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Conservation Comm position Statement
“A second chance to save Warren Woods,” 11/10/10 By MetroWest Daily News Guest Columnist, Carl Hakansson
Appreciation and Thanks
We were successful beyond our wildest dreams on November 29, 2010 when Ashland Town Meeting voted 579 to 14 to Save Warren Woods! It was an electrifying and emphatic statement about what Ashland's residents value.
We can all be proud that we came together to do something awesome, something that will have a lasting impact on the town and its future residents long after we are gone.
By voting to Save Warren Woods, we have inextricably linked ourselves both to Ashland's past and to future generations who will know the joys of exploring this stunning land because of what we have done.
We have many, many people to thank for generously sharing their expertise, time, energy and resources to make Monday's outcome possible. Here's our thank you list. Please know that if we forgot you, it was surely inadvertent, and we ask that you let us know so we can thank you in our next email.
Our deep appreciation and thanks to:
• The 579 residents of Ashland who came to Town Meeting and voted in favor of the purchase!
• You and all the residents who attended meetings, spoke eloquently, signed petitions, wrote letters, called people, shared ideas, talked to friends, communicated with elected officials, displayed lawn signs, wore tee shirts or pins, and participated in Warren Woods walks and events.
• The town committees and boards that voted to endorse the purchase and performed their due diligence that led to the successful vote at Town Meeting: the Board of Selectmen, the Community Preservation Act Committee, the Conservation Commission, the Finance Committee, the Historic Commission, the Open Space Committee, the Planning Board and the Town Forest Committee.
• Representative Tom Sannicandro for his op-ed piece in the MetroWest Daily News, his remarks at Town Meeting, his participation in the negotiation meeting with the Board of Selectmen and Northeastern University, and his email blast to Ashland residents.
• Senator Karen Spilka for participating in the negotiation meeting with the Board of Selectmen and Northeastern University, and for contacting Northeastern on the town's behalf.
• Bob Ford and Mass Audubon for their generous offer of $150,000 toward the purchase price, paying for the appraisal, helping to mobilize their Ashland members, and providing endless encouragement.
• The local media for helping us to keep the issue in the news for more than a year: Kendall Hatch, Rick Holmes and David Riley of the MetroWest Daily News for their reporting and editorial endorsement; Barbara Chisholm, Alex Palmer and the staff at WACA-TVfor filming and broadcasting Warren Woods events; Martin Shapiro of the Ashland TAB for his articles; and Al Porter of Directions for publishing Warren Woods articles.
• Susan Crane and the Sudbury Valley Trustees for their encouragement, support and participation in a Warren Woods information session.
• The Community Preservation Act Coalition for their guidance and information.
• The Warren Conference Center for generously allowing us to schedule multiple educational walks at Warren Woods and use their private parking lot.
• Northeastern University for being excellent stewards of Warren Woods.
• Ann Marie Pilch and George Johnson of the Holliston Open Space Committee for their encouragement and participation in Warren Woods events.
• Our merry band of extra active advocates, each for generously sharing their special expertise and doing whatever needed to be done:
– Carl Hakansson for inspiring this effort from the beginning and not letting this opportunity slip through our fingers, and for sharing Henry Warren with all of us;
– Judy Rosenthal and Greg Wands for leading multiple walks of Warren Woods, organizing lawn sign displays, hosting meetings and sharing their knowledge and resources;
– Cheri Vallone for shepherding Warren Woods through the CPA funding process, meeting with other committees and explaining the CPA to everyone;
– Jim Hanna for his impassioned remarks about Warren Woods and Ashland's history, leading the petition drive and mobilizing residents;
– Julie Nardone for writing inspiring op-ed pieces and organizing neighborhoods;
– Jim Duane and Joel Arbeitman for repeatedly speaking eloquently about the reasons why we should purchase Warren Woods;
– Ed Cavallo for helping to organize the lawn sign distribution;
– Eric Perkins for sharing his EPA expertise on an information panel at the library;
– Marlies Plaggenborg for teaching us about the Warren Woods plant life on a fall foliage walk;
– Rick Hampson for creating a video of the fall foliage walk to show people the living reasons to protect Warren Woods;
– Thom Brooks and Ace Custom Screenprinting for creating the Preserve Warren Woods tee shirts;
– Barbara Maguire of the Ashland Public Library Trustees for sponsoring the Save Warren Woods meetings at the Ashland Public Library;
– Bill Bosworth for vocally supporting Warren Woods;
– James Tsakargis for taking hundreds of magnificent photos of Warren Woods that were used to create a presentation shown at the Ashland Public Library; and
– Pixel Publishing for their exceptional graphics work to make Save Warren Woods communications look great;
• Ashland's Open Space Committee, an intelligent, tenacious and talented group of individuals who genuinely enjoys working together and worked so very hard and so very well organizing this effort:
| William Child |
Cindy Shields |
| Barry Rosen |
Roberta Soolman, chair |
| Beth Rosenblum |
Jeanne Walker |
| Judith Sallet |
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| Chris Jones (recently retired committee member) |
Thank you to the Board of Selectmen!
Despite everyone's mighty efforts, victory at Town Meeting could not have happened without the thoughtful actions and determined perseverance of the Board of Selectmen. Real estate negotiations are difficult at best. They are exceedingly difficult when having to publicly balance the expectations of a private landowner with the expectations of an entire community of buyers. The Board worked long hours and negotiated hard. We deeply appreciate all that they have done and all that they will do as the process continues to move forward.
Jon Fetherston, the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, deserves our special thanks for his unwavering and outstanding leadership throughout this process. His repeatedly stated goal was to honor citizen participation by bringing the issue to Town Meeting so the residents could decide whether or not to purchase Warren Woods. He kept his word and did so with integrity, intelligence, class and respect.
And a final thanks to Ashland's most famous citizen who saw the beauty in Ashland and wanted everyone to share in it. Thank you, Henry Warren.
Public Session at Ashland Library — Thursday, November 18, 2010
Saving Warren Woods has been an integral part of the public debate in town for nearly a year, and we want to thank you for all of your support in this effort. Everything that you have done—attending meetings, contacting the Board of Selectmen, displaying a lawn sign, participating in a walk of Warren Woods, proudly wearing a Save Warren Woods button and talking to your neighbors and friends about the importance of preserving this property—has made the difference.
Now it's time for all of us to mobilize to bring this purchase over the finish line, and we're asking for your help in making this final push.
On November 1, the Community Preservation Act Committee (CPAC) approved a proposal from the Board of Selectmen for a Town Meeting warrant article to use $5 million in Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to purchase Warren Woods. Earlier in October, the Northeastern University Board of Trustees voted to approve Ashland's $5 million offer to purchase the property.
We need you now more than ever. At the Special Town Meeting on November 29, voters will be asked to approve a warrant article to purchase Warren Woods using $5 million in CPA funds.
Only those residents at Town Meeting at the time of the vote on the Warren Woods warrant article will be able to vote, and they will be the ones who make the decision whether or not to purchase Warren Woods. A two-thirds yes vote is needed for approval.
Please put the Special Town Meeting on November 29 on your calendar now and make plans to attend the entire Town Meeting. Make a commitment to bring 10 of your neighbors and Ashland friends with you to help get the two-thirds vote we need!
We will be sending more information very soon about what you can do to prepare for a successful vote at Town Meeting and how you can help spread the word. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email info@ashlandopenspace.org.
Thank you for your ongoing support and anticipated vote at Town Meeting!
Warren Woods Fall Foliage Walk — Saturday, October 23, 2010
 Our thanks to Northeastern University's Warren Conference Center for generously allowing us to use the trails and parking lot for this walk.
Saturday, October 23
(Rain date: Sunday, October 24)
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Meet at Northeastern University's Warren Conference Center
(Chestnut Street Parking lot)
Enjoy the fall colors at Warren Woods, a spectacular piece of property in Ashland across the street from Northeastern University's Warren Conference Center. The guides for this walk will point out various native plants and explain geological features along the way.
If you've never been to Warren Woods, don't miss this opportunity for a tour of the beautiful land, wildlife and plants. Share in the beauty of this precious natural resource and bring family and friends — everyone is welcome! Light refreshments will be served after the 90 minute walk.
Please note:
1. No pets are allowed on the walk.
2. Hiking footwear, preferably waterproof, is recommended. Although the trails are fairly level, some are rutted and rocky, and could be wet.
3. Please park at the end of the parking lot near the street.
Announcement from the Board of Selectmen’s Meeting April 21, 2010
In an Executive Session meeting on April 21, the Board of Selectmen voted to make the following information public regarding the negotiations with Northeastern University to purchase Warren Woods:
1. The appraisal commissioned on the Town's behalf by Mass Audubon appraised the Warren Woods land in Ashland for $4.35 million. The land in Holliston was appraised for $350,000.
2. The appraisal stated that the value of $4.35 million was for the "highest and best use" of the property (development) if extraordinary circumstances combined to make conditions as favorable as possible (for example, no problems with permitting, no problems with site development etc).
3. The Board of Selectmen's first offer to Northeastern was for $1.5 million based on information available to them before the appraisal was completed. On April 7, the BOS voted to make a second offer to Northeastern University for $3.5 million and provide Northeastern with a copy of the appraisal to substantiate the offer.
4. The BOS was notified just before the April 21 meeting that the $3.5 million offer was not accepted by Northeastern, which believes the land is worth much more than the appraised value.
5. The BOS also made public a letter from Northeastern University dated March 25 to Lisa Mead, Ashland Town Counsel. While Northeastern rejected the Town's latest offer of $3.5 million, the BOS emphasized that Northeastern’s letter states that it is not making counteroffers to any bidders, the University has a desire to sell the property to the Town if the property is sold, and the University won't sell the property without first talking to the Town of Ashland.
6. The BOS voted during the April 21 Executive Session to keep all options open and continue to discuss the Warren Woods issue at an Executive Session meeting next week.
7. If the University and the Town of Ashland do not reach a negotiated agreement before the May 5 Town Meeting, the CPA warrant article to purchase Warren Woods will be withdrawn. The current warrant is a placeholder with no specified money amount.
For more information: view the April 21 Board of Selectmen's meeting on local cable TV, check your local newspaper and updates on this website. Read Kendall Hatch's article in the MetroWest Daily News about the April 21 BOS Meeting.
WARREN WOODS Earth Day WALK - MAY 1
 Our thanks to Northeastern University's Warren Conference Center for generously
allowing us to use the trails and parking lot for this walk.
Saturday, May 1 (Earth Day) - RAIN OR SHINE
1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Meet at Northeastern University's Warren Conference Center (Chestnut Street Parking lot)
What better way to celebrate Earth Day than to take a guided walk through Warren Woods, a spectacular piece of property in Ashland that has been the subject of much discussion in town. The guides for this walk, residents of Ashland who have enjoyed a relationship with Warren Woods for more than 20 years, will share their knowledge and enthusiasm with you. The guides will offer 2 walks: a short one and a longer one for those who are interested.
If you've never been to Warren Woods, don't miss the opportunity for a tour of this beautiful land, the wildlife and plants. Bring family and friends — everyone is welcome!
Please note:
1. No pets are allowed on the walk.
2. Hiking footwear, preferably waterproof, is recommended. Some trails are rutted and rocky, and could be wet.
3. Please park at the end of the parking lot near the street.
STATEMENT FROM ASHLAND BOARD OF SELECTMEN: APRIL 12, 2010
The Board of Selectmen previously announced the process it was going to follow in attempting to acquire certain land in Ashland owned by Northeastern University. The last step in the process was to submit any agreement to a vote of the Town through a ballot question at the Town’s annual election in May.
State law requires local ballots to be finalized thirty-five (35) days prior to the election meaning that the deadline for Ashland’s May 18th election is midnight tonight, April 12th.
At this time there is no agreement in place between Northeastern University and the Town of Ashland. Without such an agreement a question can’t be placed on next month’s ballot.
This does not mean that negotiations have concluded. In fact, the Board of Selectmen continues to have discussions with representatives of Northeastern University and has until Town Meeting to do so. What it does mean is that if an agreement is reached, the Board of Selectmen will need to re-visit the procedures it established.
The Board of Selectmen will continue to provide updates as they become available.
Read the MetroWest Daily News article on the Selectmen's statement here.
ATTEND THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN'S MEETINGS
The future of Warren Woods is extremely important to Ashland residents because it affects every aspect of the town's future: economic, environmental, historic, and quality of life.
What happens to Warren Woods will define Ashland’s future and our future!
Let's pack the room to make it absolutely clear to the Board of Selectmen that:
• We expect that the team negotiating on our behalf (Town Manager John Petrin and Town Counsel Lisa Mead) have made credible, professional, good faith offers to Northeastern University to negotiate an offer to purchase.
• We expect that the residents will make the final decision as to whether or not to purchase Warren Woods property at Town Meeting, the town's legislative authority empowered to make land purchase decisions.
• If the Board of Selectmen and its designated negotiating team did not perform as we had a right to expect, we have a right to require satisfactory answers.
Remember:
We can be passionate but must also be respectful. Personal attacks and disrespectful behavior will hurt our credibility.
Please wear your Save Warren Woods tee shirt and button to the meetings!
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SAVE Warren Woods to be an article on the Town Meeting Warrant
The Ashland Community Preservation Committee voted April 5, 2010 to put an article for the purchase of the Warren Woods on the warrant for the May 5 Town Meeting. Read about it here.
Ashland Town Commission favors purchase of Warren Woods
The Ashland Conservation Commission issued a Position Statement on Warren Woods. Read the text here.
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Wrap-up: March 4, 2010 Warren Woods Meeting
At the Ashland Public Library, representatives from Mass Audubon and Sudbury Valley Trustees and the Chair of Ashland's CPA (Community Preservation Act) Committee outlined ways the town could pay for the purchase of Warren Woods.
If CPA funds are used to purchase Warren Woods, no money is taken away from town operations or capital projects and taxes are not increased. CPA funds come from 2 sources: a 3% surtax on each Ashland real estate tax bill, which is matched by the state with funds collected from filing fees at the Registry of Deeds. CPA funds are separate and distinct from other town revenue. CPA funds can only be used for open space, recreation, historic and affordable housing projects; CPA funds absolutely cannot be used to fund town operations such as snow removal or capital projects such as public safety buildings or schools. These town operations or capital projects are funded through tax revenue, state aid or bonding and not CPA money.
 The first step in any financing package must be for the town and Northeastern University to negotiate an agreed upon sale price. Nothing can be done before that is accomplished. Once the town and Northeastern agree to a price, the following process would begin:
1. A proposal would be presented to the CPA Committee for approval to purchase Warren Woods using CPA funds. Depending on the purchase price, the CPA fund might have enough money in its current account to cover the cost. If not, it is possible to bond against future CPA money that will be collected.
2. If the proposal is approved by the CPA Committee, a warrant article is proposed at town meeting. According to state law, town meeting must approve any proposals to spend CPA funds.
3. Under usual circumstances, the decision of town meeting, the town's legislative body, would be final. However, at the February 17 Board of Selectmen's meeting, the Board decided to also place the warrant article on the town ballot for a vote at the May election. While the Board stated it took this action to be as democratic as possible and hear from more residents regarding any Warren Woods proposal, this additional step undermines the town meeting vote, which should be final. It will also create a difficult situation for the Board of Selectmen if the town meeting vote and ballot vote contradict each other. Which "will of the people" will they ignore: town meeting, the town's legislative authority, or a non-binding ballot vote?
4. Mass Audubon and Sudbury Valley Trustees committed at the library meeting to help Ashland fundraise to purchase Warren Woods. They would help identify public and private grants and help write the grants. They would also help with private fundraising, and could set up a special fund to which people could make tax-deductible contributions towards the purchase of Warren Woods.
5. Any money raised through grants or private fundraising would be used to reimburse the town's CPA fund.
We encourage everyone to watch the March 4, 2010 meeting, which will be aired on WACA-TV. Please check local listings and this website for a schedule. Read the 3/5/10 article in the Metrowest Daily News about the March 4 Save Warren Woods meeting at the Ashland Library.
We hope to sponsor a future library session featuring experts on the CPA to answer questions, and will post details soon.
The Save Warren Woods Committee is very grateful to meeting presenters:
Mass Audubon: Bob Ford, Land Protection Specialist
Sudbury Valley Trustees: Susan Crane, Land Protection Specialist
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Articles on Warren Woods in the Media
“Hakansson: A second chance to save Warren Woods,” MetroWest Daily News
Nov. 10, 2010 By Guest Columnist, Carl Hakansson
“Ashland will try to buy Warren Woods,” MetroWest Daily News
article Feb. 19, 2010 By Kendall Hatch/Daily News staff
Report by MetroWest Daily News on the Warren Woods Appraisal
January 25, 2010
See Jim Duane's Feb 11, 2010 op-ed piece in the Ashland Tab.
Read the 1/8/10 report in the Metrowest Daily News about the January 6, 2010 meeting of Ashland’s Board of Selectmen
Read the 11/8/09 article in the Metrowest Daily News regarding Warren Woods
See the 10/8/09 letters to the editor in the Ashland Tab regarding Warren Woods.
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Jan. 6, 2010 — Residents Overflow Selectmen’s Meeting in Support of SAVING WARREN WOODS!
In a visible demonstration of increasing momentum among town residents to save Warren Woods, more than 75 people packed the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on January 6, 2010.
Residents urged the Board to do everything possible to protect the property from residential development.
In a letter read at the meeting, the Massachusetts Audubon Society committed to pay the full cost for an appraisal of the Warren Woods land in Ashland and Holliston.
Obtaining an independent appraisal of the property is the essential next step in collecting the information that will help the town have an informed public debate about purchasing the land.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Board of Selectmen’s meeting, especially representatives from the Sudbury Valley Trustees and the Holliston Open Space Committee and Senator Karen Spilka. You may read about the 1/6/10 Board of Selectmen’s meeting here.
And THANK YOU for continuing to take action and make your voice heard!
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What You Can Do to Help
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Share this website with your friends and neighbors and urge them to email the Selectmen too.
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Keep checking the this website for the latest developments and public events in this campaign. Make every event a crowd-breaker!
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For More Information:
READ Warren Woods Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any questions, please email Save Warren Woods.
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