The following letter to the editor was submitted by Steve Sadowski. Letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the views of WestfordCAT or its Board of Directors. To submit your own content, e-mail asylvia@westfordcat.org
I’ve been reading all the letters to the editor regarding Drew Farms and I just had to
respond because there are so many incorrect assumptions and conclusions being
thrown around. Here are the top 3:
1.) The idea that this area is the “Gateway to Westford” and therefore should
represent the Town in style and grace. This on its face is simply a fantasy, because
that particular area is not a gateway. A gateway is an entry within a wall, fence, or
some other border. Hence the root “gate” in the word. This area of Boston Road
does not border anything. In fact, it is smack in the middle of the Town. Do you
know where the gateways for Westford are? Two of them are on rt. 40 bordering
Chelmsford and Groton. Two others are on rt. 225 bordering Carlisle and Groton
and there are two on 110 where Westford borders Chelmsford and Littleton. (I
won’t count all the smaller roads bordering these towns like Beaverbrook or
Powers.) Those are Westford’s gateways! Those are the entry points along our
border. I‐495 exit #32, is not along our border so that area of Boston Road is
therefore not a “gateway.”
But let’s say for the sake of argument that exit #32 was indeed a gateway; let’s take
a look at what’s already down there shall we? Beautiful power lines humming and
buzzing along with the wildlife, picturesque Affordable Housing units that harken
back to a simpler time, a future quaint firehouse that I’m sure will resemble a
traditional New England structure emblematic of our rural character, and of course,
a scenic three‐lane road lined with nostalgic girders and buttressed by antique gas
lights that serve as traffic guides. Bring the kids down to exit #32; there you can
walk on the brick lined sidewalks and mingle with the neighbors while the horse
and buggies saunter by. PULEEEEASE. So can we get away from the notion that
this is a gateway? It is not. Let’s move on and get back to reality.
2.) The abutters and neighbors to the farm are under the delusion that they get to
choose what goes there. There seems to be some confusion as to what the role of
government is. When I study the Constitution (both federal and state) I can’t find an
Article that says, “The government shall enhance and/or maintain the property
values of certain citizens over others.” Maybe I need glasses but I can’t find it… yet,
having lived here for 5 years, I have witnessed at least three occasions where the
abutters to an eyesore in Town have petitioned the Town to spend money to bail
said homeowners out from their lack of due diligence when they purchased
property. For example, just because you bought a home next to an abandoned mill
does not mean the Town needs to spend millions of dollars making that mill into a
gorgeous restoration project, yet when you check the 12 North Main St. Task Force
roster, that’s exactly what is going on: Abutters on that Task Force are asking the
Town to save them from their poor decisions by spending millions to restore the
mill. Who will benefit the most? The abutters, that’s who! It is the same with Drew
Farms: You abutters knew—or you should have known—that when you bought
your home, it was next to private property. —And not just any private property, but
private property that is next to an interstate exit! You Boston Road residents should
thank your lucky stars that the owners were naive enough to take out an
Agricultural Restriction on their property way back when. Can you imagine the
money they could have made if that land was clear and free? My God, they could
have sold that whole thing to a mall developer for millions and you would be looking
at Cornerstone II instead of a restaurant. So how about a little perspective?
3.) The land is privately owned. Therefore all of this talk about, the town should put
an X, Y,or Z there is moot. Since the land is private the only thing that is going to go
there is what the owner wants to put there. It is true, that since there is a restriction
on the property and since the project will come under the scope of the Planning
Board the Town has some degree of say as to what gets put there, but don’t get
carried away people! At the end of the day, it is private land. If the guy wants to put
a restaurant there, it’s his right. If he wants to build a house there, that is his right.
If he wants to rent that space for advertising, as long as it conforms to sign size
bylaws (Can you believe these exist?), that’s also his right. Any opportunity for the
Town to have owned that land has past. Your elected officials passed on first refusal
and that’s that. Moreover, I find it sad that when it comes to our own homes and our
own personal property and our own bodies, we are all fierce individualists. “Don’t
tell me what I can do with my house!” “Keep your laws off my body!” But when it
comes to someone else’s property, many in Town become collectivists. Whether it’s
Drew Farms, some antique building in town, some farm that is about to be sold, or
some large parcel of land, all of a sudden Town Meeting becomes an exercise in
“How much can I force my fellow neighbors to pay so that I can continue to enjoy a
wonderful view from my kitchen nook. “ I don’t so much mind that these
collectivists exist in Town, I just wish that they’d do some research and discover
where their collectivist ideas come from. Knowing they won’t, I’ll save them the
trouble,
“1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.
2. A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
3. Abolition of all rights of inheritance.
4. Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
5. Centralisation of credit in the hands of the state, by means of a national bank with
State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
6. Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the
State.
7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State; the
bringing into cultivation of wastelands, and the improvement of the soil generally in
accordance with a common plan.
8. Equal liability of all to work. Establishment of industrial armies, especially for
agriculture.
9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all
the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the
populace over the country.
10. Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory
labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production.”
These are from the Communist Manifesto. Many people in Town are arguing for #1.
They want to take this land, or dictate the terms by which the owner can keep his
private property under the guise of the “public good,” a “gateway”, or some other
instrument of collectivism.
Just for edification… #2 is trying to get passed right now in MA (it already exists in
RI), #3 is the “death tax.” We already have asset forfeiture laws, so #4 is
accomplished. #5 was accomplished when the Federal Reserve was established.
We have a federal communications administartion, censorship rules, Internet Laws
pending, safe spaces, and micro‐aggressions now, so #6 is a reality. We have public
utilities, state sponsored Green Energy programs and companies like Amtrak, the T,
the VA, etc., all owned by the state, so there’s # 7, and there are groups actively
working on #8 and #9. And of course, we are all very proud of our Westford Public
Schools (#10).
So be careful what you wish for Drew Farms Task Force….you may just get it.
