J.G.
THIS IS YOUR WACHUSETT REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMITTEE AND ADMINISTRATION
HERE IS THE ENTIRE WACHUSETT REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT PAYROLL ROSTER. READ IT AND GAG. WE DISTRICT PROPERTY TAXPAYERS ARE GETTING HOSED BIG TIME
SO, WRSD total student enrollment has dropped by 12.5% over the past 15 Fiscal Years whereas the total WRSD budget has increased 50% over the past 10 Fiscal Years. The WRSD Committee and successive Superintendents have refused to implement ANY Reductions In Force (RIFs), as authorized by Mass.Gen.Laws Ch. 71, Section 42, corresponding with the drop-off in total student enrollment. In fairness to District property taxpayers 12.5% of WRSD employees should be cut. If you aren’t already enraged, it gets even worse– the WRSD proposes, as of right now, A TOTAL BUDGET INCREASE FOR NEXT FISCAL OF 6.18%, FROM $121,979,287 THIS YEAR TO $129,515,225 NEXT FISCAL YEAR. IN ADDITION, THE WRSD PROPOSES TO HIRE 17 NEW TEACHERS. AT THIS YEAR’S STERLING ANNUAL TOWN MEETING VOTE TO SHOOT DOWN THE WRSD’s REQUEST TO STERLING FOR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT ABOVE STERLING’S STATE-REQUIRED NET MINIMUM CONTRIBUTION TO THE WRSD.
Here is entire, current WRSD payroll roster. Read it and gag–
J.G.
SOME TRUE WEASELLYNESS: THE STERLING PLANNING BOARD, CHAIRED BY SELF-DEALING DEVELOPER WEASEL CARL CORRINNE, PROPOSES TO GUT AND ALTER KEY ZONING BY-LAW “DEFINITIONS.” SOME PROPOSED CHANGES ARE JUST IDIOTIC
SO the Sterling Planning Board, Chaired by self-dealing developer weasel Carl Corrinne, together with its make-work talking sock puppet Town Planner, propose to alter and gut some key Sterling Zoning By-Law “Definitions”—
SEE the proposed changes here– https://www.sterling-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif1266/f/uploads/zoning_proposal_5_-_new_revised_definitions_3.pdf
Let us take a look at some of the proposed changes.
Here is the current Sterling Zoning By-Laws definition of “BUILDING CODE or STATE BUILDING CODE”—
BUILDING CODE or STATE BUILDING CODE
The Building Code of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as the same may be amended from time to time. Terms used in this bylaw shall have the same meaning as ascribed to them in the Building Code unless the context of usage in this bylaw clearly indicates another meaning.
As you can see, the meaning is perfectly clear and EVERYONE knows what is the Massachusetts State Building Code. IT’S THIS AS FOUND ON THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSTTS WEBSITE—
https://www.mass.gov/handbook/tenth-edition-of-the-ma-state-building-code-780
Here is the PROPOSED new “definition” of same—
BUILDING CODE or STATE BUILDING CODE Massachusetts State Building Code – 780 CMR consists of a series of international model codes and any state-specific amendments adopted by the Board of Building Regulations and Standards (BBRS). The BBRS regularly updates the state building codes as new information and technology becomes available and change is warranted. These updates are listed here, as well as links to the model codes. Terms used in this bylaw shall have the same meaning as ascribed to them in the Building Code unless the context of usage in this bylaw clearly indicates another meaning.
Do we really need that verbose, idiotic BULLSHIT??? Obviously NOT.
Now let’s look at the proposed new definition of “FAMILY”—
FAMILY A number of individuals living and cooking together on the premises as a single unit., but not more than five unrelated individuals.
The ‘strikethrough’ change ELIMINATES ANY CAP ON THE NUMBER OF UNRELATED PEOPLE WHO CAN LIVE TOGETHER IN A DWELLING UNIT.
THAT’S TOTAL HORSESHIT.
AND IT’S a TOTAL PANDER to the so-called ‘MBTA MULTI-FAMILY ZONING DISTRICT COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES” THAT PUT NO LIMIT WHATSOEVER ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN OCCUPY A ‘DWELLING UNIT.’
As we know, the Planning Board and Town Planner have shown over the past 2-3 years that they are F#cking Morons by taking those so-called ‘Compliance Guidelines’ seriously, notwithstanding the clear language of Mass.Gen.Laws Ch. 40A, Sec. 3A and the fact that the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled on 8 January 2025, in accordance with that statutory language, that so-called ‘MBTA Multi-Family Zoning Districts’ MUST BE LOCATED WITHIN ½ MILE OF AN MBTA TRAIN/TRANSIT STATION. STERLING HAS NO LAND CLOSER THAN 5-6 MILES TO THE MBTA TRAIN STATION ON NASHUA STREET, LEOMINSTER.
SEE the SJC decision here–
NOW LET’S LOOK AT THE PROPOSED, OUTRAGEOUS, PRO-DEVELOPER DEFINITION OF “FRONTAGE”—
FRONTAGE That portion of a lot fronting upon a street or way, said frontage to be measured along street lines between its side lot lines and their intersection with the streets.
The boundary of a lot coinciding with the street line, being an unbroken distance along a way currently maintained by the Town, county, or state, or along ways shown of the Definitive Plans of approved subdivisions, through which actual access to the potential building site shall be required unless otherwise exempted herein. A street may provide frontage only upon a determination by the Planning Board that it provides adequate access for fire, police, and emergency vehicles. Lot frontage shall be measured continuously along street lines between side lot lines. Lots with interrupted or discontinuous frontage must demonstrate that the required length along the street may be obtained from one continuous frontage section, without any totaling of discontinuous frontage sections.
The ‘strikethrough’ language is the CURRENT definition. The proposed change provides that contiguous/continuous frontage on a street or way IS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO MEET ‘BUILDABLE LOT’ FRONTAGE REQUIREMENTS. THAT MEANS THAT A DEVELOPER CAN BUY A PARCEL WHOSE FRONTAGE ON A STREET OR WAY IS INTERRUPTED/SEPARATED BY AN INTERVENING PARCEL OR INTERVENING PARCELS, ADD THE SEPARATE FRONTAGE SEGMENTS TOGETHER, AND THEN CLAIM TOTAL FRONTAGE REQUIRED FOR A BUILDABLE LOT.
NICE TRY CORRINNE, YOU FRIGGIN’ LITTLE WEASEL.
Here’s the proposed new definition of “HOTEL or MOTEL”—
HOTEL or MOTEL
A structure used or designed for overnight lodging, and which may also provide a restaurant and hotel/motel related retail and consumer services to lodgers and the public.
A building or group of buildings providing accommodations on a transient basis for compensation.
The ‘strikethrough’ language is the CURRENT definition and is perfectly adequate. The proposed NEW DEFINITION DOES NOT COVER WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER TO BE ‘MOTEL CABINS.’ WHAT ABOUT THEM, HUH GENIUSES???
Lastly, we move on to the proposed new definition of “STRUCTURE”—
STRUCTURE A combination of materials assembled to give support or shelter such as buildings, towers, masts, sheds, roofed storage areas, mechanical equipment, swimming pools; but not including signs, fences, septic tanks, and septic systems and accessory facilities associated with the provision of utilities such as drains, wells, transformers, and utility poles.
A combination of materials to form a construction, including among others, buildings, stadiums, tents, reviewing stands, platforms, stagings, observation towers, water tanks, play towers, swimming pools, trestles, sheds, shelters, fences over six feet high, display signs, flagpoles, masts for radio antennas, courts for tennis or similar games, backstops, backboards; the term “structure” shall be construed as if followed by the words “or portion thereof.” A vessel shall not be considered to be a structure.
The ’strikethrough’ language is the CURRENT definition. It is more comprehensive, provides examples, and is THEREFORE PREFERABLE. NOTE that under the proposed NEW definition “accessory facilities associated with the provision of utilities,” including “utility poles,” don’t count as “structures.”
NOW WHY MIGHT THAT BE??? WELL, IT’S BECAUSE CORRINNE WAS CAUGHT WITH HIS PANTS DOWN WHEN HE CLAIMED THAT HIS LAND UNDER THE THREE (3) PARALLEL SETS OF HIGH VOLTAGE LINES AND TOWERS ON THE NATIONAL GRID RIGHT-OF-WAY OFF 100 CLINTON ROAD COUNTED TOWARD THE 60% “OPEN SPACE” HE NEEDED TO CLAIM AS PART OF HIS MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT THERE. UNDER OUR MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT BY-LAWS ‘ABOVE-GROUND’ UTILITIES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON LAND CLAIMED AS REQUIRED “OPEN SPACE.”
SO AGAIN, NICE TRY CORRINNE, YOU FRIGGIN’ LITTLE WEASEL.
CONCLUSION: As a group these proposed Zoning By-Laws “Definition’ changes are objectionable. Shoot them down at the May 2025 Sterling Annual Town Meeting.
J.G.
THE STERLING PLANNING BOARD, CHAIRED BY SELF-DEALING DEVELOPER WEASEL CARL CORRINNE, TOGETHER WITH ITS TALKING SOCK PUPPET TOWN PLANNER, SEEK, DISHONESTLY AND MALICIOUSLY, UNDER THE GUISE OF MAKING INTERNAL SITE PLAN HOUSEKEEPING REGULATIONS, WHOLESALE CHANGES TO THE ACTUAL SITE PLAN ZONING BY-LAWS THAT THE PLANNING BOARD CAN GUT LATER
Folks, under the TOWN OF STERLING’S EXISTING ZONING BY-LAWS the Planning Board has EXPLICIT AUTHORITY to formulate and adopt internal/housekeeping SITE PLAN regulations.
HERE IS THAT STERLING ZONING BY-LAW PROVISION—
Regulations. The Planning Board may adopt and from time to time amend reasonable regulations for the administration of these site plan guidelines.
BUT, in a DISHONEST, DECEPTIVE, MALICIOUS PLOY, the Planning Board and Town Planner want 2025 Sterling Annual Town Meeting voters to REVISE THE STERLING ZONING BY-LAWS SUBSTANTIVE SITE PLAN PROVISIONS THEMSELVES AS A FIRST STEP TOWARD A TRULY EVIL SECOND STEP TO BE TAKEN LATER BY THE PLANNING BOARD.
Here is the DISHONEST, DECEPTIVE, MALICIOUS OPENING PARAGRAPH ISSUED BY THE PLANNING BOARD’S TALKING SOCK PUPPET, THE TOWN PLANNER—
“Planner’s Explanation: The Zoning Bylaw’s current Site Plan provision authorizes the Planning Board to adopt Site Plan Regulations, which the Board has not done to this point. Revising the Site Plan section of the Zoning Bylaw will enable the Planning Board to include design guidelines in its new set of Site Plan Regulations. Further, much of the content of the existing bylaw can be moved into the regulations.” ————————————————————————————————
The “Site Plan Regulations” referred to are intended to be INTERNAL, HOUSEKEEPING REGULATIONS DEALING WITH FILING PROTOCOLS, CONTENTS, NOTICES, ETC., NOT SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THE ZONING BY-LAWS THEMSELVES.
SO WHAT FOLLOWS THE DISHONEST, DECEPTIVE, AND MALICIOUS TOWN PLANNER’S/PLANNING BOARD’S OPENING PARAGRAPH, ABOVE???
ANSWER—WHOLESALE CHANGES TO THE SUBSTANTIVE SITE PLAN ZONING BY-LAWS THEMSELVES!
SEE ENTIRE—
AND HERE IS THE REALLY EVIL, MALICIOUS PORTION OF THE BENT TOWN PLANNER’S EXPLANATION—
“Further, much of the content of the existing bylaw can be moved into the regulations.” ————————————————————————————————”
YEAH, SO LET’S ALTER THE ACTUAL ZONING BY-LAWS SITE PLAN PROVISIONS THEMSELVES AND NEXT MAKE THEM PART OF THE PLANNING BOARD’S INTERNAL REGULATIONS SO THE PLANNING BOARD CAN GUT THEM LATER WITHOUT A TOWN MEETING VOTE.
NEED MORE PROOF THAT THE PLANNING BOARD AND TOWN PLANNER ARE LOW ENOUGH TO BLOW THE BUFFALO ON A NICKEL???
DIDN’T THINK SO.
SHOOT DOWN THAT EVIL, MALICIOUS PROPOSAL AT THE 2025 STERLING ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
See you at the Town Zoning Forum, Wednesday evening, 19 February 2025.
J.G.
THE STERLING PLANNING BOARD, CHAIRED BY SELF-DEALING DEVELOPER WEASEL CARL CORRINNE, WITH THE MAKE-WORK ‘TOWN PLANNER’ AS ITS TALKING SOCK PUPPET, MAKES ASS-BACKWARDS PLOY TO RAM THROUGH ZBA SPECIAL PERMITS BEFORE PLANNING BOARD ISSUES SITE PLAN DECISIONS
Well folks, need any more proof that the Planning Board, Chaired by self-dealing developer weasel Carl Corrinne, and the Planning Board’s talking sock puppet, the Town Planner, are pro-development pimps? Then check out their proposals for ZBA Special Permit-granting and Planning Board site plan reviewing—
The following are the KEY sections–
§ 301-6.3.4 Special Permits that require Site Plan review. For development projects that require a Special Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals and Site Plan approval from the Planning Board, the applicant may apply for both concurrently and request a joint public hearing by both Boards. When a joint public hearing is requested, both boards will coordinate a public hearing date and provide proper public notice per MGL Chapter 40A, Section 11. The procedural order shall be that the Zoning Board of Appeals shall issue its Special Permit decision first, followed by the Planning Board issuing its Site Plan decision.
§ 301-6.4.4 Site Plans that require Special Permits. For development projects that require a Site Plan approval from the Planning Board and a Special Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals, the applicant may apply for both concurrently and request a joint public hearing by both Boards. When a joint public hearing is requested, both boards will coordinate a public hearing date and provide proper public notice per MGL Chapter 40A, Section 11. The procedural order shall be that the Zoning Board of Appeals shall issue its Special Permit decision first, followed by the Planning Board issuing its Site Plan decision.
Just how stupid do the Planning Board and Town Planner think we are? It’s the Site Plan review process that gets into a development proposal’s NITTY-GRITTY, including objectionable details, but as you can see the Planning Board wants to force the Sterling Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to issue Special Permits BEFORE the Planning Board completes its duty to render Site Plan Review determinations.
THAT’S TOTALLY ASS-BACKWARDS AND THEY KNOW IT.
AND YEAH, THE PLANNING BOARD AND THE TOWN PLANNER ARE ASSHOLES.
SHOOT DOWN THIS PROPOSAL AT STERLING’S MAY ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
See you at the Zoning Forum Wednesday night, 19 February 2025—
J.G.
“THE WRSC [WRSD COMMITTEE] IS A DISASTER OF EPIC PROPORTIONS.” IT DIDN’T KNOW THAT PHONICS HAD BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE CURRICULUM??? NOW READING LEVELS ARE AT MINUS THREE GRADES
As a Paxton reader of this Blog wrote last week, “The WRSC [WRSD Committee] is a disaster of epic proportions.” SEE previous Blog post on the ‘SECRET’ 4 February 2025 meeting involving the WRSD Committee, the WRSD Superintendent, and officials representing the 5 WRSD towns.
The fact that the WRSD Committee is and has been stupid, detached, incompetent, and dishonest is illustrated by the 14 February 2025 email sent by Sterling WRSD Committee member Linda Woodland to a Sterling voter who asked about the WRSD’s switch to a ‘new’ curriculum.
“Dear Ms. ______,
Thank you for reaching out. I too would like the Sterling FinCom meetings to be recorded and broadcast. The meeting on February 27th at 6:30pm is open to the public. It will be at the Media Center at WRHS, and should be recorded and broadcast. I will double check that to be sure, but please know that the public is welcome to attend. I can’t answer all of your questions, but I can provide some history to the curriculum choice that was discussed at the meeting we both attended.
Before my time on the committee, Dr. McCall’s administration selected Fontas & Pinnell (F&P) for the elementary ELA curriculum. It was purchased, I believe, around 2016 and first implemented for Kindergarteners for the 2017-2018 school year. Teachers were trained in it one grade-level per year while using the previous curriculum (I believe it was Fundations), and then implemented Fontas & Pinnell the next year. It took a very long time to unroll from grade to grade. From what I understand, many other districts were adopting F&P around the same time, too.
Sometime around 2020-2022, F&P curriculum was identified as an incomplete curriculum for teaching to read. The big problem is that it does not teach phonics, but rather encourages kids to guess at words. This method can work for some kids, but not nearly enough. Many school districts across MA were using this curriculum, and so this is a widespread problem with ELA instruction. WRSD is not alone in facing this problem. Now, DESE implemented a new method of rating curriculum, and created a standard for earning the label “High Quality Instructional Materials”. They also created grants to help districts to dump F&P and select a different curriculum that meets these new standards. WRSD received such a grant sometime in FY23 or FY24 for researching and selecting new curriculum, and now teachers are using the new ELA curriculum for K-5 students. So far it looks like a big improvement, but testing the results is still in early stages.
From what I understand, Dr. McCall’s administration selected and implemented the curriculum without formally requesting a vote from the School Committee, however I do not know exactly how that happened. I began on the committee in 2019, and this curriculum change was in 2015 or 2016. Typically a school committee is asked to approve major curriculum changes that are selected by the administration, but does not make the actual selection. The current administration has begun a curriculum selection process that involves information from DESE and significant involvement of teachers and principals, to put curriculum under a microscope before it’s selected. I do not know how Dr. McCall’s administration selected the curriculum before this, and none of the administrators from Central Office from that time are still employed by the district (emphasis added).
Best,
Linda”
SO phonics was eliminated from the WRSD curriculum in or about 2017-2018 and the WRSD Committee didn’t realize until 2020-2022 that WRSD kids were not learning to read properly BECAUSE phonics was omitted from the F&P curriculum. BRILLIANT ENGAGEMENT ON THEIR PART.
Ms. Woodland indicates that previous WRSD Superintendent McCall, who retired after it came to light that he had overspent the authorized WRSD budget by $1.6 million a couple years ago, “selected and implemented the [F&P] curriculum without formally requesting a vote from the School Committee.”
WELL, that’s BULLSHIT. The F&P curriculum, the one without phonics, “was purchased… around 2016” according Ms. Woodland. NOTHING can be purchased by the WRSD without authorized representatives of the WRSD Committee first signing a written spending authorization called a “Warrant.” Spending Warrants are approved by vote of the ENTIRE WRSD Committee.
SEE Mass.Gen.Laws Ch. 71, Sec. 16A—
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXII/Chapter71/Section16a
SO the WRSD Committee knew damned well in 2016 that the F&P curriculum was purchased and would be implemented. They just didn’t care enough to find out what was in it, or what wasn’t in it.
The WRSD Committee is the WRSD’s governing body. IT controls the Superintendent and the curriculum, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
Mass.Gen.Laws Ch. 71, Sec. 37 provides:
“The school committee in each city and town and each regional school district shall have the power to select and to terminate the superintendent, shall review and approve budgets for public education in the district, and shall establish educational goals and policies for the schools in the district consistent with the requirements of law and statewide goals and standards established by the board of education. The school committee in each city, town and regional school district may select a superintendent jointly with other school committees and the superintendent shall serve as the superintendent of all of the districts that selected him (emphasis added).”
It is clear then that the WRSD Committee is and has been so detached and incompetent that it has abdicated its duty to oversee and control Superintendents and has abdicated its duty to oversee and implement an effective curriculum.
Due to the WRSD Committee’s stupidity, detachment, dereliction of statutory duty, and utter incompetence WRSD students are now reading at three (3) grade levels below where they should be.
As a matter of FACT the WRSD Committee authorized and paid for the F&P curriculum that omitted phonics, an essential tool for FIRST AND SECOND GRADERS to learn vowel sounds in order to sound out spelled words.
Phonics is not rocket science and has been an essential learning tool for MANY decades.
SEE https://thisreadingmama.com/k-2-phonics-skills-list-printable/
The WRSD Committee can try to evade blame for the current WRSD reading level disaster by pointing the finger at long-gone Superintendent McCall, but under Massachusetts law the responsibility for that disaster lies ENTIRELY WITH THEM.
Tired of funding WRSD institutional bloat, dishonesty, and incompetence??? Then start forcing needed changes by voting down the WRSD’s bloated 2025-2026 budget request during this year’s Annual Town Meeting.
J.G.
OUTRAGEOUS WRSD LGTBQ BRAINWASHING, THOMAS PRINCE SCHOOL VERSION—SEE VIDEO
SO, ya’ think that the WRSD prioritizes reading, writing, math, science, English, geography, history, foreign languages, etc.? NAH, YOU SILLY DISTRICT-WIDE PROPERTY TAXPAYERS! THE WRSD PRIORITIZES LGTBQ BRAINWASHING/PROPAGANDA AS DISPLAYED JUST INSIDE THE THOMAS PRINCE SCHOOL ENTRANCE IN PRINCETON. PLAY THE VIDEO. AND YOU JUST KNOW THAT THIS TYPE OF CRAP IS ON DISPLAY IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
Could the WRSD AT LEAST ENDORSE “GAYS AGAINST GROOMERS”???
SEE https://www.gaysagainstgroomers.com/
HERE ARE SOME ASSORTED SICKO/PERVERT GROOMER TEACHERS FROM AROUND THE U.S.–
No wonder WRSD total student enrollment is dropping like a stone.
J.G.
SO TWO WRSD BULLSHIT ARTISTS WALKED INTO THE STERLING FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING LAST NIGHT…
We’ve all seen and heard advertisements by businesses claiming that they are “purveyors of fine goods,” right? Well, the Wachusett Regional School District Committee and its Superintendent Reilly are purveyors of outright BULLSHIT. If “America runs on Dunkin’” THEN the WRSD runs on BULLSHIT.
So, last night, 11 February 2025, according to a loyal reader of this Blog whose name I shall hold in confidence, TWO WRSD BULLSHIT ARTISTS/PURVEYORS SHOWED UP AT THE STERLING FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TO SPREAD WRSD BULLSHIT. One, Michelle, is Finance Director from the WRSD Central Office in Holden a/k/a BULLSHIT CENTRAL, the other being Linda Woodland, one of three Sterling WRSD Committee members. Linda Woodland is notorious for blowing more WRSD smoke than a U.S. Navy smokescreen generator.
Their attempted pitch to rationalize the WRSD’s outrageous 4.55% to 5% budget increase request for next Fiscal Year, 2025-2026??? The WRSD plans to initiate a “new curriculum” with the “new curriculum” pilot program to be initiated in grades K-5– and FOR THAT they ‘need’ to hire 17 brand new full-time teachers screwing District property taxpayers for the megabucks pay and benefit packages.
REFRESHER: WRSD total student enrollment has fallen by 936, from 7493 to 6557, since Fiscal Year 2010-2011, 119 in just the last year, or 12.5% per cent, WHILE the WRSD total budget increased 50%, from $81.3 million in FY 2015-2016 to $121.9 million THIS Fiscal Year 2024-2025.
SEE
The WRSD has 467 teachers. The WRSD student-teacher ratio is now down to 14:1.
SEE
BUT, BUT, BUT the WRSD ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO HIRE 17 BRAND NEW TEACHERS.
WHAT BULLSHIT!
I guess Michelle and Linda Woodland want you to believe that the WRSD does not have enough intelligent teachers on the payroll roster to learn the “new curriculum” over this-coming summer and teach it next year.
Good to know! Probably THAT’S why WRSD students, on average, have reading levels 3 grades BELOW where they should be.
ACTUALLY, what the WRSD Committee and Administration REALLY think is that all WRSD property taxpayers are stupid and will buy their transparent BULLSHIT.
At the May 2025 Sterling Annual Town Meeting let us pay them back for their utter arrogance, lying, and total incompetence
Stay Tuned.
J.G.
THE CRONY-ZONING PACKARDS, ASSISTED BY THE SELF-DEALING DEVELOPER-WEASEL CARL CORRINNE-CHAIRED PLANNING BOARD AND THE PLANNING BOARD’S SOCK PUPPET TOWN PLANNER, TRY FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 5 YEARS TO RE-ZONE PERFORMANCE ZONE 1 TO COMMERCIAL
Folks, I’ll be at the 19 February 2025 Sterling Proposed Zoning Changes Forum—
Hope to see you there. First up is the proposal to re-zone Performance Zone 1 along Route 140 near Dana Hill Road to Commercial. Don’t be fooled by the deceptive euphemism ‘Gateway Enterprise District.’ MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT— IF APPROVED AT TOWN MEETING THAT AREA WILL BECOME A COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
SCROLL DOWN AND READ THE PERMITTED USES TABLE INCLUDING “MAJOR COMMERCIAL PROJECT” LEFT UNDEFINED CONVENIENTLY ON PURPOSE BECAUSE THE PROPONENTS ARE WEASELS–
AND THOSE WEASELS include the Self-Dealing Developer and Chair of the Sterling Planning Board, Carl Corrinne; the Planning Board’s Carpetbagger Make-Work Talking Sock Puppet, Town Planner Stephen Wallace; and the Crony-Zoning Packards whose Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs) own ALMOST ALL of the parcels in Performance Zone 1 easterly of Dana Hill Road.
The Packards and the Planning Board tried to get that area re-zoned to Commercial in two back-to-back recent Annual Town Meetings but failed. Obviously they have utter contempt for Sterling Town Meeting Voters’ twice-voted will. It is time that we Sterling Annual Town Meeting voters stick it to THEM—EMPHATICALLY—by shooting down this proposed re-zoning AGAIN.
For those of you who need a refresher, or weren’t around when Performance Zone 1 was zoned the way it is, THE REASON IT WAS ZONED THAT WAY BY STERLING ANNUAL TOWN MEETING VOTERS YEARS AGO WAS TO PROTECT THE STILLWATER RIVER WATERSHED, INCLUDING NEARBY TRIBUTARY STREAMS, ITS AQUIFER, AND NEARBY WETLANDS.
To see those sensitive resources for yourselves go to Sterling GIS mapping and ZOOM in on that area—
https://next.axisgis.com/SterlingMA/
Next, click on “Layers” then “Conservation 2.” Also, click on “State Data” then on “Aquifers,” “DEP Wetlands,” “Drainage Basins,” “Outstanding Resource Waters,” “Public Water Supply Map,” and “Surface Water Supply Watersheds.”
Do the Packards, the Planning Board, and Town Planner want you to know about all those sensitive areas??? OF COURSE NOT. They’d be happy to build and pave over them. They don’t give a rat’s ass about protecting sensitive environmental resources.
Moreover, check out ALL the abutting homes—
They don’t give a rat’s ass about the abutting property owners or their families either.
In solidarity with those abutting homeowners and their families it behooves the rest of us to teach the Packards, the Planning Board, and the Town Planner an EMPHATIC LESSON– YET AGAIN–AT THE MAY 2025 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING. LET’S DO IT!
Stay Tuned.
J.G.
REPORT ON THE ‘SECRET’ 4 FEBRUARY 2025 MEETING INVOLVING THE WRSD COMMITTEE, WRSD SUPERINTENDENT, 5-TOWN SELECT BOARD CHAIRS, 5-TOWN FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRS, AND 5-TOWN ADMINISTRATORS—THE WRSD IS AN ONGOING BLOATED TRAINWRECK WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT
Am passing on to you a report, edited slightly, sent to me by a Paxton reader of this Blog whose name I shall keep in confidence. I am most grateful to him.
Here it is:
“I live in Paxton. The WRSC [WRSD Committee] is a disaster of epic proportions. Did you hear about the secret, invite-only closed doors budget meeting between the WRSD, WRSC, town BOS Chairs, town FINCOM Chairs and TA’s Tuesday night 2/4/25?
Unfortunately, there is no recording of the meeting (it was a district meeting and not a SC meeting, so it was not required to be public), but the WRSD Superintendent let a lot of cats out of a lot of bags.
NOTE: I was not in attendance but have spoken to someone who was. Topics touched buy Reiley [WRSD Superintendent Reilly]….
-all 13 WRSD buildings are falling apart, have been for years. Cited “lack of planning and deferred maintenance”
-Student reading levels are THREE YEARS BEHIND (9th graders reading at 6th grade levels).
-Student assessments are far below average across the board in all subjects.
-Since 2015, enrollment down 12.5%, yet budget up $47 m.
-the WRSC has no idea what to do with all of this except ask for MORE MONEY and hire more staff. The SC chair [WRSD Committee Chair] showed up to the meeting 40 minutes late and sat there in silence the entire meeting.
You need to speak with your Fin Com rep who attended and get the full details. This [2025-2026 WRSD] budget needs to be shot down.”
SO, there you have it folks. The ROBOTIC WRSD UNIONIZED EMPLOYEE ASSLICKS CONSTITUTING THE WRSD COMMITTEE AND SUPERINTENDENT DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO SWALLOW THEIR OWN SPIT. THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF RUNNING ANYTHING COMPETENTLY OR EFFICIENTLY. THEY JUST FLUSH OUR PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS DOWN THE WRSD SHITHOLE YEAR AFTER YEAR AND EACH YEAR ASK FOR A BIGGER FLUSH.
WELL, F#CK THEM!
IN NOVEMBER 2024, BY LETTER, TOWN OF PAXTON OFFICIALS NOTIFIED WRSD OFFICIALS THAT if the WRSD assessment to Paxton exceeds 2.5%, the Town of Paxton will present any amount over that 2.5% limit as a separate 2025 Annual Town Meeting warrant article requiring a town vote as an override to Proposition 2 1/2.
NOW IT IS THE JOB OF STERLING 2025 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING VOTERS TO SHOOT DOWN THE WRSD’S REQUESTED 5% FY 2025-2026 BUDGET INCREASE AND FORCE THE WRSD TO PRESENT A SMALLER BUDGET TO THE 5 TOWNS. LET’S DO OUR PART!!!
Stay Tuned.
J.G.
STERLING, MASSACHUSETTS, OVERWATCH 