Take the Money and Run - Gaumond Now Over $100,000
1/12/2009: In less than a month after the town manager and Board of Selectmen raised the property taxes another $300 per average household, town manager Leon Gaumond received a pay raise of roughly $4,000, tot a total of $98,150. With benefits and other perks, he is well above $100,000. Selectmen Allen Phillips told the WB banner he is impressed with his record and that he is an asset to the community. Mr. Gaumond was hired on November 8th, 2004.  

 

  

 

Chris Rucho & Incident Report
Selectmen Chris Rucho is a trial court officer, ($65,148 in 2006) - see the 'Find-a-Hack' link on the homepage. 
In an incident report as a trial officer, he signed it with a date of September 9th, 2005. However, an officer gave his statement three days later, on September 12th, 2005 - as it clearly states on page 7.

Has this sort of document thing happened in West Boylston by town hall? There is a West Boylston ZBA document that puts Afra terrace on the same tax list parcel ID as 51 Cavour Cricle, so it is possible.

Mr. Rucho has several websites, by CA Rucho & Sons, including West Boylston Youth Sports.  

Remember, public documents have shown town hall has lied about the size of town, lied about the 40B laws and number of 40B units, and Kevin McCormick got caught illegally removing asbestos from his renovation site. Then there is the coincidence that Matt Mulvey (former building inspector) just happened to be the only business to respond to the town's bid request for a solid waste transfer station, just months after he resigned.   

Laurel Street Industrial Park 

Here is the List of Land Parcels that town hall wants to Rezone to Industrial/ Commercial. 
How does a town re-zone land that they don't own? Much of the land is State owned.

The Dukes of Hazardous Materials 
7/09/08: The July 9th edition of the Telegram & Gazette writes a good article regarding the WB Board of Selectmen and a proposed Hazardous waste facility in  Oakdale on DCR land. The Board of Selectmen stated there is little the town can do to prevent the Dukes of Hazardous Materials (Wachusett Earthday, Inc.) from setting up shop in Oakdale. Selectmen, to their credit, are delaying a permit for road approval. 

Selectman Allen Phillips has accurately pointed out that the DCR forced West Boylston to remove a base/softball field in Oakdale due to "environmental concerns". 

It is easy to take many of the selectmen's outrage about this HazMat site in Oakdale at face value, but there are two projects that should be mentioned in depth - Matt Mulvey's Waste facility on Tivnan Dr and the sewer system. First, the sewer system . . .  

The selectmen, and, more so, the Board of Health (in court) have consistently stated that required hookup is needed because someone's septic system, even if it passes Title 5, could possibly leak at some point, and even the slightest leak would pollute the reservoir and other waters in town. However, by a list received from a public records request on May 27th, 2008, the following streets are exempt from sewer hookup: Ray Huntington Dr, Laurel St from numbers past 81, Keyes St past number 54, and Hosmer St. As a side note, these exempted streets are where 40B developer Andy Beardsley and relatives lives. If town hall believes that these streets are far enough away from any waterway as to exempt them from sewer hookup, then how can this HazMat site, which is further away than any house, be a pollution threat? 

Wendy Fox, a spokesman for the DCR, stated that the site is "far away from water resources" and "our feeling is, it's not going to be a problem for the water". Again, if the Board of Health really wanted to protect the water, why are these streets exempt from hookup? They can't argue Financial reasons, because they always insisted the sewers were for "environmental protection", not for tax collections, though it has been proven since that required hookup is a circumvention of Prop 2 1/2.   

The other project selectmen must answer to is Matt Mulvey's Waste facility on Tivnan Dr. Selectman Chris Rucho said it best in the audio clip in the story below, when he basically said the Mulvey Project does basically the same thing as the Oakdale site. 
QUESTION: If selectmen spent nearly two years trying to get a 36 acre waste facility site built on top of the Wachusett Reservoir's aquifer (and a 40 year deal at that), why are they so against a 5 acre project in Oakdale - a fraction of the size of the project they gleefully endorsed? It should be noted that Mulvey was not hazmat, as is Oakdale, but that is only a difference of permits. 

How is cutting a deal with the former building inspector a good thing, but if the state wants a similar project, it's a bad thing? 

Essentially, town hall has set a precedent that has put them in this bind. They supported a waste facility, which the DCR will logically take as a sign that town hall is agreeable to such projects. Town Hall also exempted hookup in the area where Wachusett Earthday/ DCR wants to build, thus giving the DCR to claim town hall's belief is that the Oakdale streets are far enough away from water for there NOT to be any pollution concerns. 

The Planning Board should also be mentioned because they, at town town meeting last year, strongly pushed for DCR owned land to be developed for industrial use. Town hall wanted development there, now they're getting it, only they're getting it without be able to deal with their friends . . .  

Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it . . .    

A lot more to come on this issue, such as 40B in Oakdale, Kevin McCormick illegally removing asbestos, and . . .  

Chris Rucho & Selectmen Wachusett Eartday Dukes of Hazardous Material
AUDIO CLIP in Article Below
      

Wachusett Earthday, Inc. Discusses Hazardous Material Waste Facility in Oakdale  (audio clip in this article) 
11/07/07: Colleen Abrams, president of Wachusett Earthday, Inc, disscussed with selectman plans for a proposed 5 acre site on DCR land for a hazardous materials facility on Ray Huntington Dr in Oakdale. 

Wachusett Earthday, according to the Sec of State's website, has a Date of Organization of August 20th, 2007. This group has done 'earthday' projects before, all in Holden, typically once or twice a year. The proposed site would be open 3 or 4 days per week - meaning up to 208 days per year. Seven communities, including West Boylston would be eligible to bring their Hazardous Waste to the site - the other communities are the 5 'Wachusett' towns and Boylston.  

A question arises based on their Sec of State's business registration. If these seven small towns can get by with just a couple days a year of them collecting hazardous waste, why do they need a permanent facility open 4 days aweek? Where is all this stuff really going to come from? 
For example, Sterling is allowed to bring their hazardous waste to West Boylston, but what is to prevent Sterling from cutting a deal with Leominster to have Sterling take Leominster's HazMat? Or the same with Boylston and Worcester? 
This question, aside from the logical scams, abuse, and corruption that would no doubt take place, is based from one of the names of Earthday's principals - K. Calamari, of Leominster. Not to question her integrity, but why would a person from Leominster be concerned about something her town would not be involved in? In other words, why would someone from Leominster be concerned about where some guy from Paxton brings his old paint cans?  

MATT MULVEY: Selectman Rucho made an interesting statement (click to listen), as he stated Matt Mulvey's Transfer Station will take hazardous waste, too. Didn't the town specifically say that would not be the case? 
Wachusett Earthday, Inc wants to be up and running by next year. Remember, Kevin McCormick got caught illegally removing asbestos from his Keepers Pub, and WE,Inc takes hazardous materials - a perfect combination.


NON-Numbered Houses on Tax Assessor's List  
As debt remains high, employee benefits are soaring, a new 2% property tax surcharge, and the increase of the sewer taxes alone exceed 2.5% of the average tax bill, a question should be asked:

Why are there houses on the tax assessor's list without house numbers - why are they listed as "Zero" 'Street name"?
 
Fairbanks Street has four houses listed as "0" Fairbanks St, there are three houses on Goodale St, two on Brooks Crossing, and there are houses listed as "0" on Lee St, Lancaster St, Parker St, and North Main St. There are also parcel ID changes/ Number Changes on Pierce St and Prescott St. Comparing the deed and tax list, the town owns an 8.5 acre parcel on Davidson Rd, but the same parcel ID belongs to a 40B developer's business partner, as on his deed it is a 0.25 acre lot.
Even the ZBA has a document that states Afra Terrace (on Shrewsbury St) has the same parcel ID as a house on Cavour Circle. 

Some of these "0" numbered houses belong to town employees, or relatives of town employees. Granted, some tax records have been found online - not all, but another question should be asked - if a street has more than one house listed as "0", how does the tax bill get to the correct house? 
In the case of Fairbanks St, for example, there are four houses listed as "0" Fairbanks St. How do you send a bill to "0" Fairnabks St, when there are four of them? In theory, you have a 1 in 4 chance of getting your tax bill.  

It is acceptable for this website to publish public records already found online. It is a legitimate question to ask why a town employee or relative of one has their home listed with a "0" as their number. This question does not deserve an apology from me to any home owner, but instead, I (and all tax payers) deserve an explanation from town hall as to why there are so many "0" numbered houses in town. 

McCormick Removes Asbestos W/O Proper Notification to DEP 
Click to read the WB Banner report regarding Chairman of Selectmen Mr. Kevin McCormick about removing asbestos. "It was a misunderstanding", he said. He just didn't know what to do. Mr. Breagey was the building inspector at the time, as he resigned in September 2006. 

Mr. McCormick had his fine reduced for financial reasons. If he couldn't afford his fine, how could he afford a $730,000 five year mortgage when he bought the Sona Motel in 2006? 
Mr. McCormick said in the report that DEP employees just happened to drive by when he left all the asbestos filled materials outside on the ground by mistake. Where did all these asbestos filled materials go to?
 
Mr. McCormick was given special waivers in 2006 to renovate his up and coming Keepers Pub.    

August 9th, 2007 
Beardsley Goodale McCormick: Protection For a Friend
Does Historical Commision Want 19 Crescent St History?
19 Crescent St Boarded Up for Fire Drills & Demolition    

Eighty-One signatures were recently collected in support of beginning the process of making the Crescent St area a Local Historical District. One such home in the area happens to be 19 Crescent St. This particular home is crucial because it is in the very heart of the proposed district, and without it, the neighborhood could suffer many setbacks for future preservation. It is one of the oldest homes in West Boylston, as it was originally a farm house built in the 1870's - built over 30 years before the reservoir was built! It is in what's considered the center of town and it is near other historical buildings. 

The portion of Crescent St between Prospect and Goodale Sts is roughly 900 feet. Including 19 Cresecnt, there are a total of 3 homes on that side of the street. Mr. Andrew Beardsley, a 40B subsidized/ tax payer funded housing developer, wants to demolish 19 Crescent St and replace it with 24 units - raising the total number of units on that side of the street from 3 units to 26 units - an 867% increase in units. He and his partner called Crescent St "Blighted". 

The collector of the 81 signatures met with Chairman of the Historical Commission, with all necessary paperwork and information in hand, to begin the process of designating the neighborhood a Local Historical District. It should be noted that a Local District is much less "strict" than a historically recognized national district, but it still requires voter approval at town meeting. The Chairman of the Historical Commission told this person that he/she must first meet with the Board of Selectmen. The Chairman of Selectmen said their board is not the proper place to start, therefore to go back to the Historical Commission.
Why is this person being bounced back and forth between the two groups? Why are these groups unwilling to discuss this proposal - especially the Historical Commission? It would seem reasonable that the Historical Commission would have an interest in the preservation of one of the town's oldest homes, especially considering its particular history and location - the center of town and just a minute walk to Goodale Park, Goodale St, and the former site of Goodale School. 

Andrew Beardsley is the 40B subsidized/ taxpayer funded housing project developer that currently owns 19 Crescent St. He wants to demolish the home (he paid $650,000 for it when it was only assessed at $381,000). The single family home will be replaced with 24 units - a 2,400% increase in housing on the same lot. Quite possibly, the hill the home is perched atop, may be removed, too. 

Beverly K. Goodale is the Chairman of the Historical Commission. She, as records indicate, is the wife of Aaron Goodale III. 

Kevin McCormick is the Chairman of Selectmen. 

How are they Connected? 
Kevin McCormick and Aaron Goodale III (Beverly's husband) were business partners for 9 years, as they operated a company called The Firehouse, Inc. It was dissolved in the 1990's. 

A member of the Goodale family (Aaron IV) sold Andy Beardsley the property he currently lives on - 55 Hosmer St, in 1999. 

Is it any wonder why one of the oldest sections of town, with a 19th century farm house as it's centerpiece, seems to have so much trouble just to get a process begun for the possibility of a historic desigantion. Again, without 19 Crescent St, future historical desigantions in that section of town may become even more difficult, if not near impossible. 
This is simple - Kevin McCormick's friend and business partner, Aaron Goodale III, has his wife on the Historical Commission, whose son sold Andy Beardsley the land he now lives on. 
Collectively, they have been business partners and have engaged in real estate transactions together, so it is of no surprise that Beverly Goodale and Kevin McCormick are acting in collusion in order to give protection to their friend's self interest - Andy Beardsley's 40B tax payer funded housing project.  

How else does one expalin why Beverly K Goodale, Chairman of the Historical Commission, will not entertain the thought of historical prevervation, despite 81 signatures and thorough and completed paperwork. Her inaction puts the character and essence of the town's center at stake. 
How can Chairman of Selectman Kevin McCormick make any objective decisions on this project when he is so personally and professionally involved with these people? Shouldn't the both of them recuse themselves, due to conflicts of interest, of any and all matters involving 19 Crescent St, until Andy Beardsley no longer owns the property?
 
As West Boylston enters its 200th year, town officials, led by Chairmen McCormick and Goodale, should put the town first, not the politics of self interest.

NOTE: Due to the number of Aaron Goodales (III, IV etcetera), it is assumed that "III" is the husband of Beverly K. Goodale, and "IV" is the son. Despite the genealogical order, they are still family members, so the point of the report is in no less true. Deeds, land transactions, and business registrations, will be published soon.               

  

Censorship, Not Weather, Reigns at Town Hall
Selectman's Meeting Edited Just As School Salaries Get Disscussed
Listen to the Edit:  

Was this edit intentionally done just as school salaries were starting to be discussed. If so, why? Should town hall censor its meetings? What was discussed during this edit? What was discussed that the selectmen didn't want you to hear? 

This was one of the first selectmen's meetings that had to be 'tape delayed', as this clip is taken from an April 2007 meeting. It should be noted that at a following live  meeting, selectmen McCormick would not allow selectman DiPietro to ask about school salaries - which is just the topic when this broadcasted edit took place.  

   

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CLICK  FOR A WB BANNER  Letter to the Editor Re: the CPA Tax

                           COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT
West Boylston is seeking, through approval of the CPA, a 2% surcharge on your property tax bill

West Boylston property taxes have increased 3.6% over last year

West Boylston Sewer rates are increasing 52.2% April 1st over last year's rates, 67% higher than April 2005's rates
 
2/3 of all Massachusetts communities have voted against or do not have the CPA tax 

Many towns that have passed the CPA have done so by less than 100 votes

                             Click Here for the Community Preservation Act Overview

The CPA will fund things like sewer connections for 40B housing developments, pay the rent for low income housing rental units (Section 8), and protect water and drinking supplies (we already have the sewer system). 

Do you want to pay for the sewer connection for Iqbal Ali's Afra Terrace?
Do you want to pay for the sewer connection to Michael "Deep Pockets" Teague's sewer connection on Franklin St. If Mr. Teague has deep enough pockets to buy a piece of land for $850,000 when it's only worth $146,400,  he certainly has enough money to pay for his own sewer connection.
 
Do you want to pay an extra 2% in property taxes to subsidize interest rates for people buying 40B units?

Open Space - If Karen Pare and the Planning Board mentioned the 1.5% land clause in the 40B statutes, we could have saved land for open space by preventing other large scale developments. 

If town administrator Mr. Leon Gaumond really wanted to preserve open space, he would follow the will of the people and follow the Weymouth decision so West Boylston can count all 35 acres at Afra Terrace for the 1.5% land clause. To do otherwise implies he is not interested in protecting open space in this town and only wants to increases taxes - any way he can.

Also, if the town really wanted to preserve open space - why did they reduce lot sizes in half and then increase lot density?
How does more development protect open space?    

All this information about what CPA property tax increases funds can be found on the communitypreservationact.org website. 
                            
 Did W. Boylston Mysteriously Get Bigger  - Did we grow in size?
Everyone gains a few extra pounds after time - especially if you have a couple drinks while eating at good steak houses, like the OutBack, but the town itself can only grow if we purchase land from some other community, so where has an extra 2,029.67 acres mysteriously come from?

On the 1965 Master Plan, it states that there is a total of 8,819 acres. That is 13.8 Sq Miles. That is also the same number used by the DHCD (Dept of Housing and Community Development), and on the website Wikipedia.  

The DHCD and the official West Boylston website (along with Wikipedia) states the total land area of West Boylston is 12.9 Sq Miles. That is 8,256 acres.
However, Town Hall told the WB Banner, as reported on April 27th, 2006, that "the total amount of land in West Boylston is 10,285.67 acres" 
How did West Boylston gain an extra 2,029.67 acres? How did west Boylston grow roughly 24.6% ?  

It would be cynical to think that town hall is inflating its size to pad themselves in case the 40B Housing 1.5% land clause ever got discovered - something the Planning Board and Housing Authority never mentioned at their public hearing on January 17th. 

   The official West Boylston web site states total land area 12.9 Sq miles - that is equal to 8,256 acres
                  Here is what town hall told the WB Banner in April 2006

Question: How come the percentage column and the respective Total Acres column don't add up? For example, how is 68.4 acres (Railroad) 5 times bigger than 1.4 acres (Masonic Assoc.)?
  
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Leave it to Beavers . . .
December 31st, 2006: The WB Board of Health has authorized a 10 day beaver hunt to kill beavers around the Angell Brook development on Shrewsbury St (Michael Staiti). Board of Health Chairman Robert J. Barrell told the Worcester T&G "we issued the permit to protect the environment and to prevent flooding." He also said "we're sensitive to the environment in terms of preserving the beavers . . . ".

Click the link for the PETA's urgent press release.

Here are the facts about how Mr. Barrell and the Board of Health has protected the envirnoment.

Mandatory Sewers have taken water out of the ground, and as a result, lowered the water table. This has forced the beavers to build damns even more than they naturally would.

Mandatory sewers have also allowed Iqbal Ali & Mirajuddin Ahmed (public records link them to Al-Jazeera) to clear cut 36 acres of land a 1/2 mile away for a low income 40B housing project - displacing many animals, including beavers. These beavers only did what the Board of Health and Planning Board wants to do with people - create a high density area to live in. 

Board of Health members never tried to prevent blasting on the watershed (one of the states main drinking supplies) where Iqbal Ali is building, as some BOH members sat on the committee to allow the blasting in the first place. If you were a beaver, would you stay where your home is being blasted for two weeks? Blasting on the watershed cannot be good for the envirnoment, you would think. 

Angell Brook is less than a 2.5 mile radius from Sewall St in Boylston, where they found a rare species of turtle (see article below). Does the Board of Health know whether or not any of these rare animals have been displaced? They certianly live close enough.

Just think if we were not in a drought, what the water damage would be if the Board of Health hadn't interfered with Mother Nature. You can't fool with Mother Nature, and in this case, the beavers will be back - especially if forced to move there if more land is cut down (not that any realtor or 40B developer would cut trees down they're not supposed to).  

If Robert Barrell and the Board of Health really cared about the environment, as they claim, they would have fought not to have allowed these developments to be built on wetland and watershed in the first place. This is what happens when greed for tax revenue becomes more important than the things they are supposed to protect. . . . . just another problem created by the Board of Health.  
 
The same can be said for the 3.5 acres of woods and wetland on Franklin St - where another low income site has been approved.      

Boylston (1.6% 40B) Selectmen Do the Right Thing 
   Why is it that Boylston is able to slow these projects down even though they have less than half the 40B percentage West Boylston does? 

Afterall, look at the facts - Michael Teague operates two businesses out of his church. Joe Evangelista owns property not listed on the tax assessors list. Teague bought a property assessed at $146,400 for $850,000. 
{edit of story} - ie stealing money out of Public Housing washing machines and dryers. {edit of story}Springfield, in November 2006, was voted most dangerous city in Massachusetts, and is well above their 10% 40B plateau.

Regarding Springfield's housing project scams, the 6th paragraph of this December 8th article says it all.     

Boylston does not have mandatory sewers (on the reservoir), and supports the people, and not contractors.
  
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70 Hartwell St Up For Sale - 2006 Assessment: $1.9 Million
Dec. 19th, 2006: Finally, good luck for town officials. Every week there are reports that town hall becomes worse and worse, and selectmen desperately want a new town hall. Sadly, the 100 Hartwell St deal fell through, but, luckily, 70 Hartwell is now up for sale. What great timing. 

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They're Here, They're Queer, Does WB Have to Get Used To it?
Gays Turn Oakdale Trail into Regional Hangout 

November 4th, 2006   Police Chief Essentially Solicited by Gay Man During Interview about Being Solicited by Gay Man
Click here for the Worcester T&G article dated November 4th. This story was reported on Channel 4, 5, 7, NECN, and FOX. Thanks to town officials and the Master Plan, West Boylston is now known all over New England as a place for gays to go to solicit innocent people.

Do the residents of West Boylston really need this going on - gays with no pants on exposing themselves, soliciting and attacking people? Normal people don't do this sort of thing, especially in the afternoon when they should be at work. Click HERE for the October 17th T&G article. In the WB Banner, Detective Dugan said that the Oakdale Trail is advertised in magazines and websites so these people can find 'true love'. 

Detective Dugan said these crimes happen mostly during the day, so it's apparent these sex offenders don't have jobs to go to (as I've previously explained). The Planning Board has given them a bright side, though - when their 40B development gets built in Oakdale, these sex offenders won't have to drive from other towns to commit crime, they can just walk there.
No job = no income. No income = can't afford much = affordable housing = 40B.

The WB Banner has a full feature article on this problem in the November 9th, 2006 issue.
 
Sadly, during all the news reports (print or television) not once did town administrator Leon Gaumond offer a response or statement about how he's going to stop this crap. You would think the highest ranking town official would have something to say. Then again, as the highest ranking town official, he is the one to be blamed for this mess. This, afterall, is not a police problem, but a town management and planning problem.  

Bernie the Hermit would be apalled by what has happened in Oakdale.

 

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Water In the Ground:

The average residential daily water usage is 190 gallons per day, or 69,350 gallons per year, according to an email sent by Mike Coveney of the Water District. 

Click Here for Water Bills & Rates, and other Water Information. According to the figures given by the respective departments, approximately 2 inches of water will be taken out of the water table (based on average lot size and average water usage). Did the Board of Health ever think of this, and what the effects of their cause would be? 


 
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Richard Breagy Is Back in WB ---  
and Links Regarding St. Mary's in Southbridge
February 25, 2006. Richard Breagy is the West Boylston Building Inspector. You may reach him through email at rbreagy@worcesterdiocese.org .

We have copies of emails from him to verify that this is his email address.

Questions: Is Mr. Breagy the same person who was a building inspector in Princeton who signed a town report about the years 2003/04 (with other inspectors) (we have a copy of it) that said "With the advent of new approved technologies for treating of wastewater one can expect to also see the development of what once was considered substandard or hard to develop sites." What does he mean by "new technologies" and what is being built? Are they single homes that only need septic systems or will they be "affordable homes" or 40B housing complexes that "require" sewer lines? 

Is Mr. Breagy the same person who was involved with the multi-million dollar fiasco in Southbridge regarding St. Mary's church? Here are three links to articles that include Mr. Breagy's involvement with this project.    

Unsigned Contracts:
http://worcestervoice.com/Bishop%20McManus/construction_woes_stun_st__mary's.htm

Lax Inspecting:
http://worcestervoice.com/Bishop%20McManus/construction_woes_plague_st__mary's_parish_center.htm

General Article:
http://worcestervoice.com/st%20mary's_1.htm

So who is ABC, Inc, of Holden, the contractor that did the work? 



   
WB Real Estate For $ale: To find out how many homes are for sale (and where) click WB Homes for Sale. Could it be people are selling their homes because they can't afford to live in town anymore? If property taxes don't run 'em outta town, the sewer taxes will.
Helpful hint - by not filling in parameters, such as price, you get a full listing of homes.
For a list of West Boylston foreclosures, click here.

Item: Telegram & Gazette, Sunday, February 12, 2006  
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                           (West Boylston town hall) is also 120 Prescott St., West Boylston. 
 
WB Contractors -   who is listed by WB as a sewer/ drainlayer contractor?   
The link typed out is: westboylston.com/dpw/sewers/drainlayers/2005_drainlayers.htm  

Question: Does anyone in the Sewer Dept have any affiliation with a business called Water Stopper? It seems strange that a business that puts their name and number on their company pick-up truck cannot be found anywhere in the phonebook or internet? The company truck I saw (parked in the street) was in a town that has reached their 10% 'goal' of 40B housing.

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