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‘Progressive’ City Council abuses vulnerable persons—and free speech
This could be the big one
Central Plaza Lot
Which People's Republic?
Learning from the Goldschmidt Report: Land Reform and American Agriculture
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Magazine Beach—is this restoration, or development?
Several years ago a public meeting was held, or should I say staged, in the Auditorium at the Morse School, where we were informed of plans for the "restoration" of Magazine Beach.
These plans called for, among other things, fencing inside the open space for organized athletic fields, and plantings of woodland wildflowers, which the Friends Of Magazine Beach claimed—and they are incorrect—were "native" species.
Of those present who spoke, 95 percent opposed these plans. The architect was paid how many hundreds of thousands of taxpayers dollars for displaying photos of wildflowers? Because the "presenters" refused to listen to us, and barreled ahead without taking into consideration our concerns, I wrote up a petition opposing the fencing inside of the open great space in the area adjacent to the powerhouse.
A structure called a "magazine," or warehouse, was built there in 1630 to provide for the first military Captain we Cantabridgeans engaged to train our militia.
I tried to present this petition, signed by 100 neighbors in one hour standing in front of my house on Pearl Street, to Councilor Reeves during a meeting. He refused to accept it, stating that I would need 300 signatures.
After I sent this petition to Senator Travaglini's office, the state cut off the matching funds for this ill-informed and ill-advised development.
That was then and this is now. On December 1st, 2005, at the Dana Park Neighborhood Meeting at the Morse School, a representative from the State Department of Conservation and Recreation presented new plans for the "restoration" of Magazine beach. These plans are wholly different from what was presented previously.
When I asked who decided, and what selection process was used, the reply was "Huh?" I clarified, "When did you request proposals for this major restoration project, who selected the final proposal, when was the public comment period, and who selected the ‘winning’ proposal?"
The answer was: "We didn’t do that. We met, privately (secretly), in a self-selected group, and after we devised this plan, we presented it, and now, at this meeting, people were allowed to comment."
I ask you, is this restoration, or development?