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This spring articles concerning ARRT will appear on the town meeting warrants of all four towns. The articles will ask voters to authorize their selectmen to negotiate for the acquisition of key parcels along the former Marlborough Railroad for the purpose of creating a bicycle and pedestrian path. In the fall of 1997, ARRT was conditionally awarded an Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) grant of $773,000. The grant earmarks $668,000 to provide funding for land acquisition along the entire proposed 12.5 mile route from Marlborough to the South Acton commuter rail station. The remaining $105,000 is intended to provide funding for design of the section in Marlborough and Hudson. To receive this federal transportation funding, each town must provide a 10% local match. Town meetings will be asked to authorize short-term borrowing for the reimbursable funds, as well as to appropriate the 10% local match. (To get a head start on the acquisition process, Hudson, Stow, and Maynard have all committed planning board or conservation commission funds, which count toward this local match.)
Town Meeting Dates Acton April 6 Hudson May 4 Stow May 18 Maynard May 18This spring s town meetings are critically important to ARRT's success. If you are a registered voter in Acton, Maynard, Stow, or Hudson, please attend town meeting and vote in favor of ARRT.
Article 3 concerns Acton s local match for the ISTEA grant. Voters will be asked to approve a transfer of approximately $15,000 of free cash to cover the costs of appraisals, surveys, and legal work associated with acquiring the Marlborough Railroad right-of-way. Article 4 concerns the reimbursable portion of the ISTEA grant. Voters will be asked authorize the selectmen to negotiate the purchase of the right-of-way, and to approve short-term borrowing of approximately $150,000 to cover the acquisition. The $150,000 represents Acton s reimbursable portion of the ISTEA grant. Acton s Town Meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m. at Acton-Boxborough High School. Because Acton is the first of the four town meetings this spring, a favorable vote is important to our continued success. If you are a registered voter in the town of Acton, please attend Town Meeting on April 6 and vote in favor of Articles 3 and 4. Your vote at can make a difference! Informational Meeting in Acton Shares Ideas and Opinions On Wednesday, March 25, ARRT volunteers held an informational meeting for Acton residents interested in the rail trail project. Approximately 75 people attended the two-hour session, including members of town government, neighborhood residents, and interested citizens from other parts of Acton. The meeting provided an opportunity for members of the community to voice their ideas and express their opinions about the project. Thank you to all of the ARRT volunteers who organized and participated in this meeting.
As you can see from the articles in this edition of Assabet River Rail Trail News, this is a critical time for the Assabet River Rail Trail. Articles concerning ARRT are on the spring Town Meeting warrants. Our project is rapidly building momentum in all five communities. Along with this increased attention comes the need for continued research, community outreach, and communications the things your contributions support. Please consider renewing your sponsorship now, using the enclosed form. Thanks.
In preparation for next month s Maynard town meeting, ARRT volunteers have scheduled an information session for Maynard residents to discuss the current state of the project. The meeting will provide Maynard residents to share their ideas and express their concerns about ARRT. It will be similar in format to the recently held Acton informational meeting. The meeting will be held Tuesday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m., in Maynard Town Hall, room 201. Contact: Robin Schulman, 978 897-5906.
April 2 Monthly meeting Hudson Public Library, 7:00 p.m.
April 4 Marlborough trail cleanup Meet at Kelleher Field, 9:00 a.m.
May 7 Monthly meeting Maynard Town Hall, 7:00 p.m.
June 11 Monthly Meeting Marlborough location TBD, 7:00 p.m.
June 14 River Ride, cosponsored with Sudbury Valley Trustees and Nashoba
Valley Peddlers Contact Mark Geoffroy, 508 485-0747, for more
information
Volunteers should meet at Kelleher Field at 9:00 a.m. Loppers and saws are the best tools to bring, and all cleanup volunteers should wear work gloves and sturdy footwear. |
