FOLKS, we know that the Sterling D.P.W. Board and Superintendent are intent on building at least two (2) monuments to themselves, a ‘Garage Mahal’ for $25.5 million and a new $5 million Oak Hill Cemetery retaining wall to replace the historic fieldstone-and-mortar retaining wall that goes back to approximately 1860 and can be repaired at reasonable cost to Sterling taxpayers by any competent masonry company in this region. Oak Hill Cemetery was established in 1858.
The exorbitant ‘Garage Mahal’ proposals foisted upon us by the out-of-control Sterling D.P.W. Board and Superintendent, the first one for $33 million and the revised one for $25.5 million, were ABSOLUTELY SHELLACKED by Sterling Town Meeting voters. Sterling voters AGAIN SHELLACKED the revised ‘Garage Mahal’ proposal at the ballot box in May 2026 when it appeared as a Proposition 2 ½ override/debt exclusion request.
MEANWHILE, there are TWO (2) commercial properties in Sterling just fine for the Sterling D.P.W.’s use. The property at 29 Legate Hill Road has been on the market at $3.45 million for MONTHS—
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/29-Legate-Hill-Rd-Sterling-MA/39968986
SO what excuse have the D.P.W. Board and Superintendent come up with NOT to purchase it? THIS: the property is subject to a high voltage line easement/right of way that you can see in the listing photographs. As some of us would say, ‘BFD!’ [BIG F#CKING DEAL!]. As a matter of law, that easement/right of way in no way affects use of the building and most of that property, and vehicles and other equipment can be parked/stored under the power lines themselves. BUT, HEY, any excuse to screw Sterling taxpayers will do.
As for the 44 Chocksett Road facility, that is currently for lease—
https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/44-Chocksett-Rd-Sterling-MA/21123731
HOWEVER, if the owner refuses to sell it to the Town of Sterling for a reasonable price the Town can commence “taking”/eminent domain proceedings and take the property. The owner can then take its chances with a jury determining the property’s fair market value at a trial.
AS FOR the Oak Hill Cemetery retaining wall near the Clinton Road sidewalk, which I evaluated and wrote about in a previous Blog post, that can be repaired and restored at reasonable cost by ANY competent masonry company in the region.
Here are a few:
https://www.akirkosmasonry.com
https://www.jbmohlermasonry.com/masonry-repair
https://shamrockmasonry.com/lander?oref=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.brave.com%2F
IF the Sterling D.P.W. Board and Superintendent possessed ANY cojones and common sense—apparently they don’t– they’d send out RFPs [Requests for Proposals/Bids] to a bunch of Central Massachusetts masonry companies and have the Oak Hill Cemetery retaining wall repaired/restored at reasonable cost to Sterling taxpayers.
WHILE the Sterling D.P.W. Board and Superintendent have been pre-occupied in scheming to build the aforementioned monuments to themselves they’ve allowed roads in Sterling to degrade to abominable conditions. In driving and riding my ‘hybrid’ multi-gear bicycle around Sterling, here are some of the roads I’ve been over whose surface conditions ABSOLUTELY SUCK OUT LOUD:
Chamberlain Road
Jewett Road (along the westerly side of the Kane-Perkins Quarry)
Newell Hill Road
Rugg Road
South Nelson Road
Wilder Road.
AND BEAMAN ROAD IS DETERIORATING RAPIDLY.
MEMO TO THE STERLING D.P.W. BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT: PULL YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR ASSES AND DO YOUR F#CKING JOBS!
Stay tuned.
J.G.
STERLING, MASSACHUSETTS, OVERWATCH 