Last Night re. Arthur St parcel

[NICOLA CATALDO]

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to those North F'ham neighbors who attended last night's meeting and showed support for the preservation of this South F'ham land.  It is this kind of solidarity that will allow us to prevail.  After all, no matter which side of town one lives on, the other side is your backyard.   Selectman last night voted to delay efforts to sell off this land until the Open Space Committees from both Framingham and Natick have had a chance to review the options.  This in itself is a victory since it appeared at one point that there was a movement to sell off the parcel quickly and quietly.  I do hope someone else who attended that meeting might elaborate but due to lack of time I will only hit the highlights here:   - In a straw poll about 50 of the 60 concerned citizens in attendance voted to preserve the 20+ acres as open space under the auspices of F'ham.  And yet immediately following the vote Chairwoman Esther Hopkins remarked that the public appeared divided on the question.   - There was audible objection from the audience when F'ham Selectman Chas. Sisitsky, an employee of the Town of Natick,  proposed that some of the land might be used for the development of low income housing if it were turned over to the Town of Natick.  Natick has no funds to purchase the land but would accept it as a gift.    - There was minority discussion about selling the land to cover budget deficits in the hope of preventing tax increases and another override.  But in response to questions from Selectman John Kahn, Town Mgr Geo. King revealed that funds from the sale of this land to any party cannot be used to cover operation expenses, but must be earmarked for acquisition or improvement of capital.    - N. Cataldo