Put in harm’s way – 747th MPs deploy to Iraq

Citizen Kane

SPRINGFIELD – Military deployments are so common in our wartime society that some citizens have developed a bit of tin ear when it comes to recognizing how incredibly brave these men and women are for leaving loved ones and careers behind, and how strong family and friends remain for enduring their long absences.
In the case of Ware’s own 747th Military Police Company – one of the oldest battalions in US Army history – that fateful day came Tuesday for 176 soldiers inside the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield.
For this writer and young father of two baby boys, the solemn moment hit hard after the ceremony when families and friends bid farewell on the stadium floor. A 30-something soldier was carrying his own toddler son tightly in his arms. His son had fallen asleep during the ceremony. The dad looked so very proud but also sad and nervous. He won’t see or feel his little boy or wife in person for 12 months. He could miss those first precious spoken words, success in potty training, and his first kick at a soccer ball. He will definitely miss his son’s next birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas at home.
All this, so he can serve his country in a yearlong mobilization order as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 747th’s activation is no mistake. A recent major policy change by President Barack Obama to withdraw American soldiers out of Iraq’s cities and major towns and supplant security in these areas with Iraq police and non-American security teams drive the MP’s core mission. According to Maj. Gen. Joseph Carter, who leads the Massachusetts National Guard Reserve, the unit will be responsible for training police departments throughout the province in their area of operations.
Ware resident 1st Sgt. Michael J. Domnarski leads the 747th MP Company.
“What we do is about leadership and fellowship,” said Lt. Col. Richard Johnson, who spent 18 years serving in this battalion. “The most basic tenet is to do the right thing. Leadership is not about the rank on your uniform.”
By a show of hands at the request of Johnson, at least half of the 747th MPs present Tuesday were deployed during 2002 and 2003 to Kabul, Afghanistan, where they provided security and assisted in training Afghan Army units.
More than 50 percent of the 176 soldiers leaving for pre-Iraq deployment training at Fort Dix in New Jersey on Wednesday, July 8 – a base made famous for training doughboys for duty in World War I in 1917 – live in Ware and surrounding towns, according to public affairs officer Maj. James J. Sahady Jr. We see them in plains clothes at the supermarket, bank and restaurant every day. They will be putting themselves in harm’s way in a few short weeks.
We wish them Godspeed, a safe and effective mission, and speedy return to American shores.
As Gen. Carter said to me after the procession, “this mission is about developing a repport with the Iraqi counterparts. It is the biggest first challenge for the troops.”
Developing a repport with our local men and women in uniform is our civic responsibility.

- Tim Kane is editor of the Ware River News and Quaboag Current.

Kanzaki responds to DEP demand

By Tim Kane
Staff Writer
tkane@turley.com

WARE – A firm hired by Kanzaki Specialty Papers, Inc. has found prior remedial activities at the company’s disposal site pose “no significant risk” in an audit assessment required by the state.
Pioneer Environmental Inc. issued the post audit completion statement and revised risk assessment on behalf of Kanzaki to Thomas Keefe of the state Department of Environmenta l P r o t e c t i o n ’ s (DEP) Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup on May 26, 2009.
The 26-page document that the original disposal site was created by Kanzaki’s predecessor, Ludlow Specialty Papers, which operated the business from the 1920s through the late 1980s. This risk assessment relates to a hazardous materials release discovered in March 2006, which was allegedly caused by a wastewater lagoon that ceased operation in the early 1980s.
In letters to both Ware Selectmen and Board of Health
dated June 5, Pioneer Environmental, Inc. President Peter J. Levesque wrote that remediation efforts at Kanzaki’s disposal site have found a “permanent solution” with “no significant risk posed.”
Peter Sawosik, Kanzaki’s vice notice of non-compliance from Eva V. Tor, deputy director of the DEP’s western regional office, on Feb. 24, 2009.
Tor said her department has determined that response actions at the site by Kanzaki were not performed in compliance with the requirements of the Massachusetts Contingency Plan. That declaration forced the company to conduct the risk characterization.
Specifically, the DEP stated that Hexavalent Chromium was detected at a concentration of 100 milligrams per kilogram in a soil sample collected from the disposal site on March 31, 2006.
However, the company’s previous risk characterization did not describe the extent of Hexavalent Chromium contamination in soil and groundwater at the disposal site, which can cause cancer in high exposure amounts.
“The source of the ‘brightly-colored,’ metals-contaminated soil was attributed to the operation of the former wastewater lagoon,” said Tor. “ The assessment and evaluation of the composition and nature of the metals release did not include elements known to have been associated with the operation of the former wastewater lagoon, specifically antimony, tin, and zinc. The disposal site must be evaluated for potential antimony, tin, and zinc contamination.”
In its findings released this month, Pioneer Environmental stated that 23 samples collected through excavation and groundwater monitoring determined that using an EPA testing method for all Chromium found the highest concentration well below maximum percentages allowed under state and federal standards.
Laurel Drive residents, who directly abut the company’s property, have been concerned for years with alleged strange illnesses occurring on the street, along with excessive noise from truck idling and flooding episodes. After the Ware Board of Health and Planning Board intervened last fall, Kanzaki completed erecting an 8-foot tall wooden fence along much of the property abutting the neighborhood where 25 homes exist. One neighbor two months ago told this newspaper that noise has diminished greatly as a result of the fencing.
Still, Deborah Gratton, spokeswoman for the concerned neighborhood group, remains skeptical of the new audit report and awaits DEP’s response to it.
“It has been a frustrating cycle and ride,” Gratton said on Tuesday. “DEP issued an audit on Kanzaki for the contamination found when they excavated before building that infiltration that broke and flooded our homes.”
She further alleged that DEP auditors have stated that they could see colored soils in residents’ pictures, indicating a “new incident,” meaning a hazardous material spill consistent with contamination. She also claims truck idling continues to be a problem.
Neighbors remain weary of the new report, given some feel contaminants have leeched away from the former wastewater lagoon into their own groundwater tables.
Last year’s flooded basements, which were caused by a Kanzaki subcontractor, was documented by environmental engineer Thomas Hogan III, an area firm vice president who lives on the street. He asked the planning board in a Sept. 30, 2008 letter to hire an outside consultant to take subsurface groundwater and soil samples to identify the extent of contaminants that may have migrated from the plant into the surrounding neighborhood after the flood.
The group claims that elevated concentrations of the chemical Toluene have been found in one of several DEP monitoring wells placed on and around the property. Inhalation of toluene is known to be intoxicating, but in larger doses nausea-inducing – similar to health complaints alleged by several neighbors, including Gratton’s mother.
“This subsurface stormwater system failure, combined with the previously known presence of subsurface contamination in the vicinity of the failed system, has caused neighborhood residents to be especially concerned for the safety of our families,” Hogan wrote.
Grattton said the group is beginning to line up lawyers in Boston.

Dinner to benefit Louis H. Healy, Jr. Scholarship Fund

By Melissa Fales
Turley Publications Reporter

WARE – The Beaver Lake Association is holding a roast beef dinner to benefit the Louis H. Healy, Jr. Scholarship Fund Saturday, June 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Senior Center. The association has been offering the scholarship to deserving Ware graduating seniors for over a decade, but this year it’s decided to offer two awards.
“We felt that in light of the increased costs these students will be facing at college, and with the economy in such rough shape, we’d like to give out two awards this year,” said Linda Bertrand, Scholarship Fund chairperson. “The proceeds from this dinner will allow us to do to that.”
Louis H. Healy, Jr. was a longtime resident of Beaver Lake and according to Beaver Lake Association Board of Directors member Bill Lak, one of its most influential.
“Lou really loved the lake and its peaceful qualities,” Lak said.
He said Healy got involved with the Board of Directors at a time of turmoil.
“He went in and just turned things around,” Lak said. “He got involved with many of the committees and made each one more efficient and more effective.”
During a time of friction between the Beaver Lake Community Corporation and Beaver Lake Inc., Lak said Healy was instrumental in bringing the two entities together.
“He knew that both groups wanted the same thing, the preservation of Beaver Lake,” he said. “So, he used this common ground to smooth out relations between them. In a short time, both groups were working together toward the betterment of the lake.”
Lak said Healy’s style of communication promoted unity.
“Lou believed that almost any problem could be solved by sitting down and talking things out,” Lak said. “He was inclusive and listened to all sides of a discussion to try to come to a decision that would be best for all.”
Lak said the current Board of Directors still tries to emulate Healy’s approach to communication. Lak said the Louis H. Healy, Jr. Scholarship was established in memory of all Healy did for Beaver Lake.
“He worked right up to the end, even when he was very sick,” Lak said.
The scholarship is open to any Ware graduating senior. Recipients do not need to be residents of Beaver Lake. The two scholarships offered this year are for $500 each.
At the fundraising dinner, in addition to the delicious food, the association will also be holding a raffle.
“We have tons of stuff to raffle off,” Bertrand said.
Some of the prizes available are gift certificates from Astronaut Pizza, Bruso Liquor Mart, Cluett’s and Teresa’s Restaurant. The raffle tickets are six for $5 and are available at the dinner.
Tickets for the dinner are $15 each. There are only 150 available and they will not be sold at the door. To make a donation to the Louis H. Healy, Jr. Scholarship Fund or to purchase tickets, call Judy at (413) 967-4207, Rose at (413) 967-0341 or Linda at (413) 277-0077. The deadline to purchase tickets for the dinner is Thursday, June 4.

House budget cut hits home

Citizen Kane

BOSTON – Baby Chris is working on his language development skills and getting stronger every day while Tim Jr. runs circles around him like other normal kids in our neighborhood.
There was a time when our two baby boys were not so fortunate. When Tim was born, four precious years ago, he had some muscular development issues. He couldn’t walk a step until he was almost two years old and struggled afterwards. This was not just a late bloomer thing. He had serious gross motor skill challenges.
We thought things would be different with our tiny bear, Chris, who will turn two next month. He can walk well now, but he still doesn’t speak a word – not even mommy or daddy. Like Tim, he suffers from a different kind of development delay. But he is making progress as did Junior during his ordeal.
My wife Danielle and I feel very lucky and blessed to have such a healthy family and private home life, so I usually refrain from discussing my personal life in print. However, budget news delivered through my wife yesterday compels me to write today.
The only reason – other than God hearing our prayers – that both boys are making progress is because of a state-funded program, titled “Early Intervention.” The state House Ways and Means Committee recently recommended a 31 percent cut to that program affecting at least 10,000 of the 30,000 enrolled babies and toddlers.
Incredibly talented and dedicated professionals come to our home weekly and work with Chris on language skills. They did the same for Timmy for more than a year. They don’t make much more than entry-level teachers, yet their dedication and professionalism is unsurpassed. This is not a program rife with fiscal abuse and hidden fat.
The sad news is there are thousands of children and parents in Massachusetts desperate for this service, who may not even receive a chance at consultation come July 1, 2009. A 31 percent budget cut to Early Intervention equates to a $10.3 million reduction in programming. The current budget is only $33 million, and, if slashed, would be the lowest funding level in more than 10 years – during a time when special needs children are on a sharp increase and many parents are out of work and cannot afford services on their own. Danielle and I certainly could not have funded Early Intervention on our salary and we are considered a modest middle class.
The other Early Intervention point to consider, other than to help our most delicate and needy baby citizens enjoy life later on, is it absolutely prevents children from entering public school special needs programs. If fewer children receive specialized help as babies and toddlers, SPED ranks will swell later on, only exacerbating public education costs, given how much SPED costs each school district in services and transportation.
One state senator recently told me, “we have no money” after I suggested a local tourism idea. Find the money senators and representatives, not for tourism, but for the sake of our children in need. The only way “we the people” can fight this devastating cut is by writing and emailing our local state representatives, and appeal to our state senators to not make the same mistake in their budget version.
There are scared parents – just like Danielle and I were – now feeling helpless that their children will not obtain critical intervention services so their babies have the same chance at healthy lives that we all did. The program is a miracle. Our two baby boys are a testament to that fact.

Tim Kane is executive editor of Turley Publications, publisher of 15 weekly newspapers reaching 120,000 readers in more than 65 Central Mass and Pioneer Valley towns.

Brewer: Casino vote could come this year

By Douglas Farmer
Staff Writer

MONSON — In a time when the state Legislature is desperate for money, the prospect of licensed resort casinos become all the more appealing, State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer (D-Barre) told the Western Mass. Casino Task Force last week. Therefore, he expects some form of casino legislation to be on the desk of Gov. Deval Patrick before the end of this year.
However, before it even gets to that point, he told task force members – officials attending represented the towns of Palmer, Monson, Brimfield, Belchertown, Wilbraham and Holland as well as the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) – that he would fight for a number of protective amendments to any such legislation to alleviate effects on the towns’ quality of life. And he encouraged area leaders and residents to communicate with their respective legislators about what their concerns were, from traffic to local aid.
“Don’t be shy when it comes to letting us know how you feel,” he said. “There really isn’t any bill that’s out there now that will be the final product, in my opinion. No one really knows what’s going to happen.
“But that’s when we should be weighing in on this – when it’s still soft clay to be formed.”
Officials on the task force, the Palmer Citizens Casino Impact Study Committee that cited expanded infrastructure, public safety and counseling needs in its recent report on casinos, and numerous other boards in the region followed closely a proposal by Patrick last year to establish a statewide gaming authority to license three destination casinos – one on the north shore, one on the south shore and one in western Massachusetts – though the bill was effectively killed in committee. One major change from last year in this year’s legislative cycle, however, is that while former House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi was an outspoken opponent of such facilities, current Speaker Robert DeLeo has indicated his support for casino gaming at racetracks and slot machines.
Brewer noted that simply because much publicity has centered around the proposal by Mohegan Sun to construct a resort casino, hotel, events center and retail shops on 150 acres they have leased from Northeast Realty adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike Exit 8 in Palmer, that was not the only plan in the works. He pointed to 300 acres owned by the Mass Turnpike Authority in Warren that has been cited by some as a potential casino site.
“To me, it seems like it’s the plan below the radar screen you have to worry about,” he said.
Brewer addressed the task force gathering held at the Town Office Building in Monson April 22.
Prior to the discussion with Brewer, former Monson Selectman Kathleen Norbut related a meeting she and others had in recent weeks with state Sen. Stanley Rosenberg (D-Amherst), who has been labeled as a key liaison on the issue of casinos by Senate President Therese Murray. She said that while Timothy Brennan, executive director of the PVPC, had envisioned a feasibility study for each site prior to any legislative approval, Rosenberg said local research would be imbedded within any proposed bill language.
“While he said the governor’s proposal had the highest level of mitigation of any such legislation, we expressed our concern that there was a lack of accounting of employees that would end up on the state health insurance rolls or the rights given to host communities,” she said. “And we had some discussion of the economic downturn, and what protections would be afforded to towns if they built up their infrastructure but the casinos didn’t provide the revenue they were expecting.”
Both Norbut and Brennan said last week that in their communication with officials in Connecticut in towns near the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos, that those south of the state line had expressed regret to not include the region in negotiations prior to their construction.
Along those lines, Belchertown Selectman Michael Reardon said he was hopeful there would be substantial local authority granted in any legislation, and not simply have proposals subject to the whims of a coterie of state-appointed figures. And Holland Planning Board Chair Lynn Arnold said that it wasn’t just a question of local control, but local understanding of the significance of proposals based on the unique characteristics of the region.
“Holland is such a little town, and we can’t support a local workforce and our school system can’t take much more, either,” she said. “It’s not just the host or abutting towns that will be affected.”
And both Norbut and Palmer Town Council Vice President Paul Burns said they had concerns about how the presence of a casino (and the theoretical revenues to the state one could generate) would affect the state formula for local aid. In any case, Brewer said that projections he had seen indicated the state lottery upon which municipalities depend for allocations of aid would be diminished for several years should casinos be established.
“We have a lot of people looking at these questions, including the two planning agencies of the PVPC and the Central Mass Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC),” he said. “With everything that’s on the table and the attention given to it, this casino issue reminds me of siting a nuclear power plant.”

Goodwill to close April 18

By Melissa Fales
Turley Publications Reporter

WARE – Another storefront on Main Street will soon be vacant. The Goodwill Store, a staple in the Bijou building at the corner of North Street, is closing after close to 20 years of operation.
“I feel extremely bad about closing the store,” said Julie Gornell, retail vice president for Goodwill Industries of the Springfield/Hartford area, “but I can’t continue to run a store that’s not making money.”
Gornell said the lack of parking for the store’s customers has been a constant problem.
“That store always relied a lot on foot traffic,” she said.
She said the store was severely affected by the Nov. 2008 fire at the Main Street branch of Country Bank.
“Once the bank closed down after that fire, the foot traffic for the store just wasn’t there,” Gornell said. “The sales were down quite a bit from what we saw the previous year.”
Gornell said she’s aware of the recession and people’s need for reasonably-priced clothing and other items. However, she said even with the downturn in the economy the store was not turning a profit. “We have a bottom line, like everyone else,” Gornell said. “The bottom line is that the sales were not making it.”
Gornell hopes that many of the clientele from the Ware store will visit the Palmer store, located on Thorndike Street.
“We feel that with the Palmer store only nine miles away, we will still be able to serve the Ware community,” she said.
She pointed out that none of the Ware store employees were losing their jobs. When the decision was made to close the store, Rhea Lord had already given her notice. Lord agreed to stay on to help out until the store closed. Store Manager Patricia Johnson will be shifting to the Palmer location, where she will be responsible for sorting through donations to decide what gets put out on the racks.
“With Pat in that role, I can guarantee that the quality of the merchandise at the Palmer store will be impeccable,” Gornell said.
Customers browsing through the store’s dwindling merchandise during the 50 percent off closing sale said they were dismayed to lose a favorite place to shop.
“I wish who’s ever in charge would change their mind about this place,” said Allison Kwasniewski of Ware, who said she’s been shopping at the store for at least 20 years. Living just two blocks away, she said it was extremely convenient for her to shop on Main Street, but she hopes to visit the Palmer store occasionally.
Melanie Pariseau of Ware said she was surprised the Goodwill Store would close in this economic climate.
“I didn’t believe it when I heard it,” she said.
Pariseau said she would especially miss the employees and volunteers at the store who dedicated their service. Patti Russell of West Warren was also disappointed about the store closing.
“It’s been so convenient to have this store here,” she said, adding that she has two young boys who go through their clothes quickly. “I work in town so I would stop by after work, pick up something for the boys, and maybe get something for me, too. I guess I took it for granted that it would be here, because it’s been here forever.”

Local Route 9 road resurfacing plan gets green light from stimulus funds

BOSTON – As part of Gov. Deval Patrick’s Massachusetts Recovery Plan to secure the state’s economic future, the Patrick Administration and local legislators today announced this week that a Route 9 resurfacing project was advertised for bid on Saturday as one of the “shovel-ready” transportation projects using federal highway stimulus funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The $5 million project involves resurfacing of three sections of Route 9 in Belchertown and Ware, a total of 14.3 miles.
Massachusetts has received the authority from the federal government to spend a total of $437.9 million on highway projects through the federal recovery law. At least $153.2 million will be committed to “shovel-ready” projects that will be advertised by June 27, 2009.
“Funds from the President’s recovery bill come to us at a critical moment, and we are well prepared to put these funds to work,” said Governor Patrick. “Thanks to a careful review process, we will soon have shovels in the ground on necessary road and bridge projects throughout the Commonwealth and start to put people back to work.”
Congressman John Olver stated, “For far too long, we have underinvested in our aging transportation infrastructure. The stimulus funds provide us with the ability to finally address necessary improvement projects while putting local people to work in these difficult economic times.”
“These road improvements are crucial because Route 9 is a major east and westbound connector in Massachusetts that creates commerce throughout the entire region,” said Senator Stephen Brewer. “Not only does Route 9 serve as an important part of the Commonwealth’s infrastructure, it is also the main access route to and from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.”
Senator Gale Candaras notes: “This project represents an important step forward in both addressing critical transportation infrastructure needs as well as investing in the region.”
“This section of Route 9 is an increasingly important resource for economic vitality and quality of life in the Quabbin region, especially in the growing community of Belchertown,” stated Representative Stephen Kulik. “The resurfacing will improve public safety, enhance efforts to grow jobs, strengthen our recreational tourism economy, and is an excellent investment of federal stimulus funds. “
“I am pleased to see that the Federal Recovery Funds are in place, and as intended, able to stimulate the job market in Belchertown,” stated Representative Thomas M. Petrolati. “This project has always been a priority to the legislature relative to public safety, and I am pleased to be joining my colleagues along with the Governor in making this announcement today.”
“I am pleased to see stimulus money coming into the district,” stated Representative Gobi. “The funds are critical to improving the safety of our roadways for all.”
“This is great news,” said Representative Todd Smola. “The quicker these projects get the green light, the quicker we’re able to get people in our community back to work.”
Federal recovery transportation projects are selected from the State Transportation Improvement Plan, which is comprised of projects submitted by the state’s 13 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) following a collaborative public review process including the public and dozens of state, regional, and local officials.
“The Route 9 project was one of many identified by our partners at the federal, state, regional and local level that address important basic road maintenance needs,” said Transportation Secretary James Aloisi, Jr. “These job creating projects, which get underway in the spring, will help jumpstart the economy and make our roads safer.”
“The Executive Office of Transportation and MassHighway have identified several important projects that can move forward immediately thanks to these recovery funds,” said Governor Patrick’s Director of Infrastructure Investment Jeffrey Simon. “Federal stimulus funds allow us to accelerate road and bridge maintenance projects while creating and maintaining jobs.”
Federal officials have also announced an additional $319 million in recovery funds for transit projects at the Regional Transit Authorities and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
Federal recovery funds enhance the Patrick-Murray Administration’s two-year effort to address a legacy of neglect inherited and a $15-$19 billion maintenance backlog. The Administration working with the Legislature has approved more than $9 billion for road, bridge and transit projects through Transportation Bond bills and an historic eight-year Accelerated Bridge Repair Program.

Sale of Casino Theater more than fiction

By Melissa Fales
Turley Publications Reporter

WARE – The marquee of the Casino Theater has been dark for about a decade, but if local theater historian Fred McLennan has his way, there are brighter days ahead for this historic building.
“We are finalizing an agreement to take over the theatre,” McLennan said, adding that it’s possible that the doors could open again at the end of this year. He thinks that it would be especially meaningful to open a revamped, reopened building during 2009, the building’s 100th anniversary.
A licensed radio and TV engineer by trade, McLennan is the real deal, a movie theater buff with other renovated theatres under his belt. He was involved with the restoration of Boston’s Orpheum Theatre and the Metropolitan Theatre, which is now the Wang Center. He also worked on restoring the Strand Theatre in Dorchester and another historic movie house on Martha’s Vineyard.
McLennan called the Casino “charming” and finds the structure appealing for several reasons.
“It’s very interesting architecturally,” he said. “It’s a very handsome building.”
He thinks its location at 121 Main St. is ideal.
“It’s at ground zero,” he said. “It’s right in front of you when you are driving on Route 32, and it’s right next to you when you travel on Route 9.”
McLennan currently lives in Holyoke, but has spent lots of time in Ware recently, delving into the history of the Casino and its hometown. If the sale does go through, he plans to move to Ware.
According to McLennan, the film industry continues to thrive despite our nations’ sagging economy. He pointed out that people flocked to the movies during the Great Depression to enjoy the escapism films can provide.
“It’s an event to go to the movies,” he said. “It’s not a passive, couch potato activity.”
McLennan mentioned a major renovation to the theater in the late 1980s when current owners, the Goldstein family, spent over $300,000 to including install a new projection booth and modern seating. He believes that a renovated, reopened Casino Theatre would provide a well-needed boost to Ware’s Main Street.
“It’s all about believing in downtown,” McLennan said. “It’s about making it a fun destination.”
He thinks local residents would respond to a mix of children’s and adult movies. According to McLennan, the last movie shown at the Casino, “Titanic,” played to a sold out crowd. He said the Goldsteins closed all the movie theaters they owned under their Western Mass. Theaters chain at the same time, a time when they had to compete with larger movie chains for first-run movies. “Now everyone gets the same movies at the same time,” said McLennan. “That makes all the difference.”
“Now everyone gets the same movies at the same time,” said McLennan. “That makes all the difference.”
McLennan said his interactions with Goldstein family have been positive.
“They want to see the Casino come to life again,” McLennan said. “They are doing what they can to make this happen. If everything goes as planned, if we are successful with our negotiations, we should be putting some marquee letters up this year.”
Community Development Executive Director Paul E. Hills is encouraged by McLennan’s interest in renovating the empty building.
“The Casino Theater is one of the properties that was identified as being worthy of preservation during our recent Heritage Inventory Landscape process,” Hills said. “I certainly hope that the potential buyer’s plans for the redevelopment of the property come to fruition.”
Acknowledging concerns about the condition of building, including some drainage problems, McLennan said, “Of course, it has to be squeaky-clean safe.”
He downplays the significance of a prominent bulge on the side of the building facing Veteran’s Park.
“The façade you see today is attached to the earlier wooden structure,” he said. “The exterior stucco wall was put on top of modern foam insulation.”
McLennan believes the bulge shows where the stucco layer has become separated from the insulation, not a structural defect. Right now, Ware Building Inspector Michael Agnew can’t say whether or not the building is structurally sound, but he isn’t taking any chances with public safety.
“We won’t know the condition of the building for sure until we get inside,” he said, adding that he is working on getting an administrative warrant to go inside the building with a safety committee to evaluate the structure.
“Once we have a chance to assess the situation and the condition of the Casino, then we’ll make a decision based on safety and what is in the best interest of the people of Ware,” Agnew said.
Town Manager Steven C. Boudreau said a survey committee, comprised of Fire Chief Thomas W. Coulombe, Building Inspector Michael Agnew, Board of Health members, among others, as well as a structural engineer and an architect will be evaluating the structural integrity and safety of the building April 7 under the terms of an administrative warrant.
Right now, Agnew can’t say whether or not the building is structurally sound, but he doesn’t want to take any chances with public safety. “We won’t know the condition of the building for sure until we get inside,” he said. “Once we have a chance to assess the situation and the condition of the Casino, then we’ll make a decision based on safety and what is in the best interest of the people of Ware.”

Board makes post-Boudreau plans

By Melissa Fales
Turley Publications Reporter

WARE – While amidst preparations for the Annual Town Meeting Monday, May 11, selectmen are now faced with finding a replacement for Town Manager Steven C. Boudreau.
The board voted 4 to 1 not to renew Boudreau’s contract at their March 17 meeting. Selectman Richard Norton cast the lone dissenting vote against the motion made by Matta and seconded by Vice Chairwoman Melissa D. Weise.
Regarding the board’s decision not to extend Boudreau’s contract, Matta said afterward, “We have to do what we feel is in the best interest of the town.” Following the board’s vote, Boudreau said “I am disappointed that I did not get renewed.”
Among the items listed on the agenda for the board’s March 24 meeting were “discussion/vote relative to hiring process” and “discussion/vote relative to interim town manager.” Boudreau commented on these items and told the board there was no rush to fill his position. “I am obligated personally, professionally, ethically and contractually to be the town manager until June 30,” he said, adding that he planned to stay on for the rest of his contracted term, “unless I win the lottery or get a better deal somewhere else.”
He said if he did receive another job offer, he would give the town a full 30-days notice. Matta said the discussion about finding a suitable interim town manager is necessary because the position is unlikely to be filled before Boudreau’s exit on June 30.
During an earlier interview, Boudreau said there was still a lot of work to be done on the budget and that he planned to make good use of the time he had left in Ware. “I can’t just sit and watch the clock run out,” he said.
The agenda for the March 24 meeting also listed “discussion/vote relative to appointment of John Desmond, replacing Town Manager Steven Boudreau, as liaison for contract negotiations.” Boudreau questioned whether that was appropriate, pointing out that the charter specifically names contract negotiations as one of the town manager’s responsibilities.
Boudreau became Ware’s first town manager under the charter, which was adopted by voters in April 2007. He was originally hired as the town’s administrator in November 2006.
The board went into executive session to discuss its strategy as to the hiring process for Boudreau’s replacement. Matta had previously stated that in his opinion, the board of selectmen could find a suitable replacement for Boudreau on their own without forming a search committee. Selectwoman Catherine R. Buelow-Cascio said she disagreed with Matta on that point. During the “Meet the Candidates” forum held by Ware Community Television on March 23, Buelow-Cascio said she thought the search process would be an intense, time consuming project and that the selectmen had a lot of work on their collective plate already.
The board also discussed how to best present the budget to the voters at the upcoming Annual Town Meeting in order to be consistent, clear, and helpful. They will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, April 8 at 7 p.m. with the Finance Committee, town manager, town accountant, municipal finance director and town moderator, in order to get input on how the budget should be designed.

Form casino could take up for discussion

By Douglas Farmer
Staff Writer

PALMER — Even as the Citizens Casino Impact Study Committee is readying its final report on potential impacts of a resort casino on the community to the Palmer Town Council, the ultimate form gaming in the state could take has shifted with the political tug-of-war in Boston.
The possibility of casinos at racetracks and slot machine parlors at different sites are competing for political and financial attention with the resort model.
Representatives of Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority (the governing body of the Mohegan Sun casino adjacent to Uncasville, Conn.) signed what was in effect a 99-year lease last fall on 150 acres of land owned by Northeast Realty Associates, across from the Massachusetts Turnpike entrance on Route 32 in Palmer. They did so with the expectation that some version of Gov. Deval Patrick’s bill to establish a licensing process for three destination casinos on the north shore, south shore and in western Massachusetts – a proposal that died in committee last year – would be signed into law during the current legislative cycle.
Paul Brody, the vice president of development for Mohegan, said he expects a lease will be signed for a storefront in downtown Palmer by next month that will serve as a clearinghouse for public, media and government questions related to employment opportunities and design of the site, that they currently envision as a casino with restaurants, retail shops, a 4,500-seat events center and a 600-room hotel providing jobs for 3,200 to 3,400 people. Renderings will be available for those interested, he said.
“It’s too soon to tell what’s going to come out of the Legislature but we think our model will be an element of it,” Brody said.
‘Mohegan has the capital’
While he acknowledged the international economic downturn has affected the casino industry – Mohegan Sun halted plans for additional hotel space in Connecticut last year and several casino operators have filed for bankruptcy nationwide – he said the corporation definitely has the capital to move forward with its Palmer concept.
In response to the legislation that Patrick filed in 2007, the Palmer Town Council appointed a committee of residents to analyze the financial, social, cultural and physical effects of a casino in the town. Subcommittees have been working on reports on impacts related to housing, education and infrastructure, among others. The Town Council has asked Gerald Chudy, chairman of the committee, to appear before them in April.
Last summer, a random telephone survey of 485 Palmer residents done by the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Center For Policy Analysis indicated respondents favored a casino in town by 55 percent to 25 percent, with the remainder undecided. Clyde Barrow, the director of the center, noted that these results cut across all sorts of boundaries including gender, age and income, though those of higher education and income were less likely to be enthusiastic. The survey was financed by Northeast Realty, though results do mirror that of a non-binding referendum in town conducted in the late 1990s.
Regionally, town officials have gathered in the Western Massachusetts Casino Task Force in recent months, drafting a letter to then-House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi last year urging further study of ramifications for host and abutting communities where casinos are concerned. And the anti-casino group Quaboag Valley Against Casinos (which originated in Monson but has expanded to include other towns) has not only lent support to political candidates but is planning a letter to Palmer abutters of the Northeast Realty property and a traffic simulation to show what a large number of cars to and from the casino could mean to the area.
A horse race for casinos
But even as casino backers have seen renewed hope with the abrupt departure of DiMasi and the ascension of new Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop), an advocate for gaming in Massachusetts, the picture has become hazy when it comes the structure and location of such facilities. DeLeo himself has been an advocate of establishing casinos at racetracks, welcome news to people like Gary Piontkowski, president of Plainridge Racecourse in Plainville, as well as those in western Massachusetts who care for and race horses in various states.
“In today’s age, there are a great many more slot players than casino gamblers and in the places that I race horses, the slots have been a boon and supply the cash for improved racing,” said Paul McHugh of Ware, who cares for and transports horses to Plainridge and other locations throughout the northeast. “Gary has been a great ambassador for the industry, which not only affects those at the track, but those who care for horses, grow hay and provide other services.”
That was a sentiment shared by others, like Nancy Schechterle of Wilbraham, who currently has four horses that she is either bringing to trotting competitions currently or plans to in the near future, traveling to tracks in places like Yonkers, N.Y. She said the influx of money that would come from some form of gambling at trackside would allow for increase purses for winners.
“I know how some people feel that it’s cruel but I can tell you, being down there with the horses with the trainers and drivers on the paddock, they love it,” she said.
And Robert Kenney of Belchertown, who sold a horse farm a few years ago, noted that while full-fledged casinos could take years to materialize, they could open at racetracks in a matter of months.
“In places like Plainridge and Suffolk Downs [in East Boston], the environmental studies have already been done and there is already security and a staff that is used to handling money,” he said.
Piontkowski has said he is not opposed to a casino in Palmer or anywhere else, but that racetracks made financial sense as the starting point for their development. While resort casinos are very expensive to create (Mohegan plans to invest around $1.1 billion in Palmer, should the Legislature allow it), Plainridge is eyeing a $100 to $125 million expansion with a 52,000 square foot building allowing for room for 300 video slots and many more machines.
Piontkowski and Brody have pointed to different studies in support of their positions. The former has referred to one done by Jefferies & Company, Inc. in February that smaller scale regional operations with fewer financial demands for taxes and capital have done better than destination resorts have, while the latter pointed to a report from Linwood, N.J.-based Spectrum Gaming Group commissioned by Patrick last year that said the state could collect between $500 and $700 million of the $1.1 billion spent in Connecticut and Rhode Island by residents of the state, should the governor’s concept move forward. It also pondered more unpredictable social implications of a casino, such as gambling addiction, drunk driving and an increase in traffic.
Uncertain political result for casinos
State Rep. Todd Smola (R-Palmer) has said with the budget crisis producing a considerable cloud over the work of the Legislature in recent weeks, he was uncertain the route the casino debate would take in the near future. However, he acknowledged that DiMasi’s departure presented a very significant shift in the political winds on the issue of casinos and gambling.
He said he was not in favor of giving racetracks preference, though he has also been careful not to say how he feels about casinos in general. He has always spoken publicly about the need for education on the issue, at both the state and local level.
“The racing industry has been on the decline and why should we go out of our way to support it,” he asked. “The way I see it, put licenses on the market to the highest bidder, if we’re going to have them.”
Add to that the political debate in the Legislature that has revolved around a preliminary proposal by state Treasurer Timothy Cahill to allow for the creation and licensing of three smaller scale operations and 9,000 total slot machines in the state along with the privatization of the state lottery (which he said would raise hundreds of millions in revenue), and one has about as clear a picture of what reality will look like in the end as that of a first-time gambler stepping to the card table for the first time.
Palmer Town Councilor Paul Burns, a member of the Western Massachusetts Casino Task Force, said this week he is troubled by the specter of Cahill’s proposal, because although it would presumably not put quite as much stress on local infrastructure as would a full-scale casino, it would also not create the same windfall of revenue from an operator. And he also pointed to discussions that began last fall surrounding hundreds of acres in Warren currently owned by the Massachusetts Turnpike that could be open for discussion when it came to the placement of a casino. In a somewhat perplexing move, when advocating for a casino in western Massachusetts in the contest of his broader proposal, Patrick included Worcester as part of “western Massachusetts.”
“I think something is going to happen it could be soon, and we may not have the luxury of time to respond to it,” Burns said. “At the council level, we haven’t made any decisions, but we may have to change somewhat the charge we gave to the Citizen Casino Impact Study Committee. With all the talk about it, and the condition the state is in from a financial point of view, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see another casino bill being debated this summer.”