March 5 Column

This is the first of a series of interviews with the candidates for the two open Board of Selectmen seats. The first is with incumbent Bob Correnti. The edited version appears in the newspaper, but here you can read Mr. Correnti’s responses unabridged.

Mr. Correnti’s answers are in boxes. I’ve added some of my own comments as well.

Q. Tell me about two accomplishments in your current term that you are most proud of.

Advocating the automated trash system is one recent example that comes to mind. Our solid waste budget (trash pickup services) is over $3 Million dollars with the costs increasing annually. Also as a community, we had not been doing well with recycling.. Something needed to be done. The automated trash collection system has been gaining acceptance by many communities. Working closely with Billerica’s solid waste contractor, our DPW Director evaluated the program. As I had noted at one of our Selectmen meetings, other communities realized significant savings after adopting an automated system. Further, with an automated system recycling participation increases, thus providing another cost savings as it reduces unnecessary trash in our waste stream while benefiting the environment. Therefore, these savings have helped the residential taxpayer by offsetting the increases in waste disposal fees. While change may be difficult to accept, I have been most impressed with the acceptance and adoption of this new system by Billerica residents. One other point: take notice on trash collection day and you’ll no longer see trash piled all over the curb with debris blowing around the neighborhood. So this became a “win/win” for all.

The recent arrival of Verizon FIOS in town is another example. As a member of the Cable Advisory Committee, I have been involved seeking to bring the benefits of cable competition to Billerica. For over a year, the Committee negotiated with Verizon. Through the hard work, patience and persistence of the Committee and the leadership of the Committee’s Chair, Kevin Conway, these efforts were realized and today residents have a choice and the opportunity to save money. In some instances, the cost savings for cable, internet and telephone are significant to residents!

Recently, I had the honor of bringing forth a “Community Covenant” reaffirming Billerica’s commitment to those serving in our military services. While Billerica has always had an active outreach to veterans, this covenant increases our determination to do all we can to support our military forces and their families. In turn, members of the military armed forces have committed their support to Billerica’s youth. For me, this covenant was another demonstration of our resolve to assist Billerica’s men and women in the service of our country. Through my efforts, unused funds were located and put to use to assist families of those actively deployed

I do enjoy that automated trash collection and the money it saved us.

Zombie Stumbles Again

The drip goes on

The Zombie Mall (AKA Billerica Mall) sprung some bad leaks during the big rainstorm. (I’ll wait while you recover from shock.) The Lowell Sun deftly reported the problem with photos.

This includes the one on the left. People of Billerica, this is your flagship retail center. As I have written before, it is only a matter of time before a flat roof that large, that old, and that poorly maintained will completely collapse. It survived the winter — there was not as much snow this season in previous winters — but its day is coming, and soon. Now amount of “refurbishing” will belay total structural failure of the roof, and replacing the entire thing would be expansive and — from a business point of view — a stupid investment by Zombie keeper, NYC-based RD Management.

This recent problem seems to be centered in the hallway that leads to the KMart and the newsstand. A few inches of standing water closed four of the business for the day on that end of the 335,000 square-foot building. The other end of the building (Market Basket, Dollar Tree) was not affected by this incident.

I don’t know how businesses can possibly operate in this environment. One of the members of the Board of Selectmen, Bob Accomando, owns Ma’s Dry Cleaning, which was one of stores that was forced to close. Bob is responsible for clothes belonging to hundreds of people. If the roof springs a leak above his space and ruins those articles, what will he say to his customers, most of whom are also his constituents? If I was him, KMart, the newsstand, or Burlington Coat factory, I would be furious.

When is enough enough? Are these businesses actively looking for new homes? If you broke your lease and RD Management sued you for unpaid rent, would any judge rule against you? How can the mall possibly attract new tenants? The latest rumor is that a gym is coming in, but would any sane businessperson sign a lease with this place? None of this makes any sense.

I have stopped going to Mall for anything except groceries. And it’s too bad, because Ma’s is a good business, and Burlington Coat has a lot of baby stuff close to home. We have to drive out of our way to get stuff we used to get there now. It’s not safe.

Makes you wonder how close it is to being condemned, for real this time.

An aside — the anonymous prairie dogs on the newspaper message boards always come out when the Mall makes the news. Their favorite comments:

“Blame the people that opposed Home Depot.” These people do not cause rain nor absentee landlords. We might have never even heard of Home Depot if the Zombie keepers had put some money into fixing up the place.  But in the Sun follow-up story, Mall tenant/Selectman Accomando made this very argument: “Everything would have been brand new. We wouldn’t be having these problems now.”  Thanks for playing, Bob.

Here’s a new one: “HD would have built a new mall for FREE.” Bingo! Except all private development projects are paid for by private funds and are “free” to the taxpayer.

The second Sun story tells us that the Town sent angry letters on official letterhead to RD Management.  I bet that gave the boys at corporate a good chuckle out of that, right before they filed it in the circular bin next to the last one they got after the mold story hit the local papers.

So this is the new guy’s problem now.  Good luck, Town Manager John Curran.  You’ll have a migraine-inducing choice to make over the next few months: 1. Close the place down for a mile-long rap sheet of safety violations, or 2. Lather, rinse, repeat.