Highlights from the Final 2018 Meeting of the Hanscom Area Towns Committee (HATS)

Representatives from Hanscom Air Force Base, the National Park Service, and Massport joined Selectmen from Lincoln and Lexington after the final meeting of 2018. (standing, l-r) Chuck Paone – Director of Public Affairs, 66th Air Base Wing, HAFB; BJ Dunn – Superintendent, Minuteman National Park; Amber Goodspeed – Airport Administration Manager for Massport’s LG Hanscom Field; Jessica Casserly – Community Affairs Liaison, 66th Air Base Group, HAFB; Col. Chad R. Ellsworth, USAF – Commander, 66th Air Base Group HAFB; and (seated, l-r) Jonathan Dwyer, Lincoln Selectman; Suzanne Barry, Lexington Selectmen and HATS chairperson. Bedford Selectman Mike Rosenberg was not able to be present – Image (c) JMcCT, 2018 all rights reserved – Click to view larger image

Compiled by The Bedford Citizen

The guest speaker for the last HATS (Hanscom Area Towns Committee) meeting of 2018 on November 29^th was Col. Chad Ellsworth, recently installed Commander of the 66th Air Base Group at Hanscom Air Force Base. In addition to updating HATS Committee members about several Hanscom Air Force Base development projects and traffic mitigation issues (please see https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2019/01/hats-an-update-from-col-chad-ellsworth/), the Colonel also spoke about other important news.

Renaming of Vandenberg and Hartwell Gates

Two Base gates were renamed in an October ceremony in honor of two fallen Airmen of the 66^th Air Base Group, who were among 14 people killed in an October 2015 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft crash in Afghanistan. Vandenberg Gate will now be known as Sartain Gate in memory of Senior Airman Nathan Cole Sartain. The Hartwell Gate will be called Ruiz Gate, in memory of Senior Airman Kcey Elena Ruiz. Members of both the Sartain and Ruiz families were present during the moving ceremony (Please see https://www.hanscom.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1652744/hanscom-gates-renamed-for-fallen-airmen/).

The Colonel also mentioned that Senior Airman Ruiz’s family has established a scholarship fund in her memory and that a $1500 scholarship was recently awarded to one of Hanscom’s own Airmen.

Sartain Gate Complex – Formerly Known as the Vandenberg Gate

Colonel Ellsworth explained that the Sartain Gate remodeling project has already markedly improved traffic flow into the Base by allowing more trucks to be inspected at once and freeing up another entry lane. He stated that anticipated construction vehicle traffic related to ongoing and future Base development projects may require that other gates be temporarily opened as well, but that HAFB is sensitive to the concerns of the towns and residents, and will keep the communities well informed of the evolving proposals. (The $225 million MIT Lincoln Lab project, which involves the construction of a state of the art partially suspended building to accommodate nanotechnologies applications will take place concurrently with the remodeling of the Sartain Gate Complex.)

HAFB Housing

In answer to a Committee member question about the status of Base housing, the Colonel replied that the 731 units are at 99% occupancy. 90% of the housing is occupied by active-duty military members, with 42% being Air Force personnel, and the other 58% consisting of service members from other military branches, including the Coast Guard and Army. (For more information about the 72 HAFB Coast Guard families who have been impacted by the current government shutdown, please see https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2019/01/local-impact-of-government-shutdown/.)

He also mentioned that some time ago Base housing was privatized through a 50-year contract between Hunt Companies, Inc. and the Department of Defense.

Several Hundred New Workers Anticipated at HAFB

Colonel Ellsworth was asked for information about the number of new personnel that will be commuting to the Base as a result of the combined moves of the Boston-based Defense Contract Management Agency and the Concord-based Army Corps of Engineers New England District Headquarters to HAFB. He believes that 325 DCMA staff and around 300 ACE staff will relocate to the Base. He stated that around 60% of DCA personnel have teleworking contracts and probably will not be traveling to HAFB on a daily basis. Additionally, HAFB routinely encourages all Base personnel to participate in car-sharing, carpooling, and telecommuting as much as possible.

Possible Renewal of Hanscom Community Partnership?

A request was made from the Concord Committee member to consider reinstating a smaller version of the original, but now discontinued, Hanscom Community Partnership in order to cultivate the important relationship between HAFB and the four surrounding communities. Colonel Ellsworth said he would be open to exploring the idea.

Town Updates

Bedford

The GSA Auction of the recently divested 16-acre Navy parcel off Hartwell Road continues (Note: the Auction has been suspended during the current government shutdown.)

Lincoln

The October Special Town Meeting approved Part I of a complete ban on marijuana processing and agriculture. Part II involves ratifying the ban by a simple majority at the March 2019 Town Election.
The Town is also planning construction of a new $93.9 million K-8 school now, and a new Community Center when finances allow in the future.

Lexington

Lexington has a new Town Manager. James Malloy succeeds Carl Valente, a former Bedford resident who served as Lexington’s Town Manager for 13 years.
Selectman Michelle Ciccolo was elected as State Representative for the 15^th Middlesex District, which includes Lexington and Woburn. Her position on the Board of Selectmen will be filled during the March 4, 2019, Town Election.
The Lexington Fire Station is being demolished and rebuilt in situ. Staff will be temporarily housed in the former Liberty Mutual building on Bedford Street and a heated tent will house fire apparatus until the new building is completed. Construction was delayed due to the State safety moratorium on natural gas installations.
Discussions have begun about a possible future renovation and expansion of the Police Department building.
A streetscape redesign plan for Massachusetts Avenue near the town center is being explored. It would include the roadway, bike lanes, sidewalks, trees, and lighting. The present estimated cost stands at $9.3 million.
The November Special Town Meeting approved rezoning of some Belmont Country Club land, in preparation for the planned Watertown Street construction of a new 204-unit independent and assisted living facility, as well as a 45-unit memory impairment residential center.

Concord

Town Manager Christopher Whelan, after 25 years of service, is retiring in June 2019. A search firm will be hired to evaluate potential successors.
Construction of two new large Town parking lots has been completed

HATS MEETS TONIGHT, January 24:

HATS will meet on Thursday, January 24, at 7:30 pm, in the Lincoln Town Hall, 16 Lincoln Road, Lincoln. The guest speaker will be John C. Beatty, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Military Asset and Security Strategy Task Force. Hanscom towns’ residents are always cordially invited to attend.