Step in the right direction

On Monday night at the Selectmen’s meeting, the ballot question was not supported by the board. The BOS voted 3 to 2 not to approve the question to sell and develop the landlocked parcel. The proponents will now have to gather 1615 votes to have the non-binding question placed on the ballot. In my opinion, this is a victory for the town. It is important that we keep our town-owned land for future municipal use only. We have millions of square feet of class A office, retail and biotech space already permitted and waiting for tenants to occupy. I urge you not to sign the petition as this is the last large piece of beautiful forest in our town.

Let it Run Out

Landlocked Forrest will be on the Selectmen agenda on Monday, Nov 9 ay 7pm. This is a last ditch effort by a small group of Town Meeting members and a couple of other people who think selling Burlington’s jewel of real estate is in the community’s best interest. This group clearly represents the interests of Patriot Partners, the developer who has a first right of refusal on this 247 acres of prime land. Burlington took the land in 1985 to prevent over development, protect the water supply and add open space to our municipal portfolio. Right now, we have 5 planned development districts and just over 4.5 million square feet of office, biotech and retail space waiting for tenants. In this economy, who knows how long it will take for the current property owners to get tenants to lease these spaces. We currently have a 20% vacancy rate in town. I anticipate a full court press by Patriot Partners to convince the residents of Burlington that developing this land is in the best interest of the town. Why should our town allow further development when we have planned development districts in process and a high vacancy rate? Keep your eye on this one. Contact your Selectmen and Town Meeting Members and tell them let the Patriot Partner’s first right of refusal option run out .We do not need to sell town-owned land.

Town Meeting Update

The September 30th Town Meeting ended with only the zoning article unfinished. TM voted, by a landslide, to support the effort of the Recreation Commission to move forward with the grant application. The $900k project for the Wildwood site could bring a 56% reimbursement from the PARC grant.We will know our status November 15th. The Recreation Dept acknowledged that if the grant did not win approval, they would scale back the project.

The term limits article and the removal of stipends from elected officials did not pass. The hotel tax increase did move forward by a strong majority. 100% of this increase will go to our town could bring in up to $500 thousand in a full calendar year. I will make a strong suggestion that the extra money go into our stabilization account. The stabilization account is the town's rainy day funds and require a 2/3 majority vote at Town Meeting to spend the money.

We Need Your Help

September is just a pitch and a two-putt away. We had a Selectmen’s meeting in July and August. The Selectmen meet one more time on September 14th and then we are onto the September 30th Town Meeting.

We have some open appointments by our Town Administrator that have been placed in our local papers as well as the Boston Globe Northwest section. Click here for all the information on what appointments are available and how to pursue them. Some of the vacancies include the Board of Appeals, Sealer of Weights and Measures, and Housing Partnership.

If you are interested in any appointments please let us know. We will also be looking to our residents who may wish to seek town wide elected positions. Town Meeting is a great way to get involved for the novice. Don’t hesitate to inquire.

May Town Meeting Concludes

Town meeting came to an end May 18th after three sessions.The three bid warrant articles passed. One such article was for new, automated water meters for a total cost of $3 million. approximately 8,000 meters residential and commercial meters are in our town. Of these, 1000 are fairly new and only need a new tamper proof part added to the top of the meter. This will allow the meters to be read from the DPW office.

$9 million was approved to upgrade the sewer pumping system and force main that carries sewage. This 7,500 feet of sewer pipe is 50 years old. I'm happy this passes, as I feel it was a top priority for the town. Unlike a broken water pipe, you simply cannot turn of the sewer flow in the event of a rupture.

Last, $2 million dollars was budgeted for new bleachers, new bathrooms, and a new turf surface at BHS Varsity Field.

I just opened my pool and I'm looking forward to the summer.

May Town Meeting

This is the last week before the May Town Meeting. There will be a Ways and Means meeting both Monday and Wednesday night this week. On Tuesday from 7:00-10PM, there is a trade show at the Kelly Murray wing where all all TM Members as well as voters have the opportunity to ask questions on the May warrant articles.Town Meeting will meet May 11th at 7:30PM in the BHS auditorium. Town meetings are open to residents
of Burlington so even if you aren't a TM member, you can attend if you live in the town.

As we enter into the budget process at this next town meeting, it’s a time to question all your elected officials about how they are managing your money, myself included. IAs President Bill Clinton once said, “Politics is a Contact Sport, you can’t complain about being attacked.” In the NBA, guys Like Yao Ming get hacked by the other team and they still go take their free throws like a professional.

Tonight's Board of Selectmen Meeting

Here is the agenda for tonight's Board of Selectmen meeting. You can see the meetings live on BCAT or attend in person at the town hall (2nd floor). This is the last Selectmen meeting before the May11th Town Meeting and we will be reviewing the Town Meeting warrant around 8:25pm. You can review the warrant online.

The Grand Deal

The renovation of the Grandview has started and I’d like to provide some clarity on how this came to be. A recent article could lead one to believe the Gutierrez Company has committed $1.5 million dollars to the renovation. The $1.5 million dollars was their payment to the town of Burlington as a result of the 2001 landswap that was negotiated by the members of the Board of Selectmen at that time. The final deal was approved by Town Meeting. I was a Town Meeting member at the time. The Gutierrez Company gave Ruping Builders 11 acres of property at the end of Wall Street, where approximately 176 apartments were constructed. The Guiterrez Company also gave 6.4 acres of unbuildable wetlands to the Town of Burlington to be used as a buffer zone for the apartments that Ruping Builders was to build. The apartments were a mixture of market value rental units (that help the town keep its required 10% of affordable housing) and senior affordable units. The Gutierrez Company received 14.6 acres of prime commercial property located on Wheeler Rd from the town of Burlington. The current estimated value of that property is approximately $7 million dollars.

Since the Grandview work has begun, we will now start to receive $75,000 per year (for 20 years) from the Gutierrez Company, which will eventually total $1.5 million. These payments will cover the town’s bond payment that we borrowed to renovate the Grandview Farm. What did the town of Burlington get in this deal? The town of Burlington received two houses on South Bedford Street, which have an estimated value of $300,000 each, from the Gutierrez Company. Ruping Builders gave the town the entire Grandview Farm site, which included the land behind the farm (where the Burlington senior condos were built) and 4 house lots on Sleeper Drive. The town sold one double lot for $400,000, which went to jump-start the renovation work. When the market improves, we will sell one of the other lots plus the two house lots on South Bedford Street. This money will be used to complete the interior restoration of the Grandview Farm.

The reason why the town entered into this deal was to prevent 150 units of affordable housing over looking the common. Instead, we got 42 senior condos restricted to Burlington residents. And that, my friends, is a summary of the famous 3-way land swap.

First Board of Selectmen meeting

My first Board of Selectmen meeting will be at 7pm on Monday, April 13th, at the Town Hall. The meetings will all be live on BCAT. The first order of business will be the reorganization of the board and selecting the chairman.

The agenda for the upcoming meetings will include discussing and voting on articles for the May Town Meeting. There are a host of warrant articles that will be considered by the board. The warrant articles cover both town and school items. We will also be discussing a 10-year capital plan for all town improvements. It's important to keep up with building maintenance and perform infrastructure improvements. The final warrant will first go to Ways and Means for their approval or disapproval then go onto Town Meeting. Last year at this time, I was acting as a Ways and Means and a Town Meeting member so I fully understand the process.

I will use this blog to give an overview of all the BOS meetings since I know people are busy and cannot watch all of them on BCAT.

Thank you!

I would like to thank all my supporters for coming out to vote on Saturday. It took us two years to convince the voters that a change is what our town needs. I will continue to update this blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will not disappoint you.

Official Burlington Election Results

The home stretch

We are in the home stretch of the Board of Selectmen race. This is the last week of the campaigning, door knocking, and sign holding. On Saturday, April 4th, the voters of Burlington will have a chance to reshape our town government. My opponents have not had to run an actual campaign in many years. Last year, I lost by 22 votes against a strong incumbent. This defeat gave new meaning to the phrase, “Every vote counts.”

This year, let’s make a statement that status quo isn’t how we want our elected leaders to operate. I hope we have a high voter turnout and with full representation from voters of all ages. I will passionately serve this town and always base my decisions on the best interests of the community. I ask you for your vote of confidence to elect me as your new Selectman for the town of Burlington this Saturday.

Still pounding the pavement

I have been knocking on residents' doors for the past 3 weeks. I made it through precincts 1 and 6 and I'm now onto precinct 5. It's been great to talk to voters. If you want me to stop by your house, email me at danditucci@yahoo.com.

Politics by intimidation

I find it interesting how people go about getting elected to different positions. We all watched the last presidential election and saw the different strategies and tactics used. President Obama had great charisma and little negativity during his campaign. Senator McCain leveraged his experience and military service to this country.

I spoke to a resident recently about a situation she ran into with a local candidate, who asked if he could put a sign on her property. When the resident responded that she was supporting another candidate, the candidate expressed his dissatisfaction with
her decision and made unprofessional remarks. As a result, the resident became nervous and decided not to put any candidates’ signs on her property.

Is this really what people need to do to win a town election? Why am I surprised? I am good friends with some people in a personal and professional manner who are supporting another candidate. That is certainly their choice and right. I will be happy to receive their second vote. While I really want to win this year’s race and serve the Town of Burlington, I would never succumb to making anyone feel uncomfortable. Politics by intimidation has no place in our town. This election should not be about who has the most signs, it should be about who will do the best job.

Getting out there

Yesterday was the day that started the visible part of the campaign. The sign holders were out and now we are starting to place the lawn signs around town. Signs will only tell you the names of people who are running for office. I always like to get out and meet people face-to-face. I was knocking on doors and introducing myself to residents in precinct 1 yesterday.

We had our first debate this past Thursday. Check out the BCAT schedule for when this debate will be shown. The second debate will be at the Council on Aging March 16th from 1:00-3:00 and the third debate is March 19th on BCAT. Finally, March 31st is a Q&A with the Burlington Chamber. These debates and forums are a great way to understand the views and positions of the candidates.

In the coming weeks, I will continue my door knocking, hitting the streets across all 6 precincts in the town. If you have any question or would like me to visit your house to talk, please let me know. My email address is danditucci@yahoo.com.

The ballot is ready

Check out Burlington Union's guide to this year's election and the sample ballot.

I'm hoping the snow is now done for the winter b/c I'm starting the door knocking part of the campaign. Even if the Spring weather doesn't start, I'll be out there pounding the pavement in rain, snow, or shine.

My Mission

One of my supporters suggested I look at the mission statement of the Burlington Board of Selectmen and articulate how I would follow it if I were elected. I promise to continue my public service to the voters just as I have done as a Town Meeting member for twelve years and Ways and Means member for two years.

I will:

• Support only controlled redevelopment of commercial property. I will support a policy to protect our wetlands and our water supply. Specifically, I will fight hard so Burlington can
  continue to be one of the few towns that does not have to buy water from the MWRA, which burdens taxpayers with excessive fees. I will continue to fight to protect open space from commercial development, whether it is our own land (landlocked parcel) or property in Burlington that we don’t own {Mary Cummings property). I will work to preserve that rural look that we’ve lost over the 50 years I have been a resident of Burlington.
• Continue to support the school and recreation programs. My three sons went through the Burlington school system and participated in many recreation programs. I understand the value that strong schools and recreation bring to the residents. Further, these programs attract young families to our town and are an investment in our community.
• Be approachable and available to all town employees, both union and non-union. I will treat them with the same dignity and respect as I have done with my own employees for the
  past 22 years.
• Support efforts to make life comfortable for our seniors. My mother participated in various activities offered by the Burlington Council on Aging. I support door-to-door transportation for our seniors in town. As a Ways and Means Committee Member, I supported the new COA bus that will be coming to town this summer.
• Be considerate in spending taxpayers’ money to balance life quality for our residents with keeping the tax burden in check. As a small business owner, I know how to balance expenses with services. We need to continue the vital services that this community has maintained for many years. I’ll also be cooperative with small business owners who provide jobs for many in our town, including Burlington students.

I will always keep an open mind and search for better ways to raise the bar. I promise to keep the quality of our town government as high and as transparent as possible.

Transparency

It's important to be transparent in an elected position. What does this mean? It means that elected officials should be an open book and willing to share their opinions and ideas. As residents, it's important to keep your elected officials focused on the issues that are in the best interests of the voters. Do you attend board meetings, watch them on BCAT or read about them in the paper? Do you know how your elected officials vote on important matters? As this Board of Selectman election is ramping up, it's great to hear from the residents who keep current on the issues in the town. For those who may not be as up to date, you don't even need a tv or a newspaper.

Board of Selectman meeting minutes are posted here: http://burlington.org/selectmen.htm

Town meeting information, including attendance records, are posted here: http://burlington.org/TMgov.htm#A

Kudos to the folks who keep the Burlington.org site current with this information.

Jan 26th Town Meeting

The Jan 26th Town Meeting only took one night. 20 articles appeared on the warrant. Article 3, which passed with a large majority, proposed spending $20k for a recreation planner to help with the layout of the former Wildwood school site in the event the Selectman feel this is the best use of the property. Three years ago when town meeting agreed it was time to raze that building, the members voted for the property to be of a municipal use. As you know, there was some talk of selling this pristine property by some members of the Board of Selectman. My kids were involved in Burlington sports programs in the 80s and 90s and there was always a shortage of playing fields. Also, when the Wildwood building and grounds were deemed unsafe, the neighborhood kids also lost a tot lot. If using the site for recreation purposes moves forward we will perhaps see a tot lot, small basketball court, little league fields and one or two small size soccer fields. A cemetery was also considered for the site. In talking to the DPW, we were told we have enough space for about 8 years .

Article 8 had to do with a new public safety building. Specifically, the article is for a home rule petition that would allow the town to seek out land and assistance in constructing the building from the
private sector. Not only would this article need to be passed by town meeting but the state legislator would need to approve as well. This would be a first for Burlington. A new building would eliminate the outdated fire station at the corner of Terrace Hall Ave and Middlesex Turnpike. The town would then enter into a long-term lease agreement with the private developer, which means the town would not have to bond money for the land or building. There is still a lot of work in this document, even if it passed by the legislator. I certainly agree a new building will be needed but would like this particular approach as a last resort. I have done some research and am finding commercial space that has been vacant for a while. I see some bargains on land in the West Burlington area. It's also important to factor in that the town of Burlington can bond money at a very low interest rate. Town meeting supported this article mainly because there is no financial exposure to the town right now. This building is a few years off, at best.

If you have any questions, email me or give me a call.