Posted by Ed on December 28, 2007, 1:57 pm
24.34.144.49
Here is an interesting read. Can anyone answer these questions;
What issue in the town of Billerica that has been on the front page
throughout the year which is interestingly left out of this story?
Why?
Where did the reporter come from?
What is his interest in the Town of Billerica?
What happened to the Town Board Meetings that where listed every week
on page two for years, which informed concerned citizens of when and
where they would be able to voice their concerns?
Is the Town of Billerica just going to end-up on a resume as he and
many others leave the Taxpaying citizens to deal with the
consequences, which are left behind?
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Developments, elections and lawsuits, oh my!
By Staff Writer/Max Bowen
Wed Dec 26, 2007, 12:57 PM EST
Billerica, Mass. - In 2007 every aspect of the town came under
scrutiny, from how the Billerica Mall should look, to how the police
conduct their affairs, to who would represent the town in the State
House. Debates were harsh and tempers at time thin, as people took
sides in these contentious and highly-charged issues.
Police charged with civil rights violations
This year the Kennedy family was awarded $424,000 in their lawsuit
against the town and the police department, alleging violations of
civil rights and failure to properly supervise the officers.
On Dec. 10, U.S. District judge Patti Saris issued a judgment
supporting two jury verdicts in which it was decided police had in
fact violated the rights of the Kennedy family when they physically
assaulted Brian Kennedy and his sons in 2004.
The family also made claims of false arrests and unwarranted traffic
stops that allegedly took place after Michelle Kennedy, the wife of
Brian, rebuffed the romantic advances of Billerica Police Officer
Frank MacKenzie in 1991.
Juries in April and October found in favor of the family, awarding
them $630,000 in damages, which Saris reduced to the proper amount
allowed under the law.
Leonard Kesten, attorney for the town and police department has vowed
to appeal the decision, and is confidant the courts will find in
their favor this time. The process can take a year to complete, and
Kesten believes evidence not heard during the trials will sway the
decision to the town's favor.
Andrew Fischer, counsel for the Kennedy family, hopes recent turn in
the case this can mark the end of this difficult chapter and allow
the family to move on.
Havern steps down, Marzilli steps up
In August, Robert Havern brought a 21-year career in politics to an
end when he announced his resignation, citing a new job opportunity
with ML Strategies, the consulting affiliate of Mintz Levin Cohn
Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, P.C, as the president of its Massachusetts
Government Relations Practice.
Havern, represented Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Lexington and
Woburn, as State Representative following his election in 1987 moving
up to the Senate in 1991 where he served as senator for the Fourth
Middlesex District. He was chairman of the Transportation Committee
for 12 years and was assistant majority whip for the past five years.
Havern helped put together the plan for Anderson Station in Woburn -
part of the Lowell-Boston commuter rail line -- while he was chairman
of the Transportation Committee. He said the most difficult time as a
legislator came just after he was first elected in 1987. The budget
was $14 billion and the state had a billion dollar deficit, a huge
issue at the time.
Candidates from every corner made a grab for the seat, and though the
special election for a new senator was short, it was never boring, as
candidates pulled out all the stops campaigning and debating.
In the end, it came down to three men: Brion Cangiamila, a former
selectman of Billerica, local business owner Thomas Fallon, and James
Marzilli, State Representative for the 23rd Middlesex House district.
In one of the last debates before the election on Dec. 11, the three
went head-to-head on matters of taxes, local aid and restructuring
the government to a more efficient operating body.
As the polls came to a close, Marzilli was held a strong lead over
the other candidates, with 6,030 residents of the 4th Middlesex
District calling for the Arlington resident to take the seat.
Cangiamila came in with over half as many votes, and Fallon came in a
distant third.
Another special election will be held in 2008, this time to fill
Marzilli's seat.
Home Depot makes second run for Billerica Mall
Just what will be done with the Billerica Mall is a very good
question, but the residents seem united in their answer: not Home
Depot.
Despite the lack of public support, the proponents of the hardware
giant spent much of 2007 making a new pitch, this time a smaller
building, with space set aside for other retail stores and more open
space. In 2006 the plan showed signs of being denied, leading
proponents to withdraw without prejudice.
In October the Board of Appeals recommended approval of the plan,
with some changes to the signage, lighting and buffer zones.
Residents remained united in their displeasure with the business, and
packed meetings of the planning board to speak against it.
But before the planning board could take a look at the new plan,
member Robert Casey was called to task at an Oct. 22 meeting over his
involvement with Billerica First, an organization of residents
opposed to the plan. For a year Casey worked with the group as their
chairman and spokesperson, but had ceased to be a member after his
election to the board. He promised he would treat the Home Depot plan
with fairness.
Attorney Stephen Lentine, representing the developers FB Billerica
Realty Investors LLC, filed a complaint with the state Ethics
Commission. He argued Casey had a conflict of interest and should not
participate in the hearings. The committee eventually voted to take
no further action on the matter, claiming Casey faced no conflict,
and had met state regulations when he disclosed his involvement with
Billerica First.
At a meeting of the planning board on Dec. 10 the board spent almost
three hours hearing from proponents. Motions were made to conduct an
architectural study and an economic impact study, but only the former
was approved.
Lentine argued that these studies, which were to be done at the
expense of the proponents, went beyond the scope of the review
criteria, and stated further that the results could not be used as a
basis for a decision.
No decision was made on the plan, and residents can expect many
meetings before the issue of Home Depot is resolved once and for all.
Billerica Television turns 20
For the past two decaes Billerica Access Television has been the
source for local programming, from the wildly popular "Billerica Teen
Idol," to "Bernie Hoar Live," which has graced the airwaves for the
last 10 years. A long-time presence in town, Hoar, uses his program
to showcase local public figures, such as former District Attorney
Martha Coakley and state Rep. William Green, D-Billerica.
In March, the station celebrated its 20th year on the air. Samuel
Schauerman, executive director of BATV since 1995, said a point of
pride was the locally-produced shows. Residents take on the role of
producers to learn the ins and out of making their own programs.
Along with the local shows, the police and school system continue to
use the government and school channels to post breaking news.
The station is located on 430 Boston Road, in the town center.
The station showcases programming on three channels: public
programming channel 8, educational channel 10 and government channel
22.
In next week's installment of Year In Review, the Billerica Minuteman
will look at the power plant, the vote of the police union, the
million-dollar renovation of the Boys and Girls Club, and other
headline-making events of 2007.
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