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Billerica Bugle, Episode 1 Transcript
Transcription and comments by Tim Piwowar, Superintendent, Billerica Public Schools
(0:00 – in Town Center)
Hi folks, George Simolaris. We’re talking about the location of the new high school. I’m all for a
new high school, but the location possibilities are going to be the land behind Rome
Capobianco’s farm behind O’Connor’s which backs up to the Whiffle Tree or the current site
that the high school’s on. We have 74 acres of land on that site and the Police Department’s on
that site, the Fire Department’s on that current site; there’s three roads on the current site. If
we move to Andover Road it’s only going to have one access, Andover Road, and that’s already
backed up every morning.
So, I’m going to show you these two options and hopefully our Building Committee is going to,
we’re going to be voting on this in November of 2015 – looks like – and I hope that we’re goingto be paying for this project, and I hope that the Building Committee puts up the best area to
build this high school before we vote on it. I personally think the best area to keep this high
school – or to build this new high school – is on the current location. Again, there’s three
access roads, we have all the infrastructure there, we wouldn’t have to buy the land, and if we
leave the site that we’re on – the high school – half of the money that the state’s giving us, 75
million dollars, will not be able to be used to knock that building down. I asked the manager,
our Town Manager Mr. Curran, what will we do with that building and all the land there and he
said we’ll put a committee on it. Well, I know we have a museum across from Town Hall – the
old Howe High School – and we’ve been trying to make that a museum for 30 years. We can’t
get the funding to re-do that building; I don’t know how we’ll get the funding to re -do our old
high school. So, anyway, I personally think that the high school should stay where it is – we can
build a new high school on the land below, and we can knock the building down and the state
will let us use that money. But I want you to make your own decision and that’s why I’mmaking this show. I’m going to show you the land that’s available. The two most – the viable
sites are Cider Mill property, it’s the farmland behind Rome Capobianco , and the current site
we’re on.
To reiterate, the state is giving us 75 million dollars and if we leave the site that we’re at right
now, that money will not be able to be used to knock down that building. Plus we’ll have to
buy the new land if we leave the site. Besides that, I think that the best site is where it
currently sits. But I’d be more than happy to have a television show and talk to anybody about
it, why they disagree with that opinion. But it’s going to be up to us, folks. Anyway, Billerica
Bugle here with George Simolaris. Thank you.
(2:47 – on River Street at Housing Authority)
Hi folks, George Simolaris here with the Billerica Bugle. We’re going to look at the situation
about the high school today. We will be voting in November 2015 on a new high school. So we
have two options, it looks like three options but I don’t think one of them is viable and that’s…
Comment [TP1]: Acreage is mention
times throughout the video, however, no
consistently. The 74 acres for the existin
school site is gross acreage, including un
property; the 40 acres for the Cider Mill
acreage, excluding wetlands. KVA’s prel
analysis of the existing high school site sh
usable parts of the site: the practice/bas
directly behind the high school (6.78 acre
existing building/parking (12.7 acres, netAlumni Field parcel (12.4 acres, net). Th
this usable net acreage is 31.88 acres.
Comment [TP2]: To date, the MSBA
committed to any funding for constructio
funding we have received is for eligible c
feasibility study and schematic design.
Comment [TP3]: This is true as it rela
reimbursement from the state; however
demolition costs can be included in the o
project as non-reimbursable costs
Comment [TP4]: This is partially truedemolition costs (e.g., asbestos flooring a
are not reimbursable, regardless.
Comment [TP5]: The state does not
providing funding to the community unti
project budget is established, and a Proje
Agreement is executed (after a town vot
current schedule indicates the approxim
this in December 2015.
Furthermore, the state will reimburse a p
of eligible costs for the project; that reim
rate currently stands at a base rate of ap
52%
Comment [TP6]: This is what is listed
current schedule; the date is subject to c
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The three options are this – we either build a new high school where the existing high school is,
we buy land at Cider Mill property which is behind Rome Capobianco’s farm, or we put the highschool across the street from the prison on Vietnam Veterans Park land.
So, the state’s giving us 75 million dollars and we’re going to probably be voting on a 75 milliion
dollar debt exclusion. It's like an override but it’s a debt exclusion, it’s going to be for 28 years
and it’s going to raise our taxes an average house about 225 to 250 dollars - we’re not exactly
sure – and that’s the average house. The businesses will be paying. Every taxpayer, property
taxpayer in Billerica will be paying for 28 years. Like I said, the average house about 225 to 250
dollars a year and it’s going to be a debt exclusion for 28 years. The state is giving us 75 million
dollars for the high school whether we build it here or whether we build it elsewhere. We’re
going to get half of the money – roughly – from the state. We’re going to pay for the other half.
The reason we’re getting half of the money for the state is because we qualify because our
school is in such poor condition that the state is going to give us half the money. The problemis that if we leave this site – people say we that cannot rebuild this building, you know, I don’t
know how true it is, it seems to be the consensus at this point that we cannot rebuild this
building. Imagine if we did put 100 million dollars into that building. We’re going to walk by it
later. But imagine if we did put 100 million into the building I think we could rebuild it. But
anyway, I’m not an expert on these matters.
So, the consensus seems to me that if we do put the high school on this site – which we have 74
acres of land here – we’re on the top of River Street right now. So if we build a new high school
below – we’re going to go out there right now and look at the fields – if we build the high
school on the back lot and we knock down this structure (watch out for that tree) – if we knock
down this whole structure which we’ll look at better, we can put the fields up here [motioning
at existing Memorial Building]. Baseball fields, football fields, whatever.
We’re going to be investing 150 million dollars into this new high school so the question and
the main point of this f ilm is today is to let you know what’s going on. Because you’re going to
be voting for this override – sorry, it’s not an override, it’s called a debt exclusion - a debt
exclusion ends, an override continues. This debt exclusion is going to be for 28 years. In my
lifetime, it you may as well call it an override.
But anyhow, we could build a school on the back fields and then knock this building down. If
we leave this site, if we decide not to build the high school here, then the state will not give us
any money towards knocking this building down. So one reason is, that I think this site is viable,
as many people do, is that Number 1, we own the land. We don’t have to buy the land. If we
went to the Cider Mill land property, we would have to buy the land. If we leave this site, we’re
stuck with this building. The state will not give us any money out of that 75 million to knock
this building down. If we build a high school here we can utilize that money to knock thisbuilding down and have our fields here.
Comment [TP7]: The town vote, per
guidelines, must be for the overall projec
not just for the part that is the town’s sh
costs.
Comment [TP8]: The Town’s website
calculator for high-level estimates of the
for a high school project and the Parker S
combined. At the highest cost estimate
school project ($160 million), the average
homeowner’s increase for both schools w
most $214/year.
Comment [TP9]: Not necessarily true
must approved the preferred solution (inside), and will only participate in funding
that meets their mission of being “educa
appropriate and cost effective”.
Comment [TP10]: The 2012 Dore &
master planning study produced high-lev
estimates of these options. Renovation
existing high school as a 9-12 building wa
estimated to cost $169.3 million, or $37.
more than new construction.
Comment [TP11]: Estimated; project
budget is not established until after mee
and approval by the MSBA, currently sch
November 2015
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So, I don’t want to talk too long, we’re going to cut this and walk and take a look at the rest of
the 74 acres of land. We’re on the top of River Street. They’re trying - some people say there’swetland in the back of the high school – I don’t buy it. Below the high school is the
condominiums, which are at a lower point, and below that is Colonial Drive which is even lower.
We’re on the top of a hill here. This land was taken by eminent domain for this high school.
There was a farm here. It was Lane farm. And this new high school in 1957 was taken by
eminent domain. And there’s 74 acres of land here. So, anyway, we’re going to go look at the
land.
(7:31 – River Street entrance to BMHS)
Anyway, here we are folks from another angle. This is our existing high school dedicated in
1957 by John F. Kennedy. People say we can’t rebuild the high school – like I say, you know
they could say there’s carcinogens in the brick or whatever, maybe they’re right – better off
new, we have a 150 million dollar budget to make this new high school.
So, this is the whole situation. We’re on the top of a hill here and look at the school. If the
camera can pan all the way down [motioning towards New Addition] and go right through the
woods, that’s all of our site. That’s the Police Department, but all of this is the high school. So,
if we did make a high school here, what we would do is we would build the new high school on
the fields below. Then we would knock this building down and this would be for all of our fields
- which it seems to be plenty of land. Where if you follow the cars going down that hill over
there [on River Street] you’ll see we’re on a river – I mean the river’s below – we’re on a big hill,
we’re at the top of Billerica center. Follow that car down.
Some people say there’s wetland behind this school. I certainly don’t buy it. We’re at one of
the highest elevations in Billerica right now. So, anyway, we’re going to walk down now into
the fields and the back and we’ll show you the back and the angles of where we could po ssiblybuild this new high school. Then later on, we’re going to go to the options.
(8:54 – on side of Memorial Building between Project Support entrance and River Street
entrance)
Here again, this is River Street is right here. This high school has access from River Street and
any kind of area over here we can make a road into this high school, the existing high school.
And it has access on Boston Road which is up there, and it has access on Good Street.
So, this is the side of the building on River Street. So again, this is the side of the building.
We’re going to go to the back of the building now and look at the possible building site for the
new high school, if it was to be built here, which we already own this land, we would not have
to purchase land. Again, we’re going to be stuck with this building. If we leave this site, I knowour town doesn’t have any money to knock the building down or refit it for anything. If we
could have the money to refit it and it was viable to refit, we should do it as a high school. So,
they’re saying that this building cannot be rebuilt. It’s not feasible to rebuild it. So, what else
Comment [TP12]: Publicly available
maps show wetlands and flood plain beh
Field in the back parcel of the high schoo
low point of that parcel is the Concord R
parcel is included in the 74 gross acres of
Comment [TP13]: The Memorial Bui
high school opened in 1955.
Comment [TP14]: Senator John F. Ke
dedicated Billerica Memorial High Schoo
Comment [TP15]: No budget for thebeen established.
Comment [TP16]: For clarity, the bu
go on the existing practice/baseball field
the Alumni Field portion of the site. Bot
“below” the high school from a topograp
perspective.
Comment [TP17]: If the high school
different location, the demolition costs o
school can be built into the overall proje
non-reimbursable cost.
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would we use it for? If we can’t rebuild it with 150 million dollars, we could put in elderly
housing in here? Who’s going to pay for it? You know, who’s going to pay 150 million dollars?If we can’t rebuild it for 150 million dollars right now for a high school, then how would we
rebuild it for housing?
So, anyway, if we leave this site, the state will not pay to knock this building down. Right now,
if we put a high school here, the state is going to give us that 75 million dollars. You know why
we’re getting the money by the way? Because we’ve let our schools get old and they naturally
do get old, but whatever. We’re getting this money from the state, it’s half of it, half of it we’re
paying for 28 years like I said. It’s going to cost us 225 dollars for the average house,
somewhere like that to 250, and for 28 years. And businesses are going to pay, everybody’s
paying for this new school. So, it’s not free. 75 [million] is coming from the state, 75 million is
coming from our taxpayers’ pockets. Thank you, we’re going to look at the back.
(11:03 – Parking lot behind Memorial Building near baseball field)
Hi folks, we’re at the high school again. This is - River Street is behind the camera; this is the
existing high school. We just threw in – I don’t know how many millions of dollars for these
new windows – all over there, you see all the new windows which are very nice, but - and all
the way over there; the windows went all the way around the back. So, they say we can’t
rebuild this building. Again, I question that. But anyway, if we can’t rebuild it, they say we’re
getting a new one, we need a new building. Definitely, we need to refit this building, anyway.
It’s in bad shape inside.
So, could we rebuild it? That’s the question number one. If we can’t rebuild it and we have to
knock the building down, then we would build a new high school out here. If you can pan the
camera out here, we’re going to move. This is where we would build the new high school,
somewhere where – we’ll walk out there better.
And they say that that is wetland. Some people are trying to say that want to move the high
school, that there’s wetland there. If you notice, what’s on the other side of the field? It’s
condominiums. And below those condominiums are Colonial Drive, which is more houses. So,
how can that be wetland? But anyway, we’re going to look at it better, so we’ll take a walk
over there now.
(12:22 - walking down path to Alumni Field)
So, here we’re standing on our back field behind the Hallenborg. If you can just put the sign,
Alumni [Field], and show that field one last time.
Now, I’m going to show you – they say that we don’t have access to this field . Well, how didthe fences get there? Who built the fields? And I see there’s the condos right here that are
built way below the existing fields now. The depth, the elevation is a lot lower on these condos
Comment [TP18]: Not true. The sta
reimburse a percentage of eligible costs f
project that is approved; the state has no
approved any location.
Comment [TP19]: The total cost of t
phases of the window project that were
was $892,480; the cost to Billerica was $
after $286,868 in MSBA reimbursement.
Comment [TP20]: No report, and no
from the Building Committee has ever in
that the field area directly behind the hig
wetland. Wetlands are found in the area
Alumni Field.
Comment [TP21]: No report, and no
from the Building Committee has ever in
that there is no access – walking access e
However, there is insufficient room for v
access that would enable a building to be
the back parcel where Alumni Field curre
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than our fields. So, they say that we don’t have access to get to this land. I don’t get that. So,
I’m going to run up again. [goes up walking path]
(13:11 – buffer between baseball field and condominiums)
So, folks. Good. Hi folks, I’m standing near the baseball field and the back of our existing high
school land right now. Some people are trying to say that this is wetland out here, if you can
pan the camera [towards baseball field]. Here’s where we would build the high school if we
knock down the building. And by the way, if you look up there, look at all the new windows
that we just put in. I think it was 3 or 4 million for all those windows, which we needed it. You
see all the green, all the dark green windows, those are all new. There’s the gymnasium, and
there’s the addition. They call that the New Addition, the part that’s way out to my left where
I’m pointing. The gymnasium and then there’s a new addition. So, we’ve lost; our population
has, I think in the last 15 years we’ve lost 1000 students . Our population is declining, so we
probably don’t need as big of a high school as we have now. Plus, we can go up. We want tomake it nice for the neighbors. And like I say, some people say that this is wetland [motioning
to baseball field], that we could build a high school here. But I just want, if we just follow me
right here [towards condominiums], this is below, this is below the land I’m on.
(14:34 - different spot, buffer between baseball field and condominiums)
Hey folks, I’m at the edge of the field on our land, on our high school football field, I mean
baseball field. So, here’s the condos that used to be the Knights of Columbus – we could have
bought that land by the way, we didn’t. If you look at the roofs, these buildings, their
foundation is like five to six feet lower than I’m at right now. So I mean, look, here’s the idea
right here, if we’re on wetland, how does people have houses? And we’re on a hill. This is an
absolute hill. How can this be called wetland? I don’t buy it. So, you know, and below that is
Colonial Drive, it’s even lower elevation. So, anyway, we’re going to look at the fields overhere.
[walks to baseball field]
Here’s the fields right here, where the high school could possibly be built, right here. And then
we would have – that’s the Hallenorg Ice Rink, right there – and we also have some fields in the
back here [Alumni Field], that probably, that could be wetland, but we could utilize those fields.
And from the Hallenborg, we’re going to look – we’re going to follow that field now. And then
we also own all the way to Good Street. If we could focus all the way in on that white house up
there [on Good Street] – keep me in the background – but zero right in on that. Our land goes
right up to the street that that white house is on. So you mean to say that we couldn’t put a
high school here, knock these buildings down if we had to, or even save… Personally, here’s
what I think – why couldn’t we keep this part of the building [Memorial Building] that we justput in all the brand new windows, knock down the other part, and you know, but whatever.
They say we can’t do that, but again, I leave it up to you folks.
Comment [TP22]: This has never bee
as potential wetland.
Comment [TP23]: The total cost was
the cost to Billerica was $605,612 after $
MSBA reimbursement.
Comment [TP24]: District-wide enro
declined by 1,128 students from 2000 to
however, high school enrollment during
time period has only declined by 102 stu
Comment [TP25]: It is not considere
by anyone associated with the project.
Comment [TP26]: Correct – a sizeab
behind Alumni Field is wetlands, and usin
existing Alumni Field area for fields woul
a plan to build a high school on the existi
Comment [TP27]: A renovation/add
must be considered as part of the feasib
however, the 2012 Dore & Whittier repo
that in the area of the new windows, the
exterior wall system around the window
be replaced.
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We’re going to be voting on this plan – on this new high school – we’re voting in November.
You have a choice folks. You have a choice because Town Meeting is going to vote on one planand give it to you to vote for in November. You can either say yes or no. If you say no, it’s not
the end of the process. If you say no to the debt exclusion, we have 140 days to vote again. I’m
hoping that we have the number one plan to vote on in November, the best plan for our town.
But if we don’t have that number one plan, I’m going to vote no on it, and you’ll have a vote
too. So don’t let people try to tell you that there’s only going to be, you know – there will be
one plan we’re going to vote on. The High School Building Committee, and all respect to them,
they want what’s good for Billerica too. But we all want what’s good for Billerica and we have
to know our choices. An educated person knows your choices.
There’s only – as far as I can actually see – two choices, we can call it three. One is to build it on
the prison, across from the prison. Number two is to either rebuild this building or build the
high school right where I’m standing right now. Number three is to buy Cider Mill land. It’s the
land of Rome Capobianco’s former land, behind his farm on Andover Road, behind O’Connor’sparking lot. That road, I live on it, Andover Road, it’s congested every morning. The traffic is
backed up to Pond Street, from O’Connor’s back parking lot all the way up to Pond Street,
Andover Road. So I don’t know why that would be a feasible plan. Plus, we would have to buy
that land. We already own this land. If we leave the site, they will not help us knock the
building down or refurbish it. So, I just want to show you the rest of the land. I hate to be
redundant, but this is a very important matter. We need the best high school we can get.
We’ve blown so much money on roofs through our town over the years. I would like to see
metal roofs so we don’t have to keep paying millions of dollars every ten years doing the roofs
over. We should have solar, we should have – if we’re going to have 150 million dollar
investment in our high school, this should be one of the best high schools in the world. And it’s
up to us to pay attention and get what we’re going to pay for. Because you’re going to pay for
28 years, if you’re still alive, for this debt exclusion for this new high school. And I want to haveeither a rebuilt or a new high school and I want it to be the best high school. And I’m for it, but
I don’t want to blow our money. I want the best plan at the lowest cost.
So, anyway, we’re going to look back at the fields again. I personally think, and I’m not afraid to
say it, that this is where I want the high school to be. Either rebuilt there, or a new high school
on our existing land right here. And I’ve talked to many people throughout the town, and many
people want that. So, you know, we’re going to find out when it comes to the voting time.
(19:36 – on baseball field)
The camera man’s on home plate right now. This is our field. And we own that land through
the woods [Alumni Field], by the way. And there’s a big field in the back that we also own. We
got a state grant to build that Hallenborg Ice Rink, and when we got the money we had to dosomething as our own town. What we did, when we got the state grant, is we put a field in the
back. Are you telling me that this is wetland [pointing at buffer between baseball field and
Comment [TP28]: The Town has 120
days from MSBA Board approval to fund
which would be done through a debt exc
debt exclusion vote fails, the Town may
upon timing) have an opportunity to re-v
same project.
However, once the MSBA has approved t
scope and budget, any deviation from th
plan must go back to square one in the M
process (submission of a Statement of In
causing years of delay to the project. A d
nature would also likely result in an incre
millions of dollars to the project due to in
construction costs.
As a point of reference, the Statement of
for the high school project was submitte
two years ago, in April 2013.
Comment [TP29]: To clarify, there w
plan to vote on, as that plan must be vett
the MSBA process.
Comment [TP30]: The mission of the
to find the most educationally appropria
effective solution. Traffic is a componen
work that needs to be done, but not the
determining factor of a school building p
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condominiums], that I’m standing on right now can’t be built? Would you pan up to the high
school, and now pan back to me please?
Are you trying to say that this is wetland? Look at these buildings. I clean their gutters, I have
cleaned their gutters at least four times. And this elevation that I’m on right now is a lot higher
by at least six feet than those condominiums. Below that is Colonial Drive with houses - very
expensive houses on Colonial Drive. Their elevation is at least down another 20 feet than what
I’m on right now.
So, we’re going to walk this land we’ll look back up at the high school.
(20:55 – corner of practice field behind the Memorial Building)
OK folks, here we are. We’re at the back of the high school. We were just standing over at the
baseball field over there. This is where, if we built a new high school, we would put the highschool. Somewhere over there I think, one of the designers has come up with. But I don’t see
why we couldn’t put it anywhere. Those are all the new windows we put in for 3 million on that
addition, I mean that’s part of the building. Would it be possible to refit that building and then
add on something? You know, there’s the gymnasium right there. I think our gymnasium’s
beautiful. I’ve played basketball in there many times and I’ve been to many sports events.
What if we knocked down the other part of that building, we’d have – there’s the New Addition
over there. See the big block building? That’s the gym. To the left of the gym, is the new
building, built I think in 1975. That’s the New Addition. So, I mean, what if we kept this part
[Memorial Building] and we added to it? I don’t know, I don’t know. But if we did put a new
high school and we put it right here, we could knock all that down and have our fields there.
We also own – there’s our ice rink – we own this land over here, that woodland [between
Hallenborg and Alumni Field], and we own a field in the back.
If you could just turn around now, don’t even move – I want to show you where we’re at. How
is it wetland? I’m going down where the camera man was [between back of practice field and
condominiums]. This is the condominiums on River Street, so how can you say that this land is
unbuildable here? It’s absolutely ludicrous to say. I’m coming up the hill right now, this is our
land. This is where we could build a high school. This is wetland? Look again. Look through
the horizon, there’s the prison. We’re on a hill here right now. Anyway, so just pan around and
show the site the last time. There’s the Unitarian Church steeple right there, hanging at the top
over there. We’re at the top of the hill. You’re trying to say this is wetland? I don’t buy it.
(23:08 – near buffer between practice field and condominiums)
If you look through the horizon, that’s Gilson Hill – that’s by the prison. It’s one of the highest
points in Billerica. We’re on one of the highest points in Billerica. Right now, I’m standing atone of the highest points in Billerica. So, again, there’s the condos, there’s the field in the back
we’re going to go look at – we own that field. This is where the Knights of Columbus used to
be, off the condos that are here now, off of River Street. And there’s the field that we built
Comment [TP31]: No one has indica
area near the baseball fields and the con
is wetland; that area is where a new buil
likely be sited on the existing high schoo
Comment [TP32]: The window cost
$892,480; the cost to Billerica was $605,
$286,868 in MSBA reimbursement. The
are also in the Memorial Building, not th
school addition.
Comment [TP33]: The Town owns so
these woods, but not all. The woods immthe west of the Hallenborg Ice Rink are o
private land owner on Corcoran Road.
Comment [TP34]: No one associated
high school project has stated that the la
unbuildable.
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when we got the grant for this – state grant for our ice rink. We had to do something ourselves
and what we did is we built a field there. And we’re going to look at that field. Because saythat we have our school here – our new school here – fields there, we also have a field back
here.
Some people say we don’t have access to the field. I mean, I don’t buy that either. I’ll show
you, we’re going to walk down right now and look.
(24:04 – on walking path from practice field to Alumni Field)
All of that, this is our land [pointing to woods on side of the walking path, towards Corcoran
Road]. They say there’s no access, there’s no access to get through here. No access for what?
How wide is this?
(24:20 - Alumni Field)
OK folks, here we are now behind the land of the high school. It’s still our land – again, this is
Alumni Field.
(24:29 – woods beside Alumni Field, near Colonial Drive)
We’re coming out of the hill. Colonial Drive is there, here’s our Alumni Field right here, right
over here if you can pan over. We can use this as a football field. Why couldn’t this be our
football field, or soccer field, or whatever field? This is one land, this is our land.
(24:51 – Alumni Field fence)
We’re at Alumni Field. If you can pan over there a little bit, and there’s a big drop off on theback of the field, there’s a big hill down there – see those tree lines, they’re, that’s at least ten
feet down. So, I mean, this field’s been utilized. It’s a nice field. You can put anything you
want to put over here. And then, there’s our old gym, our gym right now [looking through
walking path to high school]. So, we own all this land. Never mind the field that’s in the back.
We own all this land. You’re trying to say that we can’t put a new facility here? Because this is
wetland?
(25:29 - on walking path near practice field)
OK folks, this is going to be the end of this. We’re going to go now to the other land and look at
the other properties that we can build our high school on, because educated people know their
choices. We own all the woods here [motioning towards the woods between the walking path
and Corcoran Road], the Alumni Field is in the back, the Hallenborg Ice Rink is right here, there’s
our existing school, and there’s our existing fields. You mean to tell me we couldn’t build it
over here, knock that down, utilize the Alumni Field which we already have, or rebuild part of
the school? I don’t know. But we’re going to be voting on this in November. This should not
Comment [TP35]: There is walking a
Work by Dore & Whittier in 2012, and co
KVA and Perkins + Will is that the access
insufficient for vehicular traffic.
Comment [TP36]: A plan for building
existing high school site would maintain
Field parcel as school athletic fields in so
capacity.
Comment [TP37]: A new high schoo
located on the existing site, in the fields d
behind the high school. The Alumni Field
conducive for siting a building because o
associated with vehicular access.
Comment [TP38]: Not accurate; the
closest to the Hallenborg are part of a prparcel.
Comment [TP39]: No one associated
project is saying that we can’t do exactly
one of the options that is being explored
feasibility study.
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be a race to get this thing. We need a new high school, or we need a rebuilt high school. But
we should be prudent in looking at our options, getting the best value, and we want this schoolto last after we’re gone. I know I want this school to be here for at least another 100 years.
Let’s make it a great school. Let’s make it last 100 years. We have to think of our future, our
future generations. We’re going to be paying for it, let’s have something that’s we’re going to
get our money worth. Thank you.
I’m going to run up one more time to show you now the back of this school. Plus we own all
the way down there. This is a big, big land.
(26:51 – back of practice field; no audio)
(27:03 – parking lot behind Memorial Building, near baseball field)
So folks, the Parker, the new Parker School is across the street. Here’s River Street’s out there,going down the hill. Again, here’s the back of our existing high school. We just put these
windows in – we needed them. And there’s the old gym, and it goes all the way out; our land
goes all the way out to that white house [on Good Street]. The street in front of that white
house. All the way to the other side of the Hallenborg, all the way to the corner, all those
woods are ours, and the Alumni Field which is below is ours.
So, I mean, we have a high school here. We took this land eminent domain. It doesn’t mean
we have to keep it here, but you know what? I think most people want it here, and I think it’s a
great place to keep the high school with the other choices borne in mind. If we go to Cider Mill
Road on Andover Road, I live on that road, the traffic is backed up. There’s only one access on
Andover Road. We’d have to purchase the land. There could be some; you know, I don’t know,
people have said there’s some contaminants on the land, that doesn’t have anything to do with
it. We could clean up the contaminants, but why would we want to? Our high school has beenhere, and I think it’s a great location. We have three streets to access this road from, this high
school from – River Street, Boston Road, Good Street, and it’s in a prime location, and, I think
it’s a wonderful site for the high school and I hope we vote to keep it.
(28:36 – practice field behind Memorial Building)
[George] Very shortly, he has a helicopter landing here.
[Man] Yes, bringing Santa in.
[George] Oh, my goodness.
[Man] Yes, Santa’s landing.
[George] In how long?
[Man] In about 10, 15 minutes.
[George] I can play “Here Comes Santa Claus” on my trumpet; I’ve got my van right over here. [Man] That would be good, but they just don’t want anybody on the field though.
[George] I’ll get out of here. OK. This is, we’re looking at the high school; this was taken by
eminent domain from the Lane Farm and that was a long time ago, and that’s how we ended up
Comment [TP40]: To clarify, the Cide
property access is only on Andover Road
multiple points of potential access on An
Road.
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with this building. So, anyway folks, I think we gave you the lowdown. The helicopter will be
landing here and maybe a new high school will be landing here, we don’t know yet. But we justwant you to be aware of your options. And I’m not exactly sure, but I think, right now I think
the new high school should stay, rebuilt high school with a new addition should stay here or a
new high school should be here.
(29:27 – practice field)
[Looking up at helicopter] Well, there’s Santa. Right above us. [Inaudible]
We’re at the high school [inaudible]. Kids are all waiting over there. There they are…
[inaudible]… they’re in for a treat. There they are, and there’s Santa. There he is, coming
down, we’ll zoom right in on him. Right where our new high school might be. It’s quite a
helicopter. [Inaudible] There’s Alumni Field in the back, there’s the condos right there.
[Inaudible]
(30:40 – zoomed in on Santa helicopter)
There he is. Mr. Claus is here. They’re all cheering for Santa and here he comes.
(31:13 – at back of high school, Santa with children)
[George, To young girl] Do you know what you want Santa to bring you this year?
[Girl] Yes.
[George] What is it?
[Girl, inaudible]
[George] Oh, wonderful. Have you been a good girl? [Girl nods] I’m sure you have. Well,
Merry Christmas to you.[Girl] Thank you.
[Boy comes over] Are we on TV?
[George] Not yet
(31:31 – near parking lot behind Memorial Building with Mr. and Mrs. Claus celebration; no
audible narration
(32:21 – Andover Road, across from Korean War Veterans Memorial)
So there’s Andover Road, I mean, this is Andover Road coming from the center. And here’s the
proposed site on Cider Mill Road which is the land back here from O’Connor’s back road. And
here’s our Korean War Veterans Park, and Pollard Street field. So this would be one possible
exit to the new high school, right here. Here’s a fellow walking down the road right now.
[Man] Bad exit.
[George] How are you, sir?
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[Man] Pretty good. It’s a bad exit. The traffic out here at 7:30 in the morning is terrible.
[George] I realize that.[Man] You can’t get by on a normal day, and then you’re going to add all that traffic from the
high school?
[George] Yeah, and we have 74 acres land over there; this would only be a 40 acre parcel. I’m
going to show the people of the town what’s going on and what their choices would be. But
anyway, they would; they actually talked about moving this or relocating this ball field back
there.
(33:25 – parking lot near Pollard baseball field)
There’s the land in the back over there. They have this dirt here because they’ve been utilizing
this for a work area for the center project that was delayed. There’s all the rocks that they
placed over there. But anyhow, that’s a whole other story.
We’re talking about the high school and possibly relocating the high school to this piece of land
out here between the center of O’Connor’s, Pollard Street ball field, which they say could be
moved if it had to be, and then there is Cider Mill over there. That’s what the place is called
because that’s Rome Capobianco’s house over here, and that’s the opposite side of the street,
Cider Mill, where the other exit would be. And then across the way over here is all the other
houses through the woods [Meridien Way] and that is up on, across from Tower Farm Road
which has no access to this land.
So, this is the part of the land right back there. We’re going to walk it right now. I’m going to
show you what this land…
(34:34 – other side of fence from Pollard baseball field)
So, again, this is the ball field. O’Connor’s. Pollard Street baseball field right there, which again
they say could be moved if we accommodate the high school here and buy this land. There’s
the Kids Konnection, and this is Cider Mill Road right here. This is the Cider Mill property, it’s
called, because this yellow house is the last house on Cider Mill. This is the back of Mr. Rome
Capobianco’s farm right here. And that’s Mr. Capobianco’s barn, his house, and these are some
of the…
This is the lay of the land folks. This is Cider Mill land. You can see the deep depression here.
This is the housing lot – the new houses that are off Tower Farm Road
(35:30 – on town-owned parcel, southwest of Cider Mill Way)
This is the amount of land between that house [on Meridien Way] and that house [on Cider MillWay], the area that they would like to build this on. And there’s some bees out there – you can
see – we can take a walk out there, there’s some beehives out there and it’s a flat plateau of
land over there. Some people say that there has been stuff dumped on it, I don’t know how
Comment [TP41]: This comparison is
misleading, as the 74 acres is gross acrea
40 acres is net buildable acreage from th
report. The gross acreage of the Cider M
56.6 acres.
KVA, the Owners’ Project Manager for th
school project, conducted its own analys
buildable acreage of each site. The Cide
by KVA’s calculations, has 35 available ne
This consists of 3.3 acres on town-owned
and 31.7 acres on privately-owned parce
The high school site, through KVA’s analy
broken into three areas – the land imme
behind the high school is 6.78 acres, andexisting high school building and parking
12.7 acres, for a total of 19.48 acres on t
area. An additional 12.4 acres at the Alu
back parcel was identified by KVA. This e
total of 31.88 acres on the existing high s
however, it is not contiguous as the parc
connects the baseball/practice field and
Field is not considered buildable.
Comment [TP42]: This area is part o
Cider Mill property, and the two town-ow
parcels account for only 3.3 out of the ne
of the land as a whole.
Any building would likely be sited on the
held land further to the northeast.
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true it is. But Mr. Capobianco is disputing the land that he owns, and somebody else owns it
now, or whatever. We’re not sure about who owns the land but this is the area of land thatthey would like to put it.
As you can see, this is some wetland down here for sure. We’re going down here and I’m going
to walk down there right right now, we’re going to go on the top plateau over there, which on
the other side of this plateau is the Whiffle Tree. That’s the land that runs down to the Whiffle
Tree because don’t forget we’re at the top of the center here. This is Andover Road and
O’Connor’s, the ball field, there’s the Congregational Church, you can see right through there,
and the Unitarian Church, and the high school’s right – the existing high school on 74 acres of
land – is right up the street on River Street, Boston Road, and Good Street access.
(36:56 – on town-owned parcel, southwest of Cider Mill Way)
Now, there’s Mr. Rome Capobianco’s fields, his lower fields here . He grows squash and variousthings on it down to there, and again you can see how this is a bowl down here. This land –
looks like there’s an electric fence here – and there’s the other side of the street and you can
see how the land is actually, we’re in a valley here.
There’s the house, over there [Meridien Way], it’s at the bottom of the hill, and then again,
there is the ball fields right up here, and O’Connor’s; Mr. Rome Capobianco’s house and I don’t
know if they’re trying to get this land, if – they couldn’t put anything in here, I don’t think – and
I’ll show you why. We’ll walk down here right…
(37:50 – on Cider Mill Way)
So this is Cider Mill Road right here. That’s Andover Road right here, that historic home is right
there along with that house and Rome’s house and here’s his tomato farm. His lower fields aredown below there, and there’s where they would want to put the high school – somewhere
over there [camera pans from town-owned parcels southwest of Cider Mill Way to end of Cider
Mill Way]. This is the dead end road that’s here now, it ends right there. So these houses
would be accommodating the busses coming either in here and all the schools, as would this
house, that house, and these houses. This road is backed up solid in the morning.
(38:35 – Andover Road at intersection with Cider Mill Way)
My house is down there, I should get my house, there it is – it’s right at – there is where the
road spins off to Pond Street and Andover Road. Pond Street goes to the left, Andover Road
goes to the right. The Whiffle Tree is down there.
So this is where the only access to the new high school would be right here. This is Cider MillWay, there’s the sign right there, if you can read that, I don’t know, where is it – Cider Mill Way
right here on it. There’s my house down there, it’s at least five houses away. All these other
historical homes are here, which it doesn’t matter that they’re historic. Here’s Rome’s farm,
Comment [TP43]: Sunrise Developm
Corporation owns these parcels; that is a
that has been resolved.
Comment [TP44]: In late summer 20
parcels were flagged for wetlands as part
work on the Cider Mill site approved by t
School Building Committee; these areas
as wetlands have been removed from th
acreage of the site to determine the net
Comment [TP45]: This is town-owneparcel 51-74.
Comment [TP46]: This is town-owne
not Mr. Capobianco’s fields. Furthermor
school building itself would likely be loca
to the northeast, and not on parcel 51-7
Comment [TP47]: The traffic study h
been conducted, nor have any plans bee
that show where bus traffic would poten
into and out of the Cider Mill site. Cider M
one of three potential access points to th
Comment [TP48]: Not true. The thr
access points are at the entrance to the K
Veterans Memorial, Cider Mill Way, and
there parcel directs reaches Andover Roa
Pond Street.
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Price Farm right here. There’s the center, there’s the other exit, right there [Korean War
Veterans Memorial], my van is at the other exit. I’ll try to zoom on it, it’s way up there behindthat truck. There’s my van back there, that’s at the Korean War Veterans, right there.
So, that would be one exit right there, one entrance or exit for the high school, and then the
other exit would be – and by the way right now, there’s not much traffic here – this road is
solidly , solidly backed up all the way from the center in the morning, all the way to Pond Street.
I live right there, in that white house behind those bushes, and the traffic is back in front of my
house every morning. So I don’t know how the school would be – would have accessibility –
coming into here.
And like I say, people say it’s because I don’t want it here because it’s in my neighborhood,
that’s not true. I do love this piece of land, though; it’s a beautiful piece of land. And there’s
the farm right there, that’s Rome’s house, and then there’s the other neighborhood. You can
see the house right there, that’s on Tower Farm [Meridien Way], the devel opment behindTower Farm Road, which is right down there, so.
I mean if you did put – that land is a beautiful piece of land. This land goes all the way to the
center, it’s on a walking trail - the Bay Path Walking Trail Circuit, has deer, wildlife out there,
and that goes all the way down to the Whiffle Tree. And then from the Whiffle Tree is the
cemetery. And if you cross over there, you can pick up the Bay Circuit; it goes that way. The
Bay Circuit Trail will go all the way to the town dump and along the canals. So, this is a very
important piece of land that we have here. Never mind that it’s a poor location and we would
have to buy it, but it’s just – it’s a shame to waste a piece of land that is possibly, it has
carcinogens and pollution on it, which I’m not positive of it, but also besides that, even if it
doesn’t, it’s a beautiful piece of land so we’re going to walk it and look at it.
(41:19 – on Cider Mill Way)
This would be the entrance here and you know, people have said that people have dumped
things in here over the years but we don’t know how true that is, but it’s a lot of wildlife living
out here. This is a 40-acre building parcel that they’re talking about
(41:33 – end of Cider Mill Way, walking onto property)
And this is the dead end of Cider Mill right here, this house again and across the way again is
Rome’s farm. He’s trying to get his sign out and he wants to try to save, somehow keep his
farm alive here. But anyway, there’s the ball field across the way and there’s the bowl land.
Now, we’re going to walk into the Cider Mill land. And this is the area, I guess, that they would
want to build it. I don’t know where they would want to build it.
I’m trying to keep the camera, I’m trying to keep the camera still folks. There’s Rome’s old
trailer.
Comment [TP49]: Traffic studies wil
conducted on both the existing high scho
the Cider Mill site as part of the feasibilit
Comment [TP50]: In 2014, some env
testing was done on the town-owned pa
environmental testing was done on the p
owned parcels in the late 1990s. None o
results indicate that the land would be ruenvironmental concerns, but additional t
warranted if Cider Mill is determined to b
educationally appropriate, cost effective
Comment [TP51]: The building woul
located on the largest Cider Mill Parcel, 5
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(42:18 – on dirt path, extended from Cider Mill Way)
They did do boring holes here. The town and the School Building Committee, or somebody
authorized building, digging holes. This is probably where they would put the land, I mean the
high school I guess, I don’t know. There is where people have dumped things over the years.
And this is where they might utilize this land.
Here is where they did the boring holes. They did the boring holes, I’m going to show you
exactly where the boring holes were dug. I’m walking down now to show you where the town
did the boring holes. I walked out here and observed them digging this.
Now there’s the ball field, there’s a better; there’s O’Connors, there’s the center, you can see
the steeple over there, and there again, Rome’s farm is over here, part of it. You can see the
bowl of the land right here, how it dips down. Here’s where they dug the hole – one hole –
right here. They had a machine in here digging for core samples right here. This is where it wasdug.
There was one dug here, there was one dug right over there, on the edge of this hill for some
reason. I don’t know why it was dug here. There was nothing dug up there, where that land is.
Those are the houses over there [Meridien Way], they’re very close. Over here, over here it’s a
dead end over there and that goes up to St. Theresa’s building in the back over there. So the
core samples that they dug was one of them was right here - again, there’s Rome’s fields – and
there is his house, that’s his brown house right there. And there is Cider Mill Way right here,
that’s where the road ends. And you see, now we go up the land here. There’s some upland
coming over here.
(44:17 – on town-owned parcel)
This was another boring hole right here. Again, it’s on the edge of this land. There’s some
bees, some honey hives over there, and again there’s the house right there. And then there’s
the other houses, I’ll pan across – I don’t want to get you sick – the other houses are right here,
you can see through the woods there, and there’s the roof of the other one if I go right over
there, of that house and that house. Again, again pan across slowly, there’s the beehives,
Rome’s, the trailer or whatever, and the end of Cider Mill Road right here. Cider Mill, Rome’s
farm, the center, right up.
(45:04 – on town-owned parcel behind Pollard baseball field)
OK, so I’m walking now behind the ball field and we have all these brush growing. And there’s
definitely standing water here, you can see that I’m stepping in it right now. This is the back of
Rome’s farm, and here’s the houses, the dead end street is here [Meridien Way]. Most of thehouses are up on a higher hill there. And we’re coming around here, you know, there’s water
over here – oh, Jesus – so, you know, this is what we have back here. I don’t really think this is
too buildable.
Comment [TP52]: The High School B
Committee authorized this work on July
The area of the borings is on the town-ow
parcels and is not where the building wo
sited.
Comment [TP53]: This in reference t
parcels held privately by Sunrise; the tow
have authorization from Sunrise to cond
on their land. If Cider Mill is identified as
preferred option, additional environmen
will be done on this portion of the site.
Comment [TP54]: True. This is the a
was flagged as wetlands by Pare in summ
and is excluded from the net acreage of t
Mill property.
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This is the dead end of the land off of Tower Farm Road right here. And you can see that this iswetlands. So, St. Theresa’s is up there – there’s actually a stream moving through here, you can
see the water flowing downward and there’s some kind of culvert there.
(46:22 – on town-owned parcel, southwest of Cider Mill Way)
There’s some pink markers, I don’t know what that’s for but as you can see, I mean, there’s my
foot, I’m not going that way. So now we’re going to come back up. There’s the trailer that I
talked to you about.
There’s the ball field, the center, a boring. You can hear the kids from the Kids Konnection.
And I’m coming up to the higher ground now. Which on the back of this land here, I’m sure I’m
going to get some of these balls [burrs] on my sweater.
(46:56 – on town-owned parcel, southwest of Cider Mill Way)
Now, we’re climbing up to the higher elevation here. And, like I say, Tower Farm is to the right,
Andover Road is to the left. All this land goes down here. There’s Rome’s, Rome’s farm over
there and here. He’s got his [inaudible]. Here’s one of the boring sites, right here. This is
where the town came in and dug up and tested the samples for the new school. So clearly,
they’re already underway of assessing this, only they dug right along here though. When they
did assess the land, so far they’ve only dug along this ridge. There’s the bees, they’re all
sleeping now.
We’re going to be voting on this new high school within 10 months. And we’re going to get one
plan. Do you want the school to stay where it is and utilize the 74 acres of land, or do you want
to come over here and use this land? That’s the question.
If you use this land, or we use this land for a new high school, how would the fields fit here?
You have a high school – like I say, there’s the development – this is the top land, this is the top
of the hill right now. Again, here’s Cider Mill, here’s the yellow house we’ll use for reference at
the end of Cider Mill. There’s Rome’s trailer, there’s the beehives, there’s the dip that goes
down on that land up to the ball field in the center. So, I don’t think you can build much down
there. I don’t even think you could have a high school football field there. You could have one
over here, I guess and then, like I say, there’s the houses right there through the woods of the
development off the other road.
Now, another question is what was dumped here? There was things dumped here for years
and we don’t know what was dumped here. Maybe it’s nothing. But maybe it is more than
nothing, I don’t know. There’s some builders that stayed away from this land.
Anyway, on the other side over here is the Whiffle Tree. That’s the Whiffle Tree right down
that hill and that would be - all this would be hot topping. Is this – why is this such a great site
Comment [TP55]: The pink markers
wetland delineation markers from Pare f
summer 2014.
Comment [TP56]: Some of this land
Capobianco’s; some of this land is town-
Comment [TP57]: This portion of the
likely not be used for much in terms of fi
has the narrowest usable portion. It wou
used for vehicular access.
Comment [TP58]: Environmental tes
required to be conducted on the preferr
wherever it is.
Comment [TP59]: This is inaccurate.
majority of the 31.7 net usable acres of p
held land on the Cider Mill site is in this d
and it would be used for a combination o
parking, fields, etc.
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though? Other than the site that we have? You know, maybe it is good, I don’t know. But I
don’t think that… we’d have to buy this land, we’d have to develop this land. It’s 40 acres andyou know, there’s standing water here now. There’s a lot of – the Bay Path walking trail goes
right through here, that’s where it goes, down to the Whiffle Tree from here. So, I mean, I think
it’s a beautiful piece of land to preserve, but you know, it’s already zoned for 150 townhouses,
taxable income, so if we bought it, we would have to spend the extra money to buy this land.
And we already own the high school, 74 acres of land.
Anyway, I think we’ve seen enough. We’re just going to go look at the other side of this land
and we’re going to look at what’s down at the bottom of it. I think it’s a beautiful piece of land
to preserve, but you know, it’s already zoned for 150 townhouses, taxable income, so if we
bought it, we would have to spend the extra money to buy this land. And we already own the
high school, 74 acres of land. Anyway, I think we’ve seen enough. We’re just going to go look
at the other side of this land and we’re going to look at what’s down at the bottom of it. This is
where our new high school could be. We would have to buy the land and, you know, like I say Idon’t see the great advantage of having to buy the land. We don’t get the money for the high
school to knock it down, which they say we have to knock it down, we can’t rebuild it – I don’t
know how true that is either – but, whatever. I’m not trying to undermine any School Building
Committee, the superintendent, the manager, or the town folk. But I don’t - I want our
residents to have an option.
(51:57 – Whiffle Tree entrance)
As you can see behind me, there’s the sign for the Whiffle Tree. I think it’s behind me, I can’t
see that well. Anyway, the Whiffle Tree is behind me right now. Andover Road is right here
and we’re going to just look at the watershed here. This is – if the high school was, that land
was all developed, the 40 acres at the top of the hill, this is what the end of that land was.
Behind Cider Mill, this is where, the hill where it goes down to is right here. I’m going to showyou. That’s where the high school would be built, up there, and we’ll see what’s going to
happen. So, I’m just going to show you this. This would be the bottom of the hill from Andover
Road. We’re at Andover Road now. By the way, the Bay Circuit Walking trail goes along this
path.
This path, could utilize this too. It’s one of the last pieces of land that has an opportunity to
house any animals on it. And I think it’s incumbent upon us to try and preserve it, or at least
minimalize development. But that has nothing to do with what we’re talking about.
So, I want to go back and say, here we are, folks, at the Whiffle Tree. Andover Road is right
here and this is the back side of the center. If the high school is going to be built, it will be built
up there. And I just want to show you what it could impact.
Comment [TP60]: During this statemcamera is panning over the town-owned
this is not where the high school building
located.
Comment [TP61]: We encourage all
come to High School Building Committee
to express their opinions – the options th
developed require public input.
8/9/2019 Piwowar's Response
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/piwowars-response 17/18
(53:27 – Whiffle Tree along Andover Road, near spring sign)
This is what this place is called – Old Indian Springs. There’s Andover Road, right here. And the
new high school, if we did buy this land, would be built right on top of this hill. It’s going to lead
us up to Cider Mill property. Let’s go look at it.
(53:53 – Whiffle Tree property)
So again, we’re going to go down and look. That’s where you can buy the water here. This is
the little gift shop they have. And again, here’s Andover Road, the back of Andover Road right
here. And Whiffle Tree right behind me. So, I hope you’re not getting sick off this.
I’m trying to present to you our options for the high school. We’re going to be paying for it for
25, 28 years we’re going to pay a debt exclusion for the average house of 200 -something
dollars. And we need the best school we can get with the best location. I will not advocatevoting for something that’s not in the best interest of our future, and of our res idents now.
So this is the Whiffle Tree, and this is where the high school will be built, up on that hill or
somewhere...
(54:40 – Whiffle Tree property)
Here we are at the bottom of Andover Road. Here’s the pool, the clear water. And there’s the
Whiffle Tree house where you can buy the water, over there. And here’s the stream coming
down from there. It’s an underground, I believe, too, part of it, but you can see this right here.
That stream coming in too.
There’s the hill, that’s where the high school would be built, up on top of there. And this is theWhiffle Tree, right over here. This is the bottom of Andover Road. That’s a dead end with
some houses over there [Zackney Drive]. And we’re going to take a walk on the back land now.
I’m going to move, I’m making you sick from this camera, we’re going to go behind that building
and walk up the hill.
(55:33 – Whiffle Tree property)
Here’s the stream coming down from the hill to Whiffle Tree, right here. Clear water, and that’s
coming into this pond and that’s where you buy the water right over there. This is very, very
clear water and we’re going to keep walking, we’re going up, now to over here.
This is the Whiffle Tree where you buy things. But more importantly than buying things,
there’s, I’m following this, the water supply here. It’s coming down from the top of the hill.
And this is the bottom of Andover Road, folks, here. I’m behind the Whiffle Tree property now;
we’re going up the hill. Come on. [Walking up hill]
8/9/2019 Piwowar's Response
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/piwowars-response 18/18
And this is, it’s a hill. Let’s face it. Where the trailer is over there, that is a flat land. But therest of this is pretty much a hill. This is where the Bay Circuit trail goes along, in here. And
there’s the top of the hill, you can see a house over there.
(57:25 – on hill behind Whiffle Tree)
I don’t want to jeopardize this water. It’s one of the small pieces of land that we have left here.
So, I wouldn’t want to jeopardize this water. We’re coming down the hill of Andover Road and
this is the back of the Whiffle Tree, right here. I’m going to turn this camera around so I can see
it.
Anyway, we’re coming back down the hill from Andover Road. And this is where the bottom of
the hill ends up. It ends up right here, and like I say, Cider Mill is up at the next top. This is a
great asset that Billerica has here, the Whiffle Tree, where you can buy water and [inaudible]…keep our resources intact.
So, again, this is the bottom of Andover Road, and Bay Circuit path, the cemetery’s across the
street, it leads up here which means we could have a bike trail, walking trail, and it goes up
there. So, you know, I don’t want to mix apples and oranges, but there’s a lot to be said about
preserving this site and this watershed. There’s not much natural resources left. Who’s going
to protect them? I don’t know. There’s not much left to protect. That’s why I’m making this
video and trying to illustrate to you, whatever choice that you want to do when you vote, it’s up
to you. But I’ve always believed that an educated person knows their choices and that’s all I
want to bring to you.