Selectman Michael McCoy On The Senior Center Warrant Article

From Selectman Michael McCoy:

February 10 2020

"Hi everyone. The following are two questions that Robert Hayes of the Wilmington Apple sent to me for answers in regards to the concerns that the Wilmington Pop Warner parents had in regards to the petitioned article that I proposed on behalf of seniors seeking a brand new senior center to be constructed at the town hall site. Please share with everyone and especially friends associated with Pop Warner and Little League. Folks-I cannot stress enough that I would never, ever take one square inch away from any of our kids' ball fields. I've given 33 years of my adult life to this town. I'm a member of the hockey rink committee and I believe our kids also deserve a hockey rink somewhere in town. But this post focuses on the two locations proposed for the senior center and the hockey rink discussion is for another time.

Question One: Wilmington Pop Warner Parents are concerned about possibly losing the Glen Road fields. If a senior center is built on the town hall site, where would they practice and play if a senior center is built on the fields? Pop Warner feels they would have limited options in town without Glen Road fields. Where would you try to find them space elsewhere in town?

Answer: Here is my response to the entire question: The fields and concession stand are going nowhere. The diagram below indicates that this is a "concept for discussion only" (see the top right corner). On Friday February 7, 2020 at 10 a.m. I called Wilmington's Town Engineer, Paul Alunni. His telephone number is 978-658-4499. I brought to his attention that the concession stands are not on this preliminary plan. He responded "you're correct". He looked at it and confirmed that the concession stand will fit. If you want to confirm this, give him a call.

The attached design was prepared by the Wilmington Town Engineer, Paul Alunni and was given to the hockey rink committee just a few months ago. I have been a member of that committee for about seven months. The hockey rink is NOT going to be built at the town hall site, however, this is one of the many sites we looked at. So let's look at an example of what could fit on the town hall property which consists of 19 acres. A hockey rink with a building size of 130 feet x 300 feet. Building size: 39,000 square feet. The proposed senior center from the town's consultant would be a building of about 14,000 square feet. Parking: 304 spaces. THE EXISTING BALL FIELDS AND CONCESSION STAND WOULD ALL STAY. However, the town hall would need to be removed to accommodate this specific plan.

While I may be the person who brought forth the articles, this has been in the making for the past four years but it appears that many people in town have been asleep right up until the time I wrote these petition articles and brought them forward so we could finally take action rather than just talking about it. This is public information. There have been dozens of public hearings. This has even been discussed publicly with the school committee, the Wilmington Board of Selectmen, the Permanent Building Committee and the Master Facility Plan Committee.

Now let's talk about the proposed senior center. In December of 2015, a master facility plan committee was created. On June 20, 2017 the master facility plan committee voted unanimously alternative M2. The M2 scenario includes a new senior center would be built at the current town hall site on Glen Road.

The Wilmington Master Facility Plan report states (and I quote directly from that plan) "new senior center at the existing town hall site--a new expanded senior center can be best, be provided at the site of the existing town hall. This site has several benefits including the proximity to outdoor spaces and adjacency to the recreational facilities that will activate the area. The town hall site is adequately large to accommodate the senior center either prior to its relocation to the Swain School site, or after its relocation and demolition of the former town hall building". In a nutshell; the existing 19 acre town hall site could accommodate a new senior center, keep the existing ball fields, keep the concession stand, additional parking, and keep the existing town hall building where it sits until a suitable site is found for its relocation.

At the February 4, 2020 finance committee hearing at the 48 minute mark it is crystal clear that the town manager should have dusted off the Wilmington Masters Facility Plan report because he is absolutely wrong when he said that the ball fields have to be removed if Selectman McCoy's petitioned article for the May 2, 2020 town meeting passes. With that one statement, he fear-mongered the parents of Pop Warner and Little League and sent everyone involved into a panic.

Question two: And do you support a new Senior Center at the St. Dorothy's site OR at the Town Hall site? What's the rationale behind submitting 2 articles with 2 different locations? Want to let the voters decide?

Answer: I personally prefer the St. Dorothy's site for a new senior center. My rationale behind submitting the two articles with two different locations is simply to let the voters decide. Don't forget--on June 20, 2017 the Master Facility Plan Committee voted unanimously for the construction of a new senior center at the town hall site.

I've attended Elders Service Commission meetings. I've spoken to many of the seniors. They have expressed publicly and have spoken to me directly saying that they want a senior center now. I'm doing what the seniors want by presenting these articles because they asked me to. I authored two articles. Article one proposes a senior center to be built at the town hall, which will in no way eliminate any ball fields or concession stand. Article 2 proposes building a senior center at the St. Dorothy site. The process will first start on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 7 p.m. at the town hall auditorium which is the public hearing of the Planning Board and Finance Committee for petition articles. Residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions.

I encourage residents to attend the meeting and weigh in on where they would like to build a senior center. From that consensus the next step will be the annual town meeting on Saturday May 2, 2020 at the Wilmington High School Joanne Benton Auditorium beginning at 10:30 a.m. At the 10:30 a.m. start, I will submit in writing to the town moderator one of the two articles to be withdrawn without prejudice so that we're only voting on the one most popular article. I hope to see all of you on March 17, 2020 and then again on May 2, 2020."

This press release was produced by the Selectman Michael McCoy. The views expressed here are the author’s own.