Holliston, Hopkinton and Ashland Selectmen Join in Casino Concerns

Jon Fethersten, Chairman Board of Selectmen, Ashland, Andrew Porter, Chairman, Holliston Board of Selectmen, and RJ Dourney, chairman, Hopkinton Board of Selectmen met with their respective town managers and administrators to discuss the gaming legislation and the legislative conference process. In a letter sent on July 22, the selectmen voiced their concerns in the following letter:

"We have clarity to your desire to formulate an Expanded Gaming Bill that would support economic development and job creation in the Commonwealth. To that end we propose the following language changes to that bill:

We feel strongly that any legislation coming out of the conference cormnittee should incorporate a clear definition "surrounding communities" together with a robust regional review and decision-making component of the siting and licensing process. The process that led to the creation of the Devens Enterprise Commission can serve as a useful guide to crafting a regional process. The important decision to locate or grant a license should not be left to just the host community or the proposed Gaming Control Board.

The prospect of a casino being situated in MetroWest brought this collaborative group together to share ideas and concerns. Ironically, as both versions of the gaming bill are currently proposed, this type of exchange and this expression of local concern would be muted and would fail to be considered as part of the licensing approval process.

Each of our towns has concerns regarding the possibility of a casino in our immediate area.

Some of these concerns are more specific to each community. Hopkinton has previously communicated its concern for disruption of its carefully crafted and successful comprehensive master plan that, with support and assistance at the state level, has guided its development as a biotech hub. Holliston has concerns regarding potential impacts to protected open space areas on its borders, areas acquired and protected with Community Preservation Act and state funds; potential impacts to aquifer areas; and overloading roadways that can't be widened. This range of concerns highlights the importance of a regional approach to casino siting.

We urge your support for and inclusion of a strong regional component in the gaming legislation so that the interests of all affected communities can be properly addressed."

The letters were addressed to three representatives: Paul Frost, Kathi-Anne Reinstein, and Brian Dempsey and three senators: Richard Ross, Steven Pagiotakis, Stanley Rosenberg. Additionally, Governor Deval Patrick, Therese Murray, Senate President, Robert DeLeo, Speaker of the House, Senator Karen Spilka, Representative Carolyn Dykema, Representative Thomas Sannicandro, Bruce Leish, MetroWest Regional Collaborative, Marc Draisen, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, John Petrin, Ashland Town Manger, Paul LeBeau, Holliston Town Administrator, and Norman Khumalo, Hopkinton Town Manager were all cc'd on the correspondences.