To the editor:
I am writing this letter in several capacities – as a current Burlington resident, a former town selectman, and a recent retiree.
As a former town official, I felt obligated to take the time to acquaint myself with the materials that have been made available via the web site and through the various public forums, and I can tell you that I have come away impressed with the amount of effort, creativity, and thoroughness that your elected and appointed public officials have put into this.
Only someone who has served as a selectman can understand how difficult it is to satisfy the needs and demands of all of the different interests in the town. This is made especially difficult when we are working under a state-imposed mandate that severely limits our options.
Unfortunately, in my terms as a public official, I learned that we will not succeed at fighting the state on this issue. All you need to do is look at the housing development behind the Post Office, on what used to be an open meadow, to see what happens if the town gambles again and loses.
In its simplest terms, if the Town Meeting approves the land swap, we are going to end up:
(a) preserving our beautiful Town Common and preventing a housing development from being constructed on it under the state’s comprehensive permit law;
(b) controlling further development on Mountain Road in such a way so as not to overburden that neighborhood with traffic;
(c) provide senior affordable housing on two separate locations in town. Additionally, we are going to generate new tax revenues to help pay for our new schools.
As a resident and retiree, I believe I speak for many people in my age group who would love to have the opportunity to make this choice to stay in Burlington and be near their children when and if the time comes that a decision is made to no longer stay in their family home. This proposal provides us with that opportunity.
It is my opinion that the town should take control of its own destiny. This is what home rule is all about, and this is good public policy!
Is this a perfect solution? Probably not.
Would it be better not to have to react to a threat from the state? Absolutely! Is this the best we can do under the circumstances? I firmly believe that it is, and I hope that Town Meeting members will share my sentiments and vote for it.
Robert Roberto
15 Mildred Road
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