Finance Committee member not buying Sysco bologna...and then some.

Of the thirteen elected town officials that make up the Selectmen, Planning Board and Finance Committee, who will be asked for their recommendation at Town meeting, only one individual had enough get up and go, to get up and go.

Norman Orrall paid an unannounced visit to the Sysco Norton site at 3:00AM recently and parked on the road in front of their facility for one hour and observed. As reported in the Middleboro Gazette (Oct 7) Mr. Orrall said, “I spent about an hour, from three to four, which is when I’ve been told they would be working to get trucks on the road. It’s not something I would want to live near. So, in good conscience, I can’t support it because of that.”

It would seem that the 400’ wide building doesn’t provide the sound buffer that Sysco’s Chuck Fraser has told us it would. The same argument he is using for the proposal in Lakeville. It’s safe to assume that Mr. Orrall heard more than, “nothing but crickets,” as Fred Casinelli told those in attendance at a recent Planning Board meeting.

Mr. Orrall observed what we have been saying for months, “you wouldn’t want to live near this.” At his 3:00AM visit he observed significant lighting concerns, noise, from trucks, truck air breaks, and back up alarm beeping. The reality is Sysco could wrap this entire property with a sound wall and it won’t be acceptable.

As a member of the Finance Committee, Mr. Orrall certainly has an understanding of the financial condition of the town and the real estimated contributions in new revenue from Sysco.Like many Mr. Orrall voted to approve the TIF, but unlike many he then did his due diligence. It’s truly unfortunate most of our town officials didn’t feel the need to do the same.

He studied the revenue side and determined that the Mixed Use proposal would have produced the same revenues as this project. The Mixed Use proposal was much less intrusive to the community and would have actually brought value to many residents.

However, we've been all through that. The time is upon us, we are at that fork in the road...take this town in the right direction.Vote NO on Monday.



On a personal note…

There have been many occasions in my thirty years here in town when the town has been faced with difficult decisions; we have usually made the right choice. The character of our town is much more than the trees on the side of the road, the open farmland, the beautiful waters and vistas.

Character starts from what’s within each of us. Character is measured by how compassionate we are to our family, our friends and our neighbors. Character is reflected in not what we say, but by what we do. Character can’t be bought and sold, either you have it or you don’t.

I moved here thirty years ago and raised a family, contributed to the community and have been blessed in many ways, and I’m proud to call Lakeville home. I have been involved in many town decisions over those years and have seen first hand the character of this community.

Monday evening we will see if the passing of years and our growth have changed our character. Change not measured by what we see outside, but by who we are inside.

This bog was created in an attempt not to alienate, but to educate. I hope you have found it to be that. I am saddened that through these last months I have lost some friends, however, I take some degree of comfort knowing that I have made many more new ones.

So, in the final analysis we will decide the future direction of our town as we have done for generations. I have every confidence that the character that has molded this town over those generations is still alive and living in Lakeville.

Peace.