Politics & Government

Frustration Surfaces Over Former Senior Center

The town administrator says his calls to transfer ownership have gone unanswered.

Town Administrator Andrew Maylor wants to sell the former Senior Center on Burrill Street.

Problem is, the town needs to acquire a transfer of ownership from the Leon E. Abbott Post 57 of the American Legion before the town can sell the vacant building and get it back on the tax rolls.

But  a Post representative has failed to return Maylor’s phone calls, he said.

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“People who live in this town are impeding the process,” he told selectmen Tuesday, expressing frustration.

In an interview after the meeting, Maylor said lawyer Neil Rossman represents the Post.

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Thirty years ago, the post gifted 89 Burrill Street, located across from the police station, to the town for use as a senior center.

Town Meeting subsequently voted to accept the building but apparently the title was never transferred to the town.

Nonetheless, the 89 Burrill street building served as the town Senior Center until it moved to the new high school.

So in April at this year’s Town Meeting, voters reauthorized the town's acquisition of the property.

But the process has moved no further.

“We are trying to sell this property,” he said.

Without the title, that can’t happen. and without a transfer of ownership the town has no title to the property.

Frustration also surfaced in the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting.

Resident Hank Resler, formerly of Long Island, New York, said he was feeling frustrated and abused by the town.

He took aim at the Police Department, the Public Works Department and the commonwealth.

He said traffic laws were not enforced and the Public Works Department took no action in response to his complaint about a trench stretching across Redington street.

Ultimately, he said Massachusetts was stuck in its ways.

“People are proud that things never change,” he said.

Selectman Rich Malagrifa agreed that Massachusetts needs to adopt a regional approach to providing services but disagreed with Resler’s negative assessment of the police department.

“They are hardworking and have a lot on their plate,” Malagrifa said.

The town adminisitrator told Resler that the trench was a utility company’s responsibility.


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