Consideration to convert Lakeville Country Club into a 24/7 distribution center is completely ludicrous, but I guess stranger things have happened. The former Lakeville Hospital property at first glance might seem more appropriate, however, the number of residents in close proximity of that property make it also unacceptable. Most of us are not familiar with a warehousing and distribution operation of this size, that’s easy to understand, since there are not many of this size in all of New England. Sysco Boston, as they call themselves, is the largest food distributor in all of New England.
- No matter how you dress it up, this is a food warehouse and trucking operation larger than any other in New England.
- We’re told they will register approximately 300 pieces of equipment (tractors and trailers) in the town of Lakeville. Yes, that will generate additional tax revenue, but these trucks will also travel on our town roads, even though Sysco will tell you most will enter and exit Rte 495.
- We’re told on any given day, 150 trucks will leave in the morning and return after they make deliveries.
- The products they deliver will be brought into their facility by countless outside truckers 24/7.
- They load their trucks during the evening. This means safety back up alarms at approximately 100 decibels will sound all night long on every truck they back to the loading dock and then back into position in their yard. It also means that the refrigeration units on each trailer will run all night to keep their product frozen.
- The lighting of their warehouse and parking area will resemble that of a shopping mall, all night long.
- They will have a truck maintenance facility on site, have you ever seen or heard one of those?
- They will store and pump tens of thousands of gallons of fuel.
- They will most likely cool their giant refrigeration units with an ammonia based cooling system. Ammonia can kill you, and an ammonia leak requires neighborhood evacuation.
As a resident of Lakeville for close to 30 years I have supported the development of business in our town and think our industrial base has grown with a planned, well thought out strategy. I am conflicted with the opportunity for revenue for the town, versus the change in our neighborhoods and community that would result if Sysco were to move in. However, at some point I believe a more appropriate use of our land resources will surface and development that is more conducive to these locations will result. The current economic condition of our town, and every other town, might cause us to act in a way that we normally wouldn’t.
We need to be ever mindful that some decisions once enacted can’t be reversed, and a change like this for better or worse, will be permanent. If you feel as I do, that this is an inappropriate operation for either of these sites, please join with me and other concerned residents. Email syscolakeville@gmail.com or call me at 508-612-4726.
-Nelson Pratt
OMG, another industrial park in a resisential area!!!
ReplyDeletethe same can be said about the industrial park near the dump, does anybody hear them or are bothered by there entrance and exit on route 18 and 79.i understand sysco is a big operation but the opportunity is one in a million and its good for the town, and as we lay off police officers and town workers this will bring those jobs back as well as jobs at sysco with increases in construction and landscaping, mechanics and the entrepeneaur. no matter how you look at it there are pros and cons but the way the economy is and how the town of lakeville is the pros outway the cons. i have been a resident of lakeville for over 45 years and my family has been here since the 40's and have watched lakeville try and try to make the right moves with little result, lets do something that will benefit everyone and surrounding towns
ReplyDeleteno matter your point of view the jobs alone are worth a little noise and a little road work, which also means to fix the roads town workers
300 pieces of equipment means about 200 certified operators and and 50-60 mechanics to maintain them another 250-260 jobs
150 trucks will enter and exit which means another 150 or more jobs of certified operators not 17 year old kids
they are open 24 hours which means dayshift work and night shift work including shipping and receiving, loading, computer tech (it techs), maintenence, janitorial services, management 24 HOURS A DAY
being a former mechanic in one of the largest ford dealerships in the state and working on heavy machinery, you cant even hear the technicians working from the show room in the same building. (they dont work outside)
Vapor-compression cycle
The vapor-compression cycle is used in most household refrigerators as well as in many large commercial and industrial refrigerators
the same system of refrigerant is the one you use in your house but actually safer
AS FOR THE AMMONIA BASED REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS THATS JUST ABSURD, AMMONIA HASNT BEEN USED BY ITSELF OR AS A CHEMICAL AGENT GAS FOR A LONG TIME, YOU ARE JUST TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE AND THATS NOT FAIR TO THE PEOPLE IN THE TOWN OR YOURSELF
SEE POINT BELOW: THEY FLASH THE VAPOR SO ITS IS NOT HARMFUL
Vapor compression refrigeration The thermodynamics of the cycle can be analyzed In this cycle, a circulating refrigerant such as Freon enters the compressor as a vapor. From point 1 to point 2, the vapor is compressed at constant entropy and exits the compressor superheated. From point 2 to point 3 and on to point 4, the superheated vapor travels through the condenser which first cools and removes the superheat and then condenses the vapor into a liquid by removing additional heat at constant pressure and temperature. Between points 4 and 5, the liquid refrigerant goes through the expansion valve (also called a throttle valve) where its pressure abruptly decreases, causing flash evaporation and auto-refrigeration of, typically, less than half of the liquid.
IF YOU THINK IM WRONG ABOUT THIS POINT GOOGLE INDUSTRIAL REFRIGERATION AND THEY WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ALONG WITH INDUSTRIAL REFRIGERATION IS SAFER THAN DRIVING CAR
YOU MAKE ONE OR 2 MEDIOCRE POINTS BUT THE PRO'S OUTWEIGH THE CON'S AS IF ALI WAS FIGHTING A FLY ( SORRY FOR THE ANALOGY JUST TRYING TO MAKE A POINT)
a back up alarm is 50 decibels, which can barely be heard 100 feet away. if its on the golf course noone will even hear it, i hear it may go in the middle of the golf course which is 500 acres away from anything. you make a decent point if its on the hospital though because of so many residences
ReplyDeleteAs for the posting that dismissed the fact that ammonia will be used in the refrigeration system of the proposed Sysco warehouse, how is it that Sysco representative stated that it will be an ammonia based refrigeration system at a selectmen's meeting. Sysco currently has to have an evacuation plan in effect at its facility in Norton and represented that a similar plan will be needed in Lakeville. This isn't a Ford dealership but a huge industrial facility that has no business being in the middle of residential areas. The impact of hundreds of daily truck trips cannot be understated. I also don't think the job situation will be as great as represented. Sysco is obviously looking for a site in proximity to its existing facility so it won't lose current trained and experienced employees, and all 800 plus will be commuting to Lakeville. The cost of having such a facility in Town has the full potential to eat up any added tax revenue the town may receive.
ReplyDeleteLet's not be rash, let's be smart. If the properties in question are to be developed it should be for a use more in keeping with the character of the town. It is no accident that the State of Massachusetts is funding a bio tech initiative. The future is still high tech clean business, not a sprawling trucking facility, I have lived in both Fall River and New Bedford and didn't expect that after moving to Lakeville a few years ago I would have to face the possibility of Lakeville turning into yet another over burdened industrial town. If you think industrial development will solve our tax problems take a look at the tax rates and financial problems of our area industrial cities and towns.XL
Check out the October 15, 2008 edition of the Sun Chronicle that reported on an emergency response drill at Sysco's Norton facility in case of the need to respond to a Ammonia leak in its refrigeration system.
ReplyDeleteDeborah L
Hi Nelson,
ReplyDeleteI've been a resident of Highland Road for over 20 years and I just got wind of this issue last week. I have to agree with you, noise would be a definite concern of mine. I can't tell you how difficult the noise levels are now, and can't imagine the noise and traffic by my home should something like this happen here. I'm sure that there would be traffic issues with trucks going to Rt. 140. I'll be at the meeting on Thursday, Thanks!
Good Overview...With regard to the first paragraph...I have been a resident of the "southern part" of town for the past 25 years. I am concerned not as a resident of any particular area of town, and certinly not because I'm an sbutter (those poor people). I am concerned as a resident of Lakeville. This is a TOWN issue not an AREA issue.
ReplyDeleteWhat are we saying if we grab a quick buck now and ruin the town for generations??? Business development can be many things; THIS is the wrong thing for OUR town.
How can our Selectmen not see that? I know there is anxiety to develop the hospital site, but with the largest food warehouse and trucking operation in New England??? WHAT ARE THEY THINKING??? How can they not care about protecting the property values and quality of life for hunderds of home owners in close proximity??? The Selectmen must be drinking too much Sysco Kool-Aid!
Hopefully my Southern neighbors will join with the North and not let this happen in OUR town!
just remember the civil war and who won by what means they had to endure that we can have a choice to improve our lives
ReplyDeletewhere do you work and what type of "noise" and do you work in town
we need this project it is no different than the noise we already have
the biggest improve in this town was the set of lights at the 18 and main st."Old" town hall
A Serious Math Problem
ReplyDeleteAt a recent meeting with representatives from SYSCO, held at the Lakeville Senior Center on May 11th, the Lakeville Board of Selectmen greed to bring a special tax proposal forward to the voters of Lakeville in a Special Town Meeting. The Special Town Meeting will be held on June 7th at 6:30 PM, before the regular Town Meeting, which will begin at 7PM. The proposal concerns giving SYSCO an average yearly tax break of 43% for each year from 2012 to 2025 if they will come to Lakeville and build a giant warehouse on a golf course or an old State Hospital property. Somehow I don't think the rest of us will be getting a 43% tax break during this time, but the idea was put forward that SYSCO will still generate a lot of revenue for the people of the town even if they only pay 57% of their fair share.
Here is where the math begins. The TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Proposal that was presented to all in attendance at the meeting estimated that even with a 43% reduction in taxes, SYSCO would still generate a total of $6,053,067 for the town over the total time period from 2012 to 2025. This is a 14 year period. If we divide by 14, we find that they will pay the town of Lakeville $432,361.93 each year. According to the mass.gov web site, the population of Lakeville in 2008 was 10,515 (it's probably higher now). If we divide by 10,515, we see that any individual resident of Lakeville will receive a benefit of $41.12 per year in exchange for all of the impacts SYSCO will bring to town. (For a list of these impacts, read the overview on this page).
If you were planning on retiring in about 10 years, you could tuck $41.12 under your mattress each year and at the end of the 10 years you would have added a total of $411.20 to help you retire. Inflation alone will have wiped this out by then. If you have school age children who might be attending college in 10 years, then you know that $411.20 will not amount to a molecule of water in the bucket towards a college education. The bottom line is this: should Lakeville sell itself at a 43% discount to the single largest food distributor in North America in the hopes that each resident might see a benefit of $41.12 per year?
SYSCO reports on their own web site that for fiscal year 2009, they had sales of $36.9 billion and enjoyed $1.1 billion in net earnings. Did you enjoy that kind of a year? I didn't. I hate to ask, but doesn't it seem like they could afford to at least pay the same tax rate as the rest of us? If you believe they should pay the same tax rate as the rest of us, please attend the Special Town Meeting at 6:30 PM on June 7th and vote against the TIF. If you think they should get a 43% discount, please attend and vote in favor of the TIF. However the votes are cast, SYSCO will probably make a decision relatively quickly as to whether or not Lakeville will be their new location. Either way, if your voice is not heard at this meeting, you may wake up to find that your town has been changed forever one way or another,and that the change is irreversible.
William Comeau
Lakeville
will are you talking about the meeting only 9 people showed up for. and as for the comments about noise, if it goes to the golf course i havent a clue what you guys are worried about, the trucks are going to enter 79 like the other industrial park where talbots and those companies are.sysco will be in the middle of a 1000 acre golf course and as for the job transfers to here, if sysco transfers people from norton those jobs will have to be filled. and when this goes through can we please not waste the tax money like 10,000 dollars on flowers for ted williams camp, and 50,000 dollar sprinkler system that was put together wrong. its lakeville we know when a squirrel gets run over, if all of you had children that needed jobs or you yourself was laid off and needed a job instead of retired you would be 100 % for it. how are we getting revenue,independant stores, clear pond, ted williams camp thats a joke. when it goes through the budget for the school system will be corrected and for years to come. again if you had kids you would understand that a classroom of 40 kids is not acceptable like it is right now, with that money comes more teachers and better education. this whole situation comes with responsibility, we need to except our responsibilities that nothing has worked yet, lets try something new
ReplyDeletei am an emt and the call to the norton fire department of an ammonia SMELL was incorrect AND IT IS PROCEDURE TO EVACUATE even if it was burnt toast, in any question you can ask fire chief richard gomes of the norton fire department for a more clear answer
ReplyDeleteto clarify for Mr Anonymous (5/25@ 4:30PM)...The Back-Up Alarm is a audible warning device. When activated, the alarm produces a tone that is interrupted at a rate of approximately 80 times per minute with equal on and off times. Output specifications for most commercial applications is 97 +/- 4 dB...If it's no big deal, maybe we could arrange 20 or 30 trucks backing up all night next to your bedroom window and you can throw away your alarm clock!
ReplyDeleteif i wasnt retired and had to sit at home all day, i could see the problem, but i work all day and since where they are planning to build is closer to me in both sites, i could give two cares about either. sysco is guaranteeing 300 jobs to lakeville residents. which will be said at the meeting. if everyone is so worried about taxes, even if they only pay 53% that is still a huge chunk of tax money, our tax money pays for people that get pulled over for dui's, excessive speeding. all the theft and robberies that have been happening in lakeville because of all the lay offs and pay cuts, we need middleboro and tauntons help whenever a cat is stuck in a tree. because we have such a low budget.
ReplyDeletecan you hear the trucks at talbots and all the other buildings there
the average decibel level is 77 decibels. i can google too. a heavy duty one is about 97 which is outrageous in price and is most likely not used. especially if what you say about almost 200 trucks are there.
industrial buildings that ship usually only fix major problems on site and send out their trucks to be fixed (ie. SAV in middleboro)
stop and shop warehouse does not fix on site
A NORMAL CONVERSATION IS 60 DB, NORMAL SOUND 70 DB AND CAN BE HEARD UP TO 25 FEET
COMMONLY 90-100 DECIBELS IS THE COMMON WORK ENVIRONMENT (IE. MEDIUM CAR DEALERSHIP, LARGE DINER) AND CAN BE HEARD CLEARLY UP TO 200-220 FEET
THATS 100 DECIBELS I AM STILL NOT CONVINCED IF YOU ARE ONLY WORRIED ABOUT SOUND
AND YOU SAID IT YOURSELF THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE RIGHT NEXT TO MY BEDROOM WINDOW TO BE ANNOYED BY IT
IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF STUFF IS JUST OVERBOARD AND TRYING TO SCARE PEOPLE, THIS ISNT WAR USING SCARE TACTICS. ITS A BUILDING GUARANTEED TO BRING REVENUE. THE TOWN IS GOING BANKRUPT WE NEED THIS.
IF SOMEONE WAS GOING TO GIVE YOU A WHOLE MONEY AND SAID ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS WORK A LITTLE, AND GIVE A LITTLE COOPERATION I DONT CARE IF IT IS 40.00 DOLLARS, ITS MONEY I DIDNT HAVE. NOT EVERYONE IS WELL OFF, WE HAVE TO WORK FOR OUR MONEY
AND THERE MIGHT BE A FEW NEGATIVES, BUT SCARING PEOPLE SHOULDNT BE ONE OF THEM TO GET A POINT ACROSS, I AGREE WITH YOU ON A COUPLE TOPICS BUT THEY ARENT VALID ENOUGH TO STOP A BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY
AS FOR THE DEALERSHIP COMMENT I DONT THINK YOU UNDERSTAND HOW BIG A 430 ACRE DEALERSHIP IS WITH THE GARAGE BEING 119 ACRES, THAT IS ALSO OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT. RIGHT NEXT TO APARTMENTS AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND NOT ONE COMPLAINT OF NOISE. THATS WHY THEY CALL IT A GARAGE
ReplyDeleteAccording to Sysco officials, this facility is only expected to generate 80 NEW jobs, with "qualified" Lakeville residents being given preference. Their CURRENT employees will fill all other positions. Not a lot of jobs to go around for that $450 K a year, is it??
ReplyDeleteSysco owns 300 trucks & trailers, which does not sound like a lot of activity. It's the outside vendor's semis coming and going 27/7 to keep the place filled with product that will create the traffic. Have you ever been even near a food distribution facility? It REEKS to high heaven of garbage. Just from the residue that eventually occurs from stuff breaking open off the docks, and around the dumpsters. Are you going to be impatient when you're stuck behind truck after truck crawling thru its gears at all the new traffic lights between the site and Rt 495?
How about the sky being lit up all night long?
The older I get the less tolerant I am in dealing with stupidity...Is there a way to filter some of these idiotic comments so a more meaningful exchange of ideas and information can be on this blog?
ReplyDeleteThe individual that posted the comment saying SYSCO will probably not be using ammonia refrigerant is factually incorrect. SYSCO stated in an open meeting that they will be using ammonia refrigerant. If you will attend the informational meeting tomorrow night (Thursday 5/27 at 7PM at Lakeville Library), you can ask them yourself and they will tell you this. As for jobs being created for "200 certified operators to operate 300 pieces of equipment" and "50-60 mechanics to maintain them", and "an additional 150 jobs for certified operators to operate 150 trucks"... all of this is also factually incorrect. If my math is correct, you are saying that SYSCO will create a total of 400-410 jobs. Once again, if you attend the meeting on Thursday, you will be told by SYSCO themselves that they are bringing all of their current employees to do the same jobs they always have. They will bring 830 of them. They will create 80 new jobs, but they will not promise you that they will go to Lakeville residents. Please come to the meeting, ask these questions, and get the facts before totally making up your mind one way or the other. My figures come from an actual sheet SYSCO passed out at the last meeting, and they will probably bring it again so you can look at it yourself.
ReplyDeleteThe State noise standard is 10db increase from background at the fence. The sound db scale is a log scale,ie.,a 3db increase is double the amount of sound. Sysco operates the largest private truck fleet, even bigger than Walmart's and they fix the trucks on-site. Have you ever heard a truck tire machine running? It's not bedtime music. If Sysco can be honest,with 160 sites, they know that they belong in an industrial park. Putting it here is the Town and State saying we can take your "quality of life" away anytime we want. Someday we will want projects to meet a standard of "NO ADVERSE IMPACT" or smart growth will never be a reality.
ReplyDeleteTo give SYSCO a 43% tax break for the next 14 years is unfair to all the residents who don't get a 43% tax break for the next 14 years. It is also unfair to all of the businesses in the industrial park and all other established businesses in Lakeville who are not getting this break. If we give a 43% discount to SYSCO, then we should also give a 43% discount to all residents, and all other businesses in Lakeville. What's fair is fair. If everyone else can't have the tax break, then neither should SYSCO. If you agree, please show up at the Special Town Meeting and vote against the TIF. If you disagree, please post your comments here as to how you can justify them getting special treatment while the rest of us and all the other businesses suffer. Thanks for reading.
ReplyDeleteWhy does everyone think that every truck going to sysco will get of off 495 and travel down rte 105 . If they are coming from New Bedford the will get off of 140 and take county to Highland to Rte 18 right past the school and if they are coming from their current Norton facility the will take 140 to 79 to crooked. This is 1000 extra vehicles on our little no sidewalked roads. Forget about walking and bike riding. Lakeville will be forever changed. Wake up Citizens!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSysco Go Away. We dont want you in our town.
ReplyDeleteLakeville is proud of its open spaces and pristine natural resources. Do we really want to endanger that.
ReplyDeleteNO site in Lakeville is appropriate for this facility! This is what Industrial Parks are for! I did not move from Fall River to Lakeville to have this monstrosity in my front yard (literally - my house faces the back of the hospital). I am voting NO TIF!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I suggest everyone read "A Serious Math Problem" above, that says it ALL! Thanks William C!
Sharon Dennis
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more. I think that everyone in town always knew that the hospital site would be developed at some point, what we didn't ever expect is that something like this could be possible. I have nothing personal against Sysco. I just don't think it is a very good fit for our town.
Sysco needs the TIF to get the MA Tax reduction, Lakeville needs to get the best deal now not in 14 years. The people in the South of Town need to stand beside the abbutters and protect the "quality of life" for all residents. It must not become a divided Town or nothing good will happen. I hope we do the right thing or there will be alot of people who will remember how they were deserted by their neighbors.
ReplyDeleteWe just broke ground for a Water Storage Tank that even after deducting the stimulus money, will add 3.5 to 4 million dollars to our bond principal. We got a very good bond rate but it is still a lot of money for a project that at this time is essential to only a large commercial development in the north end of town. The storage and height gives them the ability to have good fire protection but you only have to buy the water once to fill the pipes unless you have a fire. I think any large development that is the largest beneficiary of the new tank should pay the largest portion of the capitol cost. It appears that all of the Sysco payments for the first half of the 13 year agreement will be approximatly equivalent to DWSRF-3226 Water Storage Tank.
ReplyDeleteLakeville Homeowner
Taping of the 05/27/2010 Lakeville Sysco Info Meeting will be on Channel 95, Comcast:
ReplyDeleteTuesday, June 1 at 8:00PM, and
Wednesday June 2 at 7:00PM
L. Huntoon
Captain's Way
I think there are two issues, and they probably have some crossover which adds to the difficulty of the decision. The first is way of life. Lakeville residents have enjoyed a certain way of life for a long time. That has evolved over the past ten years as industry has found its way into Lakeville. I'm sure many residents would agree that this was a quiet town away from the hustle and bustle of more industrial areas, a place where one could live in a relatively quiet setting, surrounded by nature. There was a community. Bringing a facility like Sysco into town not only affects the short term, it also sets a precedent. Other industry will move in. It's a natural progression. That Lakeville way of life could quite possibly succumb to industry. We are already seeing wildlife being disrupted and this will continue to happen.
ReplyDeleteThe second issue is financial. If the town is indeed in trouble financially, it's easy to see why this would seem like an attractive option. A company, or in this case a town that is in jeopardy will look for some kind of financial injection to stay afloat, even if it means some compromises along the way. Look what we're witnessing with BP. When money comes before the welfare of people and the environment, there is always potential for bad things to happen. Not to equate BP to Sysco, my main point is that the financial benefits will cloud our better judgement. Keep in mind, Sysco's bottom line will no doubt come before the well being of Lakeville residents. I know that sounds like I'm taking a cheap shot at Sysco, but I just believe that industry in this country is built on bottom lines. There are countless examples of this.
I understand both sides of this debate. As a resident, I want my taxes to be affordable and I want Lakeville to stay as relatively undeveloped as possible. Can I have it both ways? Maybe not, however I ask this question. Have all options been thoroughly investigated? Are there any creative solutions that could alleviate the need for bringing big, ugly industry to our town? If we are going to bring in some degree of industry, should they be industries that fit into the character of our town? For example, why not go out and try to attract companies that are developing new, environmentally friendly solutions to energy? And why not impose on these companies a "dress code", whereby their buildings and landscaping has to be done in a way that they fit into Lakeville's semi-rural feel? Seems to me, that might be the answer to this debate. Not that we don't want any industry in town, but we want to have the RIGHT industry in town. Sysco doesn't seem like a good fit. Maybe there is another option. Maybe we can have our cake and eat it too. Time to get creative. Time to identify what this town wants to be.
Thanks for listening!
Steve
Lakeville Resident
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteBill, you like numbers...let's look at some small numbers.
ReplyDeleteWe are told by SYSCO not to be concerned with truck traffic, after all, their trucks leave early in the morning and return before the afternoon/evening rush.
Their numbers: 150 SYSCO delivery trucks and 70 long distance supplier trucks per day. Without RR siding in Lakeville that they presently utilize in Norton I will arbitrarily add another 10 supplier trucks per day...totaling 230 trucks per day.
Now, we're not too amart but, we do know that each of those trucks will enter AND exit the warehouse property each day. That means there are 460, let's call them "truck trips" per day.
We are also told that most of that truck activity would happen between 5:00AM to 7:00PM...a 14 hour cycle.(They spend the evening loading their delivery trucks for the next day.)
So let's do some math...460 "truck trips" per day divided by a 14 hr. cycle = 33 trucks/hr...33 divided by 60 minutes per hr. = an average of 1 "truck trip" every 2 minutes!
Why on earth would anyone have a problem with that!
Since our town-fathers have told us SYSCO will not add any additional costs to the town, maybe we could get them to build a Fast Lane through town for Lakeville residents.
saw the recent mtg on tv. agree with alot of comments here. couple of things bother me. qualifications of our town mgmt to truly 'negotiate'. don't think we have a chance with what we witness with ms yeatts et al running this show. also, LDC should indeed market lakeville better. recently saw a story about how town mgr gets calls from prospective buyers, yet doesn't have the facts to pass on to inquiring companies, and so we should better coordinate how to handle inquiries....HELLO...in 2010 (or late 2009) lakeville mgmt and LDC still didn't have any basic coordination on such important basic inquiry handling (selling our town)???
ReplyDeleteso perhaps there should be better coordination so that ANY inbound inquiry for business real estate gets handled professionally (better late than never). my take on this is why in 2010 do we still not have professional plans of action to handle such simple marketing objectives. it points to poor management, plain and simple.
so, whatever happens with sysco, not sure, but as an objective observer, we just don't have the talent needed to manage lakeville professionally in the 21st century. remember joe murphy, etc, and what transpired after his passing, re town mgmt quality. look what we have now. we're simply not getting any bang for our [very expensive salary]buck. 'negotiating' isn't getting into the pocket of the other party from square one. we get what we pay for, i'm afraid.
This entire thing can be summed up with one word, ABSURD!
ReplyDeleteYou take a bad situation (National Development unable to develop this site for a variety of reasons), make it worse by entertaining a bad match with SYSCO (way too intrusive for the town and local residents), and then make it even worse again by negotiating a bad financial deal (millions of dollars given away with a TIF)...
WHO IS THE JOKER IN CHARGE OF THIS OPERATION!
ABSURD!
To Mike M.
ReplyDeleteBINGO...Bad situations can get worse. This sure would be one of those. You nailed it my friend.
National is responsible for clean-up for dump clean-up and MADEP should be on top of this. Removing the buildings is not as expensible as everyone thinks. Money is available for "brownfields" redevelopment. Until National is forced to prep the site there will be no age restricted housing, office space or retail, period!!!!! Sysco is not for this site or the golf course. I hope the Town can defeat this idea and move ahead.
ReplyDeleteIf everyone thinks National is going "bellyup" then make them post a bond now for "cleanup", that way Lakeville does not get stuck with the mess. Didn't National say about 5 times that demo was to start in the Spring????? The traffic is terrible now and a Sysco in Town will make it a "nightmare", you think Middleboro will that the waste water from this site for free????No way!!!!! Business not industry!!!!
ReplyDeleteI attended the meeting at the Lakeville Library and had to stand in the hallway. I think I heard Sysco say they don't travel on Rt.79, but guess what I saw today????A Sysco 18 wheeler going down Rt. 79 about 45MPH in a 35MPH zone.....No sidewalks....This is a safety hazard!!!!! 850 employees, 300 trucks, 100 deliveries per day, ARE YOU KIDDING ME, I can't get thru Main Street or the Rotary, now where do I go, Wareham or Dartmouth????
ReplyDeleteI live on Main St. in Middleboro and I do not want a Sysco near me. I DO NOT HAVE A VOTE, BUT, LAKEVILLE PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE THIS CRAZY PLAN!!!!
ReplyDeleteIf our department heads and town selectmen really believe that our town could accommodate an operation like SYSCO, and not incur any added costs for services that would offset a chunck of the revenue they would bring in, then they either don't have any idea what there getting into with SYSCO, or are hiding from the truth.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which of those would be worse!
VOTE THIS DOWN...SYSCO IS A NO GO!
Nelson and William got it right(see Middleboro Gazette letters to editor) the information meeting was a "Ripley's beleive it or not" and no body wants the Lakeville Hospital, no wait "Sysco wants it and they want it fast". Nancy got it wrong, we want "business" not industry. Nancy wants to protect open space....there are 18 acres of wetlands on the Lakeville Hospital that needs protection. Remember the ConCom has make it clear this area must not be impacted!!!!
ReplyDeleteTo Nancy Yeatts, if your out there...
ReplyDeleteTo answer the question you pose in your Letter to the Editor in the Middleboro Gazette, June 3rd...
I would rather see the Hospital property site sit vacant, generating over $50,000.00 a year to the town, rather than have SYSCO move in and ruin our town forever. You will have helped orchestrate the worst decision this town has ever made. An appropriate development plan for that property, that will allow business to co-exist with neighbors, and contribute positively to our town will happen.
My questions to you:
Have you forgotten who you were elected to represent?
Do you not care about the hundreds of families whose lives will be negatively affected by this?
Would you like your property value slashed because you now have an intrusive business in your neighborhood?
FYI, If National Development goes belly up the town of Lakeville does not have to get stuck with the hospital site. It came up at the meeting that somehow "we will get stuck having to clean up the mess" The town DOES NOT have to take the property for non-payment of taxes. This is routinely done when properties are problematic.
ReplyDeletePLEASE make every effort to attend this Special Town Meeting.
ReplyDeleteMonday 06/07/2010
6:30pm
Suggest we ALL arrive early.
Specifically addressing the TIF vote based on information found at this link:
ReplyDeletehttps://dlsgateway.dor.state.ma.us/gateway/Public/WebForms/TaxRate/ReportTRApprovalPublic.aspx
Lakeville's tax rate of 10.22% ranks 50th from the lowest out of 349 towns and cities in MA. If you look at the other viable towns and cities for Sysco to move to, you will find that there are basically none that would have a lower tax rate than Lakeville. A cut of 43% further drops Sysco's rate to 5.83% for the 14 years of the TIF. That would put Lakeville at the 14th lowest tax rate in the state, amongst a group of towns that Sysco could not occupy due to strategic location issues.
So I ask, why is the rate of 10.22% too much for Sysco to pay? Are there many suitors with much more attractive deals for Sysco on the table? As residents and abuttors, it would be one thing to swallow what they bring to the table at full rate, (and even then I personally would not vote to allow the rezoning due to the variety of issues at hand) but at this ridiculously low rate it should be out of the question.
Captains Way
Captains Way hit the nail on the head. It's one thing to ruin the north part of Lakeville, but to give away tax revenue is CRAZY. We need every dollar NOW not later. Why is National only paying $52K, smaller lots in Middleboro are selling for $10M, so the Hospital site should bring in at least $110K!!!!! You can pay the town Manager's salary for that much!!!! This is not the way to go,Period
ReplyDeleteIf you look at the Rules and Regulations for Bettys Neck you will learn that activity is only "Dawn to Dusk",night activity is by special permit(stargazing)and it asks that recreational users "be respectful of abbutters rights". As a neighbor and abbutter of the Lakeville Hospital Site, I have a right to my "quality of life", freedom from noise at night,freedom from light pollution to view stars at night, freedom from dangerous truck traffic along Rt 79, and freedom from 9 Tons of highly toxic anhydrous ammonia!!!I have the same rights as Bettey Neck!!!!Business,Office Space,Retail,Age restricted housing these are ok,but 24 hours of industry is just not right!!!! Vote for the right to QUALITY OF LIFE for all residents!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou know what I don't get, is that everyone keeps referring to how low our tax rate is, yet when it came to voting for an override all I ever heard was "our taxes are already to high".
ReplyDeletePerhaps if people had the foresight to support the town last year you wouldn't be in this quandry now. Please remember this next time an override vote comes up, because without any development it surely will.
You decide!!
I don't live on that side of the town, but I like Lakeville as it is! Big trucks rolling down our roads, isn't Lakeville. We are being scared into changing the nature of our TOWN!
ReplyDeleteThat's right...this is OUR TOWN - NOT THEIRS!
ReplyDeleteDon't get scared into doing something stupid that will change thing in OUR town forever!
NO TIF = NO SYSCO
Do you trust your future to government???Do you trust your future to Big Business???We must do everything we can to protect our Town.....Do you want a Casino or airport in Middleboro???Do you think Middleboro wants Lakeville to bring all those trucks thru down town Middleboro???Will they take the sewerage and not sell the water???Let's keep the things the way we like it,before it's Gone Forever!!!! It's the peoples Town!!! VOTE NO TIF!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat happens next?....planning board?...zoning board of appeals?...selectmen?
ReplyDeleteGood question...The thoughts are to formulate a group, probably after the 4th of July holiday, to include anyone who would like to be involved in the process going forward.
ReplyDeleteThis group would formulate a strategy to have input in all the meetings and discussions regarding the rezoning proposal for this property.
In addition to concerned residents, we would like this group to include anyone with environmental, engineering, and legal expertise.
If you or anyone you know would like to contribute and be involved, please email me at syscolakeville@gmail.com or call me at 508-612-4726.
The months ahead are most important in the outcome of this proposal..."Be the change you wish to see in the world"
Hi Nelson-
ReplyDeleteI was just checking the Town Calender via the website, and the Planning Board is discussing Sysco at its July 6th meeting. It seems to be #2 on the Agenda. Perhaps an email should go out to people who attended the Saturday Library meeting? Thanks!
MM
I live SEVERAL miles from route 140 and yet at night the sounds of trucks on 140 drown out the crickets in my backyard. I watch trucks bearing down on buses, coming up on them too quickly... I make sure they have come to a full stop before I let my child go anywhere near the bus stop. Additionally, about a week ago, a large 2 FEET wide by 4 FEET long by 2 inch thick board flew off a poorly covered truck and would have hit me and my three children, had I not come to a stop on route 18. It would not be a reach to say that could have been a fatal incident. I shudder to think how Sysco traffic will destroy life in Lakeville... Honestly, it is just ridiculous to me that we live in a vacation resort quality area and we are approaching it with a slum lord mentality. Really. Times are tough we know, but loose your cool and you loose irreplaceable things... Truly, these people should have to go look at our kids faces for even an hour before they open the say another word...
ReplyDeleteOur roads were never expected to carry this level of truck traffic. Public safety must never be compromized. You will never have all the money you want, but never buy back "quality of life" once it's lost. Gone for ever.....
ReplyDeleteOpen Space Committee asks Planning board to reject Sysco industrial c zoning change.....they are following the Master Plan.....and protecting the environment....
ReplyDeletecan anyone tell me what the national development site plan looked like in comparison to the sysco proposal
ReplyDeleteNational's plan was a mixed use plan,along Rt.79,senior housing,townhouses and condo bldg. In middle, office space,32-42 feet high,in front food store and department store along Rt.105. There was a Chili's,but they needed to put a septic system on that spot.
ReplyDeleteNational's plan also retained a lot more landscaping. They specifically allowed for a large expanse of lawn & decorative shrubbery along Rt.105, and also along the Rush Pond Road side- a 100 foot landscaped buffer there, I believe. The best part of National's plan: it CLOSED at night and the lights turned off. Deliveries were ONLY allowed between 7 am and 10 pm.
ReplyDeleteOh- and National's plan was overwhelmingly SUPPORTED by abutters, which only lends validity to the Master Plan's conclusions.
ReplyDeleteany chance you could post a copy of the site plan for national developments proposal on this site so people could see the differences.
ReplyDeleteI may have a paper copy. I'll have to scan & email to appropriate party.
ReplyDeleteI have been really rethinking my first vote with Sysco; I was wrong IT Doesn’t Make Sense.I don’t live NEAR THE PROPOSED SITE. But I can imagine the problems the abutters will have. Aim very sorry I didn’t consider others near the area .Aim going to VOTE NO!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's very important to come to planning board meeting to ask questions,get answers and form your opinion. The Town will vote on 10-18-10 to approve or not approve this special zone for Sysco. No zone change, no Sysco, not BOS,not Planning Board, it's our choice, so get it right, or live with the mess.
ReplyDeleteJust remember, if it's done, once it's done, it can't be undone. You can't uncrack an egg. This development will be a terrible mistake for Lakeville. If it's allowed, the repercussions won't be understood until it's too late. Drive by the Sysco Norton facility during the day and observe the heavy truck traffic. Drive by there at night and listen for the noises. Keep in mind, the proposed facility (and fleet) will be even larger than the Norton facility. That translates to even more traffic and more noise than Norton.
ReplyDelete