Remember all the flyers and campaign rhetoric?

The last time 40-R developer Lloyd Geisinger met with the Selectmen he came with retribution as a major theme. He was clearly angry that several citizens had filed lawsuits against the 40-R with effects on the Town, Geisinger and the State. His message was delivered loud and clear, that he would begin construction by January of 2010…despite those lawsuits. Several times he spoke of the suits in terms of being “frivolous” but a thing that had to be dealt with. He saw more exposure for those filed against the Town.

Twice Geisinger named the trio of appellants by name, Helen Gavin, Mildred Leonardi and Jennifer DiRico. Geisinger struck us as a guy who was doing all he could to curb his inner rage against the three while he named them one more time. He spoke of the economy as being on a perfect path with his goals suggesting that an upturn would occur just as he was ready to break ground. Mark Beaton, ever the 40-R optimist, chimed in that everybody would want to live near the train station. Gallagher provided the softball question as to whether the suits would delay things. “We’re moving ahead full speed” was the appropriate response. But is it full speed ahead?

We’ve heard a lot of bravado, but what has been shown to date. We know that money was short and Thorndike had to pull in $2.5 million from a local savings & loan; chump change for a $350 million project. We know that earth removal is now going to be the driving force over the coming months. That could lead to a municipal donnybrook if no site plan is presented. Lloyd says he’ll start with Condos and rentals…that accounts for 470 units (not a single family house among ‘em) or about 65% of the residential development. What is equally important is what happens along the way?

Will we be looking at wholesale gravel removal before we ever see a site plan? If the parcel is not being designed throughout the acreage what assurance will the citizenry have that future phases will ever be completed or even started? For that matter, will we ever get past the apartment construction?

It’s quickly drawing toward the 18 month mark from the 2007 Annual Town Meeting. We would ask our neighbors in town:

• Has you sewer bill gone down and do you get the feeling you will see a $275.00 reduction in charges anytime soon?
• Are we facing an override at the 2009 Annual?
• Have we seen anything from Mass Highway that provides a green light for a slip lane? Can Geisinger afford it?
• How we doing with the ball fields over the old landfill?
• Did the Indian Pond Neighborhood Association get their $100,000 blood money? So, what is new over on Raboth Road? Was it worth the alliance?
• Has Geisinger settled up with the Sewer Commissioners as to what exactly will they be doing with the plant expansion and a leaching area?
• Where are the plans for the walking trails or do expect the State to now fund them?
• Is the 100 foot ladder truck on order?
• 18 months later, do the financials still compute?
• Will we get $3,000 per unit when a building permit is pulled or when an occupancy permit is sought?
• What is a unit? Is a building with 20 apartments a single unit with 20 appartments or 20 units in a single building?

The Observer is of the opinion that what voters came to expect when 40-R Zoning was adopted by Town Meeting, will never resemble that expectation. The first construction at the sandpit will be apartments. The second wave of construction may well be more apartments. If the economic times dictate that the consumer need has shifted to apartments, then that is what will be approved with change orders supported by the Commonwealth. We may never see some of the promises that were made during the pre-Town Meeting hype. Several key people who offered enthusiastic support for the project are gone from their municipal positions. FinCom Chair, vital to the cause, gone. Environmentalist Ralph Calderero holds no key municipal position, Ron Gleason and John Haas, who had hoped to move into positions more favorable to Geisinger, didn’t. Lindsay Wilson, Chairman of the Design Standards Committee and one of Lloyd’s most ardent boot lickers, is now a partner and project manager (See where you can ascend by making nice?).

We see a slow, torturous pace in this project, much like the progress that has been the history of the pit. Changes will occur on a regular basis and more so after the gravel has been removed. By that time we will have been committed, up to our knees in it as they say. We will allow these changes while telling the average folk that they were changes for the better. Don’t believe it. Changes can only benefit the developer, and we really can’t be sure who that will be.

One thing we can all agree on; it will be entertaining, that is, until we all begin to realize what we have done.