Letter: Kessler is 'Smart, Capable... and Approachable'

Freddy and I were in the Greenwood Avenue group that fought to save our neighborhood from the kind of over-construction seen at the Concordia that blocks the sun from the street and has taken away little ocean views, the new Red Rock restaurant with a looming elevator and large building blocking the ocean, and the gigantic, unimaginative, unattractive 184-unit building on Paradise Road.

We want development that is in keeping with our beautiful New England seaside town. We want views and vistas to remain for all to be able to see the ocean, not just those wealthy enough to live in buildings that have gone up and that block the views from the rest of the citizens in town.

We fought against a 41 unit condo which would have destroyed our neighborhood. We were not consulted in the planning, and we prevailed when the land-court decision came down in our favor, saying that the town had engaged in unacceptable “spot zoning.” Mind you, we are not against managed development. We are against inappropriately over-sized development.

Two men are running for office on April 28 but only one man, Glenn Kessler, supported the residents at Greenwood. His opponent, a developer and land use lawyer, was on the Zoning Board of Appeals. Many of us went to every single zoning board meeting in order to be heard, but we were not. Glenn’s opponent voted to grant the developer relief from zoning, even after the property was re-zoned specifically to accommodate the 41 condo units. His record on the ZBA makes it clear that he favors dense development and prioritizes raising revenue for the town over moderate development and a more balanced approach.

We finally had to file a law suit in order to be heard. We were vindicated when the Land Court decision came down in our favor, determining that the town had engaged in unacceptable spot zoning. This stopped the massive building at the top of Greenwood. Glenn’s opponent was in favor of the town pursuing an appeal, even though it was highly unlikely to succeed. It would have cost the town thousands of dollars to fight a land court decision; such decisions are nearly always irreversible.

Glenn Kessler said, “There has to be a better way than being in a costly legal battle with neighbors.” Luckily for Greenwood, Kessler had a vote.

Glenn has always made his views well known about the turf field: he was never opposed to it but in 2012 prioritized storm drainage repairs, needed assurances from town officials that it was financially viable, and support from the Board of Health that is was environmentally safe for our children, support that has now been given by a unanimous BofH. The 2012 proposal was neither financially viable nor environmentally safe, though it has become so due to the efforts of the AllBlue Foundation and its predecessor, the Athletic Field Study Committee, and so now he is able to support it wholeheartedly.

Glenn is smart, capable (he manages the technicians who oversee the Boston Garden HVAC systems and related facilities, among other properties), and approachable. Throughout his tenure he has held open office hours in the café at Whole Foods on Saturday mornings so any resident can talk with him and be heard. He is a man for the people. I hope you give him your vote on April 28th.

Ellie Miller
Freddy Phillips
Greenwood Avenue