Burlington Letter To The Editor Roundup: Town Election

BURLINGTON, MA — The following letters were submitted to Burlington Patch by residents.

To submit a letter to the editor email chris.huffaker@patch.com.

The town election is Saturday. There are contested races for Board of Selectmen, town clerk and Shawsheen Tech School Committee, among other seats.

Previously on Patch:

• Burlington Election Final List: Dozens Run For Town Offices
• Letter To The Editor Roundup: Burlington Town Election
• Letter To The Editor Roundup: More Endorse Shari Ellis
• Letter To The Editor Roundup: More Burlington Election Views
• WATCH: Burlington Town Election Candidate Forums
• Burlington Letter To The Editor Roundup: Town Election And More
• Burlington Election: Letter From Candidate Shari Ellis
• Burlington Letter To The Editor Roundup: Town Election Views

Letter from resident Barbara Arnold:

As a Burlington resident, it is my pleasure to endorse Amy Warfield for Burlington Town Clerk in the April 10th Election.

When we moved to Burlington almost two years ago, the Town Clerk's office was one of our first contacts. Amy Warfield was not only very knowledgeable about all aspects of the town, but also welcoming and supportive. Her history of 10 years as Town Clerk gives her the experience to manage all that this position entails, as well as, the foresight to see and assess opportunities for Burlington's future.

Amy Warfield has been our "go to person" for Burlington. She has proven herself to be a wonderfully responsive resource for the Burlington Community and represents the town very well.

Please vote for Amy Warfield for Town Clerk on April 10th.

Barbara Arnold
Burlington, MA

Letter from Planning Board Chair Barbara L'Heureux:

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to a letter published on Wicked Local by Michael Runyan on April 5, 2021 about a proposed friendly 40B project on Richardson Road, known as Winnview Heights II. There is a factual error in the letter that, as Chairperson of the Planning Board, I feel compelled to address. Before writing this letter, I reached out to Mr. Runyan for a discussion, but have not yet received a reply.

In his letter Mr Runyan states that during the 40B review process, "not one department responded with any concerns.” That is incorrect. The planning department expressed concern about this proposal on multiple occasions. We expressed these concerns to Town Manager Paul Sagarino, Town Counsel Lisa Mead, Attorney Tom Murphy, the acting Building Inspector and to the Chair of the Board of Appeals (BOA). We were not given access to the plans and thus were unable to comment in specific detail, but we expressed general concerns, and concerns about possible issues with easements. No plan was ever circulated to the town departments until December 2020, long after the proposal had received approval to move forward from the Board of Selectmen (BOS) and the State of Massachusetts.

Furthermore, I personally attended the BOS meeting in January 2020 at which this matter was briefly discussed. At that meeting, no plan was shown or discussed and no public comment was allowed. I raised my hand to comment but Chairman Morandi denied me the opportunity to speak. There were at least two other attendees that I know of at that same meeting who were similarly silenced. If I had been allowed to speak, I would have shared with the BOS that I had serious concerns about this project and I would have requested that the BOS not support the request.

This proposed project has been submitted to the BOA for approval. The BOA, under a 40B project, steps into the shoes of all town departments. The BOA must consider impacts on the neighborhood, traffic, and environment as well as over 30 waiver requests. The project is not approved. We anticipate the BOA will reach out to the planning board and department as they move through the review process. It is my sincere hope that all town boards, including the BOS, will support both the BOA, and the residents affected, as they carefully consider whether this project is beneficial to the neighborhood and the Town.

Barbara L’Heureux
Chairwoman, Burlington Planning Board

These letters were produced by Burlington residents. The views expressed are the authors' own.