By Nate Leskovic
Times Staff
01/31/08
A public meeting last week presenting plans to build the new animal shelter at the DPW yard brought more questions than answers as residents expressed concerns about the move and the future of the yard and the town farm.
Town Administrator Kevin Mearn, Planning Director Bill Clark and DPW Director Walter Heller presided over the tense meeting proposing the Randolph Avenue location for the Milton Animal League’s (MAL) new $2.5 million shelter. The current building on Gov. Stoughton Lane at the town farm is deteriorating.
There were few questions about the details of the new shelter, but many about the intention to move it and future possibilities for the DPW yard and the town farm.
Neighbors near the DPW yard fear development on Randolph Avenue due to property owned by Milton Centre LLC, which unsuccessfully proposed a shopping center for the area two years ago.
Mearn said Heller could soon start a feasibility study to fix up the DPW yard, and that the shelter would act as an “anchor” to help assure that the DPW yard remains a town facility.
“My sense is that the DPW yard will remain a DPW yard for a very long time,” he said.
“The (proposed animal shelter) land doesn’t involve any of the Milton Centre LLC land,” said resident Richard Shea.
“I think it enhances the opportunity for a mall to come in,” said resident Gene Irwin.
Residents of Indian Cliffs, which borders the town farm are wary of new development in their neighborhood, too.
The attendees supported a new animal shelter, but by a show of hands were overwhelmingly in favor of keeping it at its current location. Some questioned why Selectmen, who will make the decision on the shelter’s location, did not attend the meeting. Others were upset that additional locations, such as the access road to the old dump were not presented to the public for consideration.
“If you’re talking about the pros and cons of this property (DPW yard), you should talk about the pros and cons of other pieces of town property,” said resident Ella Welz.
“It’s difficult,” said MAL President Nancy Bersani. “Literally, the building will fall apart. I fought to stay there, but had to come to the realization that we don’t have the luxury of time to stay there.”
“As it is, we can’t stay where we are,” said Erica DeMarco of MAL. “If people want it to stay, they need to get the right people to make it happen.”
The 32-acre town farm—Gov. Stoughton trust property—must be used for “the poor” of Milton, according to Stoughton’s will. Selectmen are the trustees of the property, and any use of the land must receive the blessing of the attorney general and approval in court.
Officials have met with Assistant Attorney General Johanna Soris and say she will only support a new animal shelter at the site if the town presents a plan for using the rest of the property. Soris’ comments are not in writing.
Selectmen are in the process of forming a committee to study possibilities for the town farm.
“It sounds like something is afoot,” said resident Kevin Burke. “It’s suspicious. Please be careful. People are very, very wary.”
Bob Sweeney, Indian Cliffs Neighborhood Association president, questioned why a proposal for a new school at the town farm went through Town Meeting in 2000. (The plan was later dropped in favor of rehabilitating existing buildings.)
“We approved a plan with no legal questions asked,” he said. “Why can you build an 80,000 square-foot school, but not a new animal shelter?”
After residents requested, Mearn said he would ask for a written opinion from the attorney general’s office.
Others suggested the town take a portion of the town farm by eminent domain or that Selectmen, as trustees, donate part of it to the town.
“The trustees have let (MAL) stay there for 30 years, now all of a sudden things change?” asked Shea. “Selectmen want to kick (MAL) out because the value of the land is more without (the shelter) there…It’s all planned and its all connected. It’s the behind the scenes stuff that’s disappointing.”
The proposed 8,100 square foot shelter, which will be paid for by donations, is about three times larger than the current building. It will hold the same number of animals as the current building, is designed to suppress noise, and will have a ventilation system that eliminates the need to open windows.
The building will have separate spaces for new animals and sick animals, and room for training sessions. MAL will cover all construction costs, though the facility will be owned and maintained by the town.
The old shelter is too small, and has problems with cages, ventilation, heating and mice.
The next public meeting on the proposal will be Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. in the senior center.