Burlington Letter To The Editor Roundup: Town Election And More

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 April 10. There is a contested race for the Board of Selectmen.
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

Letter from Burlington resident Sandra Roberto O’Doherty:

To Whom It May Concern,

It is with great pleasure and honor to support Michael Runyan for the Burlington Select Board.

Michael Runyan has shown in several ways that he has the ability, desire and leadership skills to be re-elected to serve on the Select Board.

As a Selectman, Michael has spearheaded, along with the Fourth of July Committee, the annual Fourth of July parade, which brings hundreds, if not thousands to the sidewalks of Burlington. As someone, who attends the parade every year, it is a pleasure to see the parade bring joy to the children in our town, the elderly, and everyone in between.

Pre-COVID pandemic, you could find Michael at the Burlington Council on Aging every Thursday, assisting with their weekly Bingo game. Not only does Michael assist with the Bingo game, but he also takes the time to listen to the concerns and needs of the elder community.

Michael devotes a great amount of enthusiasm, and effort into various People Helping People initiatives. These initiatives include the Wish Tree and the Pumpkin Patch. Michael’s work with The Wish Tree brightens up the Christmas season for many Burlington families in need by helping meet their basic needs, and the Pumpkin Patch brings fall joy to town, and all proceeds from this family favorite event go towards People Helping People, which provides assistance to residents of Burlington who have an emergency need for food, medicine, heat or utilities.

Michael’s loyalty and dedication to Burlington is unrivaled.

Michael is not only working to improve the Burlington we live in NOW, but he is also working towards improving the Burlington of the FUTURE.

Sincerely,
Sandra Roberto O’Doherty
Lifelong Resident of Burlington, MA

Letter from resident Virginia DiSarcina:

Dear Editor,

Concerns about how to educate our community’s children are paramount as we navigate the impact a global pandemic has had on our schools and students. Therefore, I support Christine Kim to represent Burlington on the School Committee for Shawsheen Valley Technical High School. I have known Christine as a coach, community member, and parent, and I have seen in her the qualities and qualifications needed to help shape the future of Shawsheen’s students.

Christine Kim’s background uniquely qualifies her to consider all issues that come before a school committee. When she was head coach for one of Burlington’s Pop Warner cheer teams, her leadership skills blended seamlessly with her understanding of children’s needs to create an experience that was exactly what youth sports should be. The athletes learned foundational skills, teamwork, and perseverance while parents appreciated her strong communication. Coach Chris met the needs of the team while still attending to the needs of each member individually. Christine’s investment in her community is also clear as the owner of a Burlington business. Additionally, Christine’s background in accounting will be an asset as Shawsheen’s school committee faces financial decisions and works to maximize funds to have the greatest benefit to Shawsheen’s students.

Even more important, Christine Kim is the proud parent of a Burlington High School graduate (Class of 2016) and two current high school students, one at BHS and one at Shawsheen Valley Technical High School. Having children in both a comprehensive high school and in a technical high school, Kim understands the unique needs of a technical program. She understands that high school planning is not a one size fits all endeavor and advocating for a school that is, “preparing [students] for adult life in a competitive world” (Shawsheen’s Mission Statement) takes experience with the current challenges facing students, teachers, and administrators in career and technical programs. She knows teachers, staff members, administrators, and School Committee members must balance the needs of the individual with the needs of the whole in order to ensure everyone’s needs are met.

As both a teacher at a technical high school and a Burlington parent myself, I am confident Christine Kim will bring her dedication to her community, her professional background, and her leadership skills to her work with the Shawsheen Tech School Committee. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Ginnie DiSarcina
17 Ganley Drive

Letter from Town Meeting Land Use Committee Chair Monte Pearson:

Selectmen Stifle Resident Participation

Unknown to the residents of Richardson Road, the Burlington Board of Selectmen met in regular session on March 11, 2019 to talk about a new four-story condo complex that would be crammed into their small neighborhood.

The Board reviewed documents submitted by the developer and voted to support the project known as Winn View Heights II. Their letter of support was sent to the Massachusetts state housing agency on May 4, 2019.

Note that the Board of Selectmen did not hold a public hearing, the residents of the neighborhood were not notified of or invited to the meeting – none of them knew about the proposal. In addition, no one on the Planning Board, the Planning Board staff, the Town Meeting Land Use Committee, nor the Town Meeting Moderator were told about the project.

The proposal then went to the state government, where the bureaucracy happily endorsed the project. The Burlington Selectmen, at their meeting of January 13, 2020, gave final approval. Again, there was no public hearing, no notice to residents. Again, no Town agencies were notified.

The project came before the Zoning Board of Appeals for final approval in January of 2021 and residents were finally told about the project. The on-going process before the ZBA is complicated because the developer has asked for 37 waivers including changing the site zoning from residential single family to multi-family and waiving rules about how steep a lot can be.

The residents have hired a lawyer to oppose the plan, but it is too late for other Town agencies to help them. Readers, please contact a Selectman and request that he call the ZBA and ask them to turn down this undemocratic condo project.

Monte Pearson, Chair
The Land Use Committee of Town Meeting

This letter was produced by Burlingtonn residents. The views expressed are the authors' own.