Bedford Minuteman
April 4, 2003

Support renewed for HATS

By Barbara Forster / Correspondent

Whether change is in the air for control of Hanscom Field is now a voting issue in the four Hanscom communities. This spring, area voters will have four opportunities to express their opinion. Each town has a Hanscom-related warrant article on the ballot that calls for selectmen in their respective towns to contact the governor and various state and federal agencies to take "initiatives to prevent expansion of the airport."

So far Bedford is the first town to almost unanimously vote "yes."

Bedford Selectman Sheldon Moll announced the vote at the Hanscom Area Towns Committee meeting on Thursday, March 27. Moll, who chairs HATS, noted that of the approximately 300 Bedford residents who attended Town Meeting, only two said "no" in the voice vote.

The goal, explained Kay Tiffany of Safeguarding the Historic Hanscom Area's Irreplaceable Resources, a non-profit grassroots organization that sponsored the warrant articles, is straightforward.

"This is a way to give a voice to townspeople to endorse the selectmen to continuing to work through HATS on this issue for the towns," she said. "We thought it was time to renew Town Meeting support for the selectmen and their work (on behalf of Hanscom). The HATS selectmen were all in support of our doing it."

Six years ago, the Hanscom communities passed similar "selectmen friendly" resolutions, also sponsored by ShhAir. This year's effort was spurred by Scenic America which recently designated the four towns as a "Last Chance Landscape," one of 10 in the country.

To be considered for the designation, however, the communities had to more than just "pretty places" that were threatened. Presenting potential and achievable solutions were also necessary.

The warrant articles present some solutions including passing state laws that put limits on Massport's ability to expand by limiting infrastructure or securing federal legislation comparable to regulations that prevent tourist flyovers for national parks. Transferring ownership of Hanscom from Massport to a local airport authority or bringing the Federal Aviation Administration into the mix are other possibilities.

ShhAir was officially created in January 1997 when it acquired its non-profit status, but its roots are in People Against Hanscom Expansion, an informal group that emerged around 1990.

Following recent elections in the four Hanscom communities, HATS membership is in flux. Jeanne Krieger of Lexington replaced Peter Enrich who opted not to run for selectman this year. Krieger, however, is familiar with Hanscom issues; she served on HATS in 1999.

Concord will also have new representation. Gary Clayton, who also decided not to run for office again, stepped down from HATS. So far, his replacement has not been named.

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