Bedford Minuteman
November 27, 2002

Letter: Public servants met the challenge

On behalf of the Hanscom Area Towns Selectmen, and in particular the Selectmen of Bedford, I wish to express my sincere appreciation for the cooperation of the school, police, and municipal officials who worked so diligently to reorganize the postponed public hearing for the Massport Draft Environmental Status Report for Hanscom Field.

The Bedford school administrators, custodial, and media staff spent many hours before, during and after the night of the hearing to set up and clean up. Many thanks to the personal direction of our Superintendent of Schools Dr. LaCroix and School Finance Director John Antonucci. The School Committee, recognizing the need for parking and seating space at the High School was thoughtful enough to move their meeting to another school that evening. The Bedford Police officers, as directed by our chief, Jim Hicks, smoothly handled parking problems and acted as guides for attendees from all towns. Finally, the personal intervention of our town administrator, Rick Reed, in ensuring the necessary meetings and communications made the hearing's organizers job that much easier. He lent his total presence to the necessary decision making process and was present at all phases of the hearing.

The "invasion" of the High School that evening saw more than 750 residents from Hanscom Field area towns meet there to extend to the Mass. Environmental Protection Agency their concerns regarding the environmental impact of Massport's plans to expand airport operations over the next 10 to 15 years as well as their objections to the quality of Massport's study report. Attendees filled the auditorium, more than 90 sat in the library, and at least two other classrooms were filled.

The citizens of Bedford and contiguous towns thank you all for your cooperation and a superb job done.

Sheldon Moll, chairman
Bedford Board of Selectmen

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