Lincoln Lecture Series
Thursday, April 16th at 7:00 p.m.
Lincoln’s New England Connections with Dr. Thomas Turner
WHERE: Forbes House Museum / 215 Adams Street / Milton, MA 02186
phone/fax: 617-696-1815
NOTE: Limited space – advance reservations requested
Cost: Family-Level and above Members – FREE, Individual Membership and non-members $5. Free parking and light refreshments.
Despite several periods of confusion around process, policy and procedure, members of the planning board made their opposition to the Coffman Realty’s proposal to redevelop the Temple Shalom site clear.
Chariman Innes began by reviewing the process. The Planning Board in this case is restricted in its authority due to the fact that a 10 person citizens petition was filed. As a result, the article proposing the redevelopment is an article in the warrant that will go before Town Meeting. Town Meeting needs to, as Ms. Innes stated, “dispose” of it, which can occur in 4 ways: they can deny the article, pass the article, amend the article, or recommit the article to the planning board. The planning board can only issue a recommendation at this point as to the action Town Meeting should take.
After a brief citizens speak and arguments made both against (Ms. McEttrick) and for (Mr. Coffman and Mr. Corcoran), the members of the board spoke.
Pete Jackson spoke from prepared remarks. After expressing appreciatioin for and acknowledging the contributions of the Temple, he voiced his opposition to the plan for several reasons. Chief among them being “social equlaity” within the town. He could not see how the board could support this proposal in light of their decision to deny commercial development at the DPW yard which also received vocal neighborhood opposition.
Ed Duffy also voiced opposition to the proposal. He cited town regulations which stipulate that streets be 50 feet wide. he noted that many streets in the neighborhood are only 30 or 40 feet wide. While there isn’t really anything that can be done about that, but putting a commercial development in an area that is already out of compliance will only aggravate public safety concerns.
Nor could Mr Whiteside support the proposal. Consistent with statements he has made previously, the proposal lacks specificity and definition. “If we know what is going to happen, zoning can make it happen.” Due to lack of detail, the board does not know what is going to happen. He further pointed out that the developer was told the proposal was deficient and has done nothing to rectify that.
These comments were all made as part of open hearing. The board did not recess to deliberate at this time. Ms. Innes wants to clarify certain points of order with Town Counsel. She will do that prior to the next meeting scheduled for April 13th.
Mr. Corcoran in his remarks stated that the process, as it was being conducted, was the “equivalent of a no vote because we will run out of time.” He urged the committee to, “Take the time now to do your job.”
The Planning Board is meeting this evening, 3/31/2009, to resume deliberations on Temple Shalom’s proposal to redevelop their site.
According to the town web site, the meeting is scheduled for 7:00 PM this evening at the Council on Aging on Walnut Street.
The following presentation which were given to the Planning Board are now available online. (Please note, the second presentation is fairly large). Click on the title of the presentation to view it.
Paul Etkind, spokesperson for Temple Shalom – “Planning for the Life of a Community:Temple Shalom of Milton”
Ned Corcoran, Coffman Realty – “Blue Hill Avenue Institutional/Business Overlay District: Response to Questions before the Milton Planning Board Temple Shalom and Coffman Realty, Inc.”
Lastly, today (3/31/09) is the last day to complete the Planning Board’s survey. All Milton residents are encouraged to complete it. Let the Planning Board know what you think. Take the survey here.
Fox news broke a story late this morning: Currey College has suspended the lacrosse team after receiving reports of hazing. Following is a statement issued by Curry College. Click the title of this post to see the entire statement and the Fox news video of this development.
Statement issued by Curry College:
Curry College has suspended the remainder of the 2009 Men’s Lacrosse team season after an investigation into allegations of hazing behaviors among members of that team. Our college has extremely strong and clearly communicated anti-hazing policies consistent with the priority we place on creating a safe environment for all of our students and student athletes.
Upon being made aware of the allegations, the College took swift action to respond to this issue. This involved both launching our own internal investigation and reporting it to the Milton Police Department (as required by law).
A fund has been established at Citizens Bank in the sisters names; Bianca and Samantha. Donations can be made at any Citizens Branch.
A wake will be held on Friday from 6:00 – 9:00 PM at the Joseph Russo Funeral Home at 814 American Legion Highway.
Funeral Services will be on Saturday at 9:30 AM at the Jubilee Christian Church, 1500 Blue Hill Ave. in Mattapan.
In a statement to the community, the family said:
“We only ask that everyone continue to include us in their chain of prayers,” they said in the statement. “We are dealing with a tremendous amount of grief at this very difficult time and we will continue to need all of your support.”
from Patriot Ledger
School staff were prepared to offer grief counseling to students today at Milton High School and Tucker Elementary School after the gruesome murder Saturday of two children and the wounding of a third.
The violence brought the community together quickly Saturday night to plan how to cope with it and help the family. (read the full story here.)
The Boston Globe has a follow up article of the Revelus sisters:
“At 17, Samantha “Princess” Revelus was an honor roll student at Milton High School who had a quiet demeanor but expressed an inner strength through her poetry, and planned to attend the University of Massachusetts-Boston after graduating this year.”
(read the full story here.)
At this time last week we were attending the wake for Nicholas Burdett, son Dr. Noreen Diamond Burdett, Director of the Music Programs in the Milton Public Schools. Nicholas Burdett was 25 years old and had gone to Miami with his girlfriend to celebrate his birthday. He was shot and killed by an off duty police officer. The officer alleges that Mr. Burdett was attempting to rob him at knife point. It is very hard to understand.
Several hundred people attended the wake to demonstrate their love and support for the family. We are very sorry for Dr. Burdett, a woman who has given so much to so many, and her family.
The Planning Board held a meeting in which they heard Temple Shalom and Coffman Realty respond to the concerns voiced by citizens regarding the redevelopment of the Temple’s property. You can read the orginal post here. The Planning Board will be meeting this Tuesday to pick up the discussion of the issue. Regardless of how this ends, there will be a loss. In the minds of the neighbors they worry the character of their neighborhood will be lost if the proposal passes. If it fails to pass, the town will lose its only synagogue and a well regarded pre-school. As Mr. Mays, who spoke at an early “Citizens Speak” said, there will be change, “and no one is going to be happy.”
And then there was the tragic event that unfolded on Bevoir Street on Saturday. Kerby Revelus killed two of his sisters, Bianca, aged 5, and Samantha, aged 17. He was attacking his third sister, Saraphina, when the police broke into the apartment and shot him. They saved Saraphina’s life.
Frankly, there are no words to capture the pain, the heartbreak, and the loss experienced by the family, their friends, and the town.
But Milton is a strong community. Tomorrow the Milton School Administration is hosting a forum to discuss the loss and how to cope with it. The discussion will be at Milton High School, tomorrow night (3/30) @ 7:00pm.