with the class of 2007, and plans to attend MIT in the fall.
Request for 40B moratorium
In a unanimous vote, the selectmen agreed to join Walpole selectmen in requesting legislation that would immediately suspend “that part of the law that allows for unfriendly 40B applications.” Local initiatives under the state’s Chapter 40B would not be affected by the proposed legislation. Walpole’s request to its legislators recommends that the “time created under this moratorium be utilized by local and state leaders to come together to dissect Chapter 40B” to identify and fix “problems that we deal with year in and year out” and create new legislation that will fulfill the “true original intention of providing affordable housing to the citizens of the Commonwealth.”
Walpole’s selectmen also requested that Harvard’s board notify its legislators “asking them to sign on” and informing them of the board’s vote so that they can record “the many communities who share” their concerns.
