Calendar: Vote Today

Don’t forget to vote today. The polls are at Nashoba Regional High School auditorium and are open from noon until 8:00 pm. today, Monday November 21.

If voters approve the debt exclusion for purchase of the Smith property, there would be an opportunity to consider the purchase article again at a future town meeting without needing to have an additional ballot vote.  Whichever side of the issue you are on, this is an important vote.

Town Meeting today!

Florence Sawyer School, 7 p.m.  Come early for best parking and seating.

Information Forum Video Available Online Now

The Information Forum on the Smith property article for the Special Town Meeting that was held on October 26 is now available for online viewing. Click here to watch. Fast forward or reverse by dragging the little hash mark on the progress bar at the bottom of the video window to the point that you would like. Some highlights:

• Overview starts at 18 minute point.
• Contamination discussion starts at 32 minute point.
• Financial discussion starts at 52 minute point.
• Q and A starts at 73 minute point.

Calendar: public information forum, Smith property proposal

On Wednesday, October 26, at 7:30 p.m., the Planning Board will hold a hearing on changes to the Inclusionary Bylaw and, immediately following, will host a public information forum to discuss the Smith property proposal.  This will be held at the Florence Sawyer School Auditorium. Article 5 on the Special Town Meeting Warrant—”Purchase of Smith Property for Affordable Housing and Town Green”–seeks authorization to purchase, clean up, and redevelop the property at 715-723 Main Street. The Planning Board is co-sponsoring the Article, along with the Board of Selectmen and six other boards. Bring your questions. To review the final draft of the Special Town Meeting Warrant, click here. The Special Town Meeting will be held Monday, November 7, 2011 at 7:00 p.m., at the Florence Sawyer School Auditorium.

—Roland

Comparing DPW Barn contamination to Smith contamination

Several people have brought up the large cost associated with the contamination clean up at the DPW Barn (approx. $1 million) and have asked why the cost projections in the proposal for the Smith property clean up are so much lower.

Firstly, there have been substantial funds already expended at the Smith site. Since 2005, the owners of the Smith property have incurred costs for soil borings, monitoring wells, soil and groundwater sampling and analytical costs, reporting, and the removal of large underground storage tanks. As a result, the majority of delineation and analysis is complete. The cost estimates provided in the financial pro formas are not all inclusive from day one and therefore do not include these previously incurred costs. The pro forma estimates represent costs from now to closure.

In addition, the nature and extent of contamination at these two sites is very different. The Smith site is not nearly as serious and it is contained.  Below is a summary. For a more detailed report, click here.

Highway Dept. Site

• Historic gasoline release(s) caused significant soil impacts, which served as an on-going source of groundwater contamination.  The geological characteristics of the soil rendered excavation and off-site disposal the only feasible remedial alternative. 4,809 tons of soil were removed.
• Extensive soil impacts and separate-phase gasoline around the former underground storage tanks caused an uncontrolled source and migration of the dissolved phase gasoline plume, which required interim remediation (product removal and groundwater extraction and treatment), extensive excavation and installation of a treatment system on a nearby water supply well.
• Large groundwater plume required extensive monitoring well network and monitoring of area water supplies.

Smith Site

• The majority of the delineation has already been completed.
• Groundwater impacts are relatively low and the plume is stable, which is not indicative of a significant soil source.  Any potential uncharacterized soil impacts found to be contributing to groundwater contamination would be relatively minor and localized.
• Based on the contaminant concentrations, active groundwater remediation is not warranted (as it was with the DPW Barn).

—Roland

Environmental experts discuss Smith property

On September 29, Partners For Planning hosted a forum at the library to explore contamination issues at the Smith garage property on Main Street. A panel of three environmental officials were on hand to share information about the site and about resources available to the town should the town purchase the site.

The meeting was attended by about 30 residents and town officials.

The meeting is available to watch on-demand: click here to view the meeting. Total time is 58 minutes, but you can skip around easily by dragging the vertical line on the progress bar at the bottom of the picture. Highlights:

• Beginning: Overview by Roland
• 9-minute point—Ben Erikson, Brownfields Unit Chief, Office of the Attorney General, speaks about legal protections available to the town through a “covenant not to sue.”
• 20-minute point—Diane Belliveau, Mass DEP Section Chief, gives a history of the DEP filings on the site since 2005.
• 28-minute point—Chris Mariano, P.G., LSP, gives a detailed explanation of the nature and extent of contamination and discusses remediation possibilities. Highly recommended.
• 38-minute point—questions from audience.
• 54-minute point—discussion of Smith contamination vs DPW barn cleanup. The answer is informative.

We hope you find this helpful.

—Roland

I Found Some Foliage

The spires of Bolton, Mass. Click to enlarge.

A lone maple stands out. Doesn’t it seem like the colors are unusually muted this year?

—Roland

Pickin’ and grinnin’

Nashoba Valley Winery, fall 2011. Click to enlarge.

A perfect weekend for apple picking and having fun. Nashoba Valley Winery (above) was hopping on Sunday afternoon.

—Roland

Special Town Meeting—Save these dates

 

Calendar: State Officials to discuss Smith property Thursday

Partners For Planning, the citizen’s task force that is working on a proposal for the Smith property (715-723 Main Street), has organized an opportunity to meet with key state environmental officials to discuss the possible purchase of the property by the town. The officials will make brief comments and be available to answer questions. The information session will be held this Thursday, September 29^th, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Library Program Room.

This session is primarily intended to provide information to town boards, commissions, committees and departments about the contamination on the site, the process of cleaning it up, and steps the town should take. The meeting is open to the public and any Bolton resident is encouraged to attend.

Presenters include:

• Diane Belliveau,  Mass DEP Section Chief—DEP has been monitoring the Smith property since 2005 when it was first declared a Brownfield site.  Diane is familiar with the results of the testing on the site and the steps that must be taken to clean it. She will review what an ASTM Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is an why we need to complete it before we close on the property, and outline other requirements that must be completed in the next few months.
• Ben Erickson, Brownfields Unit Chief, Office of Attorney General—In exchange for a commitment to clean up the site, the AG will facilitate an agreement to protect the Town from suits by the Commonwealth and/or third parties.  This is referred to as a “Covenant Not To Sue”.
• Chris Mariano, P.G., LSP —Mr. Mariano has been providing pro bono LSP environmental consulting to the Partners.  He will review the site and discuss the reasons for a Phase I and Phase II review.

For all those who plan to attend, please RSVP (rochsenbein@comcast.net) so that we can ensure adequate space.

For those unable to make the meeting and for general viewing, BATCO is expected to tape and broadcast the meeting.

—Roland