Newbury MA Concerned Taxpayers

05/13/2025

TOWN ELECTIONS TODAY. Please take the time to get to the polls and vote DANA PACKER to remain on the SelectBoard. The Town needs a strong voice for the taxpayers.

05/07/2025

'I'm looking for a consensus builder'

Select Board candidates get along at public forum

By Lisa Rinaldi

» Correspondent

NEWBURY — The two candidates for Newbury's Select Board may not agree on everything, but they concur about two key facts: Newbury is a great place to live and, like many communities, the town is facing tough challenges ahead.

Incumbent Dana Packer and challenger Patrick Heffernan faced each other at Monday's candidates forum, co-sponsored by the Newbury Council on Aging and The Daily News of Newburyport. Moderated by Daily News editor Dave Rogers, the forum drew around 30 residents to the town offices on Kent Way. Rogers posed questions submitted in advance by voters, along with some of his own.

"I want to hear why the candidates are choosing to run, and I want to hear who's going to be collaborative but firm in their convictions," said resident Dale Williams before the hour-long forum kicked off.

"I'm looking for a consensus builder."

After the forum, Williams added, "It was a great debate. The Select Board should be leading. There's been a divide on the board, but they should be consensus builders."

Byfield resident Kathy Collins described herself as "just curious" before the event, and was looking for the two candidates to provide an indication of "what direction the town is heading in."

The quiet, polite audience mirrored the congenial tone of the proceedings. The notion of consensus-building was emphasized by both Packer and Heffernan. Packer told the attendees he seeks "robust discussion and debate" on the Select Board, and both men described themselves as collaborators and praised the performances of Town Administrator Tracy Blais and other members of the Select Board.

"I think she's done a great job," Packer, who has been on the Select Board for three years, said.

When asked about criticism Blais has received from some members of the community, Packer acknowledged the complaints.

"I try to avoid disagreeing just for the sake of disagreeing," Packer added.

For his part, Heffernan indicated that he'd be "happy to listen to anyone."

"But being critical without a solution is different than offering a solution," he said, adding he looks forward to learning from current Select Board members.

Rogers raised a number of thorny topics with the candidates, pressing the two about the town's recently adopted
flag policy pertaining to municipal buildings, the suspension of the Triton school resource officer program and the demise of the Pink House.

Both Packer and Shanahan supported the decision of the Select Board to adhere to the current flag policy, with both men endorsing the idea of revisiting the policy during future Select Board sessions. Packer and Heffernan declined to engage in any criticism of property owner U.S. Fish and Wildlife, or local officials regarding the Pink House, with both agreeing that the ultimate outcome was not what either would have wished. Likewise, the candidates concurred on the need for a dedicated school resources officer.

"We need to rebuild the public trust," Packer said, regarding the SRO program.

For his part, Heffernan advocated for exploring best practices with other member towns Rowley and Salisbury.

Heffernan, who is on the Finance Committee, told the audience about his commitment to local schools, calling supporting and improving education his top priority. He emphasized the importance of getting the state involved in funding for Triton and Whittier Tech, while Packer praised the possible campus-sharing proposal for Whittier.

While the candidates appeared to be aligned

in most areas, the most striking distinction between them lies with the impending school funding override vote, which Heffernan has supported and Packer has not.

When Heffernan challenged Packer on his plan if the override fails, Packer admitted he didn't know where he would cut, adding, "I want to pass a budget. I want to maintain level services."

Heffernan indicated that he would favor a second Town Meeting to attempt to resolve the issue if the override fails.

"Otherwise, we'll have to go into the town budget to find $400,000 to cut," Heffernan said. The candidates both expressed optimism about Newbury's future, with Packer saying, "I think we're on the right track, and I'm going to do everything I can to promote this town." Heffernan described Newbury as "a phenomenal town in a phenomenal place," and added, "I want to help this town with the challenges ahead. Getting stuff done means working towards consensus and a solution." Packer noted, "I enjoy what I'm doing, and I'm going to keep doing it."

Voting will take place on May 13.

Copyright (c)2025 The Daily News of Newburyport, Edition 5/7/2025
Powered by TECNAVIA

08/26/2024

In case you missed this in today's paper:

Comment:

Monday, August 26, 2024


State OKs controversial Newbury housing project

By Matt Petry

» [email protected]

NEWBURY – To the disappointment of local officials, the state on Thursday formally approved plans for Village at Cricket Lane, a 24-unit Chapter 40B development off Pearson Drive.

Village at Cricket Lane, formerly known as Byfield Estates, first proposed the project in 2019 which would see the homes built on 15 acres behind Pearson Drive. Many of the residents of the more than 60 homes on Pearson Drive voiced opposition to the project at meetings, through written statements and by petition.

Six of the homes would be deemed affordable.

For more than a year, the project underwent significant and comprehensive review by Newbury's regulatory boards and commissions. However, the Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously approved a comprehensive permit for the project on March 18, 2021.

The comprehensive permit law, or Chapter 40B, allows a developer to build more densely than would otherwise be allowed in any municipality where less than 10 percent of its housing is considered affordable — meaning it could be purchased or rented by a household making up to 80% of the median income for the area. For Newbury, that would be $96,250 for a four-person household.

Roughly eight months later, the Conservation Commission shot down the idea after six months of debate over vernal pools and stormwater management plans. Vernal pools are seasonal depressional wetlands, according to epa.gov.

"The Conservation Commission felt as if there was a vernal pool there and they felt as if there were some concerns with the order of conditions," Select Board Chair Alicia Greco said, in a Friday phone interview. Developers appealed to the state Department of Environmental Protection, which issued a superseding order of conditions. "They hired somebody else to go out and look at it and it was determined that the vernal pool wasn't there," Greco said. Newbury officials however appealed the station decision.

On Aug. 14, town officials were told by the Mass Housing Finance Agency (Mass-Housing) that the project has received final approval and that a comprehensive permit to begin work has been issued. "We are deeply disappointed by the DEP's determination. Newbury officials reviewed all information before them and made impartial decisions in the best interests of the neighborhood and town," Greco said in a statement. "Our attention will turn to ensuring that the developers comply fully with the order of conditions."

Greco elaborated on why the town has been against the proposal since the beginning. "The Town of Newbury has a housing production plan, and our housing production plan does not identify this location as a potential site. and the reason why it wasn't identified was because we felt as if the infrastructure, much of the roadway and stuff was not sufficient to handle a project of this size," Greco said. She said no timeline for the project has been given.

Daily News Editor Dave Rogers contributed to this report.

Matt Petry covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: [email protected].

Below is the Newbury Housing Plan:

https://www.townofnewbury.org/planning-board/pages/housing-production-plan

A Housing Production Plan (HPP) is a community's proactive strategy for planning and developing affordable housing.

08/08/2024

In Monday's Newburyport Daily News, this article about the Newbury Administration, finally coming to terms with landlord R.J.Kelly, for the use of office space in his property for our Town Hall and Council on Aging. A few spins by the Town Administrator were noticed in the article, regarding why the Town is needing to lease this space instead of being in our own building.

Of most significant is that Ms. Blais states that Town Meeting voted against a Prop 2 ½ override to fund construction a couple times. True. But in fact, the NO vote was about the lack of a good plan, AND the cost to make those plans a reality. To date, after a decade of planning, drawings, meetings, two attempts to combine departments, and digging deep for an acceptable plan, none has come from the drawing board.; and at a cost of over a million dollars in taxpayer funds. To infer it's a just money thing thats keeping a new Town Hall from happening, she's dismissing the fact that Town Meeting has appropriated $5 million+ into a dedicated Town Hall Building savings account, for the very real reason that someday, we're going to have to build one. It's not all about the money. Taxpayers have not been presented with a reasonable, responsible, and appropriate plan.

The notion of the Newbury Administration that 25 High Road is the best place to build a new Town Hall is the roadblock. For a decade. And for a million dollars in planning. It won't fit. It won't work. Before the 2023 ATM, the final plan report from the Municipal Building Committee had the 13,000 sq.ft. Town Offices building sitting on the edge of Morgan Ave. with it's 43' tall, gable end butted against the sidewalk. That was their best plan, after 10 years of planning, and it was still all wrong. And worse, the recommendation of the MBC, in it's final report, was to tear down the Grange Hall/ Town Hall building, to prepare the lot for THEIR plan. The Demolition Delay by-law would not allow it, for to demolish a building inside the historic district, an appropriate and approved plan, must be in place. The building they want, will not be appropriate, and will never be approved, for the corner lot.

We're not even going to go into the cost for the leased space quoted by TA Blais in the article; but she includes the cost of the COA lease space which is paid from ARPA funds, not Town taxpayers' funds.

05/23/2024

Very un-Dave Rogers' - like editorial in today's paper. Your tax dollars at work.

Comment:

Thursday, May 23, 2024
Pressing the argument

From the Editor

Dave Rogers

Judging solely on the last batch of press releases sent out by Newbury officials, residents may think there are only two Select Board members.

For the record, there are five: Leslie Matthews, Dana Packer, Bill DiMaio, Alicia Greco and Geoffrey Walker.

But it's only the last two, Greco and Walker, that were highlighted in the two press releases sent to The Daily News this month by the town's public relations firm.

The first release, written mostly by Walker, came out about 10 days before the May 14 general election and served as a victory lap of sorts for the two incumbents related to the imminent opening of the Plum Island public bathrooms. No other Select Board members were mentioned.

When asked about the release, Greco and Town Administrator Tracy Blais said the two were singled out because they were the only ones who were on the board from conception to unveiling. That is indeed a fact. But based on the timing and the omission of quotes from any other Select Board members, the release oozed of campaigning on the taxpayer's dime.

In case you're curious, the town pays John Guilfoil Public Relations $799 per month for as many press releases it cares to disseminate.

Walker and Greco retained their seats on the board, besting Larkin Road resident Jack Rybicki by a couple hundred votes each.

The second release (which you can read on Page A3 in today's paper) came a couple of days ago and focused on Walker being named to AgeSpan's 50 over 60 list. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the private nonprofit that connects people of all ages with caregivers, is recognizing seniors in the Merrimack Valley and North Shore whose lives inspire others. As an aside, AgeSpan representatives were among those who attended Wednesday's Memorial Day-themed breakfast at PITA Hall.

Walker deserves praise for the accolade and no doubt he is much deserving. It would be hard to name a person who cares about Newbury and his fellow citizens more than Walker.

Generally, releases like this come from the agency that does the honoring, not the municipality. and if they do come from a community, they are used to highlight a first responder, an educator, an employee or a volunteer.

I can't think of a time the City of Newburyport sent out a release (which employs the same PR firm) praising a city councilor, a School Committee member or any elected official for an award/honor bestowed by an outside agency.

As anyone who follows Newbury politics knows, the current climate is toxic. There are plenty of people who believe Greco and Walker are colluding with Blais to swindle, mislead and misrepresent taxpayers. The same people believe Matthews and Packer are the only ones truly representing them (Not too sure what folks think of DiMaio as he seems to avoid most the vitriol).

On the other side, Greco/Walker/ Blais supporters believe those grousing are being spoon-fed half-truths and exaggerations by those who don't like them in an attempt to muddy the waters and create dissent.

One may argue that Blais and others cannot let their detractors dictate or change the way they interact with the public and should continue on as if they didn't exist. But to green-light press releases that focus solely on Greco and/or Walker is only making matters worse.

The first press release is perhaps the best example of this. The town shouldn't have allowed someone running for office to write it. At the very least, the release should have been rewritten by the PR firm and contain a quote from Matthews or Packer.

The second release is far more benign in terms of creating drama, but it didn't help. In fact, I can think of a thousand better uses of taxpayer money.

Dave Rogers is the editor of The Daily News. Email him at: [email protected].

05/08/2024

What we have here is a biased report of the candidate's debate from the NDN. Everyone in Town got the Greco-Walker mailing; THEY ARE RUNNING TOGETHER. You can watch the debate by clicking this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmF56JfcdtY&list=PLOXz2PtcuxoAhu7uNToddFLzUs4im44Ge&index=17


Candidate Forum 5-6-24
www.youtube.com

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

NEWBURY

Debate gives voters food for thought

By Lisa Rinaldi. Correspondent

NEWBURY — Public restrooms, the Pink House, campaign strategy and a social media page were among the topics the three candidates for Select Board touched upon during Monday's debate at the town offices.

The debate, co-sponsored by the Council on Aging and The Daily News of Newburyport, was introduced by Council on Aging Director Cindy Currier, and moderated by Daily News editor Dave Rogers. Select Board incumbents Alicia Greco (current chair) and Geoff Walker are vying for reelection against challenger Jack Rybicki. The three are competing for two open seats. During the roughly 60-minute debate, there were moments of dissent between Rybicki and the incumbents. Although the overall tenor of the forum was civil and polite, some tension came out in the open when Greco was asked whether she and Walker were running together to keep Rybicki off the board.

Greco and Walker vehemently disagreed, with both candidates emphasizing their differing interests and areas of expertise.

"Alicia and I are very different. But by the time all our boards and committees have worked hard to bring something to us, there is one voice. Being able to work together is not a bad thing, Walker said.

Rybicki appeared unconvinced. "What they're declaring here is that they'll vote together. If they were truly independent, they wouldn't need to run together," Rybicki said.

For years, Rybicki has been moderating the Facebook group Newbury Chatter. The group, which has roughly 1,700 members, has been derided by many as polarizing and unhelpful to local politics. Others have praised it for shining a spotlight on local government.

When asked whether he would continue the group if elected, Rybicki said he would make that decision later. When Rybicki indicated that he may continue the group, his statement elicited a strong reaction from Greco. "As a collaborative board, you cannot opine in advance on a matter that comes before the board without violating ethics laws," Greco said. Rybicki, seemingly unfazed by Greco's objections, continued to tout his belief in the value of his online page, but indicated he would "look into it" if elected and would comply with any regulations regarding the matter.

Candidates disagreed on the matter of level-funding the budget, which Rybicki has advocated as part of his campaign platform. Greco quickly expressed her skepticism. "How do you propose to level-fund our budget in the face of School Committee votes, collective bargaining agreements, and cost-of-living expenses?" Greco asked Rybicki.

Rybicki responded, "Level funding means you go back to department heads and ask if they can operate with no increase in their budgets. I don't think that's unreasonable."

Walker was quick to disagree, contending, "What we've accomplished could never be accomplished with level funding."

The fate of the Pink House continues to be an issue of concern for the Newbury community, and Rogers elicited differing opinions from the candidates when they were asked for comment. Greco referenced a letter she penned in support of the Pink House remaining in its current spot. Rybicki stated, "As long as our direct public funds aren't involved, I support and applaud citizen engagement."

Rybicki and Greco again butted heads during a discussion of the Plum Island bathroom project, with Rybicki acknowledging that he pushed for a less expensive plan but now accepts "the will of the people." Greco called the bathhouse "a much-needed resource," and added, "Jack [Rybicki] fought all the votes every step of the way; he led the charge." [this is a completely false statement]

In closing statements, Greco, Walker, and Rybicki appeared to find common ground in acknowledging Newbury's ongoing fiscal challenges. Greco and Walker, as long-term members of the Select Board, applauded the board's accomplishments and their roles in moving the town forward. Walker emphasized the importance of cooperation and strong leadership, while Greco highlighted Newbury's low tax rate. Rybicki stressed his willingness to "listen and learn," and his determination to manage fiscal issues "prudently." Afterward, Rybicki described the forum as a "fair and open discussion of Newbury's issues." Plum Island resident Bob Connors watched the forum from the audience and said he appreciated anyone who runs for public office. "Two out of the three are trained, one is willing to learn. I guess the question is: Can we afford the learning curve?" Connors said. Karen Hickey of Byfield called the debate "very informative." "Listening just reinforced what I've read and who I'll vote for," Hickey said Prior to the Select Board debate, Board of Health member Elaine Byrne explained why she believes she deserves another term. Byrne is hoping to fend off Linda Murray, who was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict. Byrne, who has occupied a seat on the Board of Health since 2002 and whose term expires in May, reflected on the board's past history of being closely monitored by the Department of Environmental affairs as a result of a consent order from the state.

She also described the Board of Health's struggles to mitigate the frustrations of residents who wanted door to- door trash pickup instead of the less expensive transfer station. "People eventually came around," she said. Byrne praised the work of Health Director Deborah Rogers, especially during COVID. She voiced concerns about the use of rodenticides and the threat they pose to Newbury's pets and wildlife, and raised questions about who will be responsible for the care of the new bathrooms on Plum Island.

Byrne offered a brief history of her education and work experience and explained why residents should vote in her favor.

"I'm an educated person, and I'm the most qualified." She added with a laugh, "I'm 82, and I don't intend to quit anytime soon."

Newbury town elections take place May 14. Precinct 1 votes at Firefighter's Memorial Hall, 3 Morgan Avenue; Precinct 2 votes at Newbury Town Library, 0 Lunt St.

Roughly 40 people were on hand for the debate Monday at the town offices. KEITH SULLIVAN/ Staff photo

05/02/2024

https://youtu.be/R15zn0StH-Y?si=GzZhOC9ZPNg7DqwY

04/25/2024

As if NDN editor Dave Rogers didn't express his biased opinion enough on the front page of Wednesday's paper, he reiterates, almost word for word, the same biased ,and Pseudo-kudo-filled report on today's editorial page. Pathetic.

And where will all the relief seekers park for their quick pit-stop?

04/24/2024

Here's a local political masterpiece that NDN editor Dave Rogers submitted today. He has gone way too far, as have the Greco/Walker camp with what should have been an embracing of the DPW finally getting done with this 5 year project, and giving the incumbents all the credit and press. Pathetic. A blind man could see through this BS.