Re: City Realty project on Juniper Street
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Elmo, known of Boston, MA USA
Jan 26, 2017, 5:36:13 PM1/26/17
to Randy Foote, highlandp...@googlegroups.com
And so the food fight begins. The recriminations are coming fast and furious.
> On Jan 24, 2017, at 6:12 PM, 'Randy Foote' via Highland Park Neighborhood Watch <highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>
> I also deeply appreciate what Jon has done for the Highland Park community and the PRC, as well as Ted and Rodney and Lenny. We do have to fight to keep this neighborhood from devolving into student rentals, which seems to be what City Realty's business plan involves.
>
> Ms Wilkerson has supported the Roxbury community for a long time, but I have not seen City Realty as giving a damn about any community
>
>
> Randy
>
> Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Droid
> On Jan 24, 2017 11:15 AM, chris_mccarthy99 via Highland Park Neighborhood Watch <highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>>
>> Jon, Leonard, and Ted,
>>
>> Thank you for all you do for the community and for the support for us all shown here. Much appreciated.
>>
>> --------------------------------------------
>> On Tue, 1/24/17, Ted Resnikoff <t...@resnikoff.com> wrote:
>>
>> Subject: Re: City Realty project on Juniper Street
>> To: "lenny...@yahoo.com" <lenny...@yahoo.com>, "Dianne Wilkerson" <newda...@gmail.com>
>> Cc: "Jon Ellertson" <jon.el...@gmail.com>, "Joshua McFadden" <Joshua....@boston.gov>, "Kayley Jones" <kjo...@dtlawllp.com>, "highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com" <highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com>, "Nichelle Sadler" <nichell...@boston.gov>, "Chynah...@mahouse.gov" <Chynah...@mahouse.gov>, "Malia, Liz - Rep. (HOU)" <Liz....@mahouse.gov>, "Marcus....@mahouse.gov" <Marcus....@mahouse.gov>
>> Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2017, 9:44 AM
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> #yiv8187903443 p{margin:0;padding:0;}
>>
>>
>> Dear Diane,
>>
>> I appreciate Leonard took the time responding to your
>> previous e-mail, which
>> is entirely appropriate on a community forum. I can't
>> understand why you began
>> your rebuttal as you did ("I wasn't sure whether to
>> laugh or cry" is not
>> indicitive of an attitude of open communication or dialog.)
>> I think you are
>> being combative, but that is only my opinion, others likely
>> disagree.
>>
>> Your direct communication to Jon was addressed to the
>> community list-serve.
>> You published your comments to and about Jon Ellertson - a
>> community member who
>> has fought on behalf of the residents of Highland Park for
>> near on 50 years - on
>> a community forum. That is how I got access to it. So, your
>> first point in your
>> response to Leonard is not correct. I think you should
>> retract or correct
>> it.
>>
>> I am aware of your laudable history fighting for all of
>> Roxbury, but I am
>> curious to know where in Roxbury you live and if you are a
>> member of this
>> community that is directly affected by the project in
>> question. You see, I write
>> this because our community is represented by the Highland
>> Park Neighborhood
>> Coalition (HPNC). And we are directly impacted by the City
>> Realty Juniper Street
>> proposal whether we abut it or live elsewhere within the
>> confines of Highland
>> Park.
>>
>> You attended the special meeting HPNC meeting at the HYCC
>> last night, and
>> you've attend meetings in the past, even when you
>> didn't have to, so I know and
>> respect your dedication to the people of Roxbury and
>> Dorchester. I also have
>> great respect and appreciation for your perspective and
>> eloquence advocating for
>> the community, and then fighting for it when fighting needs
>> to be done.
>>
>> Therefore, please respect that the HPNC is open to all
>> members of the
>> community, and it established a process many, many years ago
>> to ensure that - to
>> the best of our ability - the entire community has access to
>> developer
>> presentations. One way we do this is to systematically - on
>> the same evening of
>> the month, every month, hold public meetings at the same
>> place, which is the
>> Hawthorne Youth and Community Center (HYCC). You are aware
>> of this because you
>> are on the community list-serve which announces these
>> meetings.
>>
>> It is true, meetings can and do happen elsewhere, and
>> when they do it is
>> frequently at the Shelburne Center. But when they do they
>> are first announced at
>> the prior community meeting held at the HYCC so that all
>> community members who
>> regularly attend HPNC meetings are aware of the change of
>> venue or date and can
>> attend. This, as I am sure you appreciate, is to see to it
>> that members of the
>> community are not inadvertently disenfranchised by holding
>> meetings of which
>> they are unaware or unable to attend because of schedule
>> conflicts.
>>
>> Therefore, it is my opinion that Jon is correct to insist
>> that City Realty,
>> and by extension you, respect the process that has been in
>> place literally for
>> generations in our community to present your plans for
>> building on Juniper
>> Street. Sometimes respect for the process a community has
>> established does more
>> to empower the community to participate in its growth than
>> just about anything
>> else.
>>
>> ~~~
>>
>> Another way the fullest possible community participation
>> is encouraged is by
>> making all of our communication public - we make an effort
>> to avoid private
>> communcation, when it happens we report back on the
>> list-serve or at the next
>> community meeting. So it is appropriate the exchange between
>> you and Jon, and
>> now Leonard, and now me, happen in plain view of the
>> community. The right of
>> every member of the community to be as well and fully
>> infomed as any other
>> member of the community should always be respected.
>>
>> So, while I prefer that what follows remain private
>> communiucation, from
>> respect for the practices of this community which has
>> wlecomed me as an equal
>> member, I add the following and more personal comments in
>> this venue:
>>
>> Diane, I am prepared that you may attack me for
>> expressing my point of view
>> on this. That's unfortunate. We don't know each
>> other, and I am not interested
>> in being known in any way other than as a contributing
>> member of this community
>> who will raise my voice, volunteer my time and work on its
>> behalf. I am very
>> close to someone who knows us both; she holds you in in very
>> high esteem, and
>> I've been looking forward to meeting you since you
>> became active in our
>> neighborhood again. But I'm troubled by your demeanor
>> toward people like Jon and
>> Leonard who, as you, mean well and give of themselves for
>> others. Personally, I
>> don't see the point in any of us "going after"
>> another. Indeed, I think we are
>> all more successful when we get along, and that is very
>> important and to be
>> valued. The reality is that developer proposals that meet
>> existing codes will
>> almost always pass, even when the community is against it.
>> Developer proposals
>> that require code or zoning variances need community support
>> to pass. It is also
>> true that developers who take the time to meet with and
>> listen to the community
>> when they don't need variances have an easier time of it
>> with the community when
>> they do. (Jon's allusion to the difficulties Cad
>> Development has in Highland
>> Park is an excellent example.)
>>
>> I don't for a second believe your values have changed
>> because you represent
>> City Realty. I think it is a good thing that you do, and
>> that with you at their
>> table the concerns of people who live in Dorchester,
>> Roxbury, and even Highland
>> Park, are more likely to be heard.
>>
>> Thanks for reading. Let me know if you'd like me to
>> say "hi" the next time
>> we're at a community meeting.
>>
>> Warmly,
>>
>> Ted.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, 24 Jan 2017 00:04:45 -0500, Dianne Wilkerson
>> <newda...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Leonard;
>>
>> When I read your email I wasn't sure whether to
>> laugh or cry. Were it not
>> for the last comment, I would have let this one pass. I hope
>> that this might
>> suffice for you. 1. I made no comment to the group that you
>> need to defend, I
>> addressed my comments to Jon as he referenced me incorrectly
>> in his initial
>> email. That you feel the need to defend Jon against my
>> comments I'm just going
>> to leave that right there. 2. Aside from representing this
>> community with my
>> life, blood, sweat, tears and my freedom, I have LIVED in
>> Roxbury for most of
>> the last 25 years so I have no idea whatsoever, what you are
>> referring to when
>> you refer to me as a "newcomer". How odd. 3. You
>> say hoped for more community
>> focus from me?- In just the past 1 and a half years I have
>> saved 4 local Black
>> businesses from eviction, secured major contracts for close
>> to half dozen, saved
>> 4 houses from foreclosure, served on the steering committee
>> of the
>> Roxbury/Dorchester team mobilizing against Question 2,
>> incorporated a
>> Black-owned worker owned cooperative headquartered in
>> Roxbury which secured the
>> first snow removal contract by a Black contractor ever the
>> City of Boston ever,
>> organized 3 community town hall meetings for Freeze Frame
>> Black Boston ( 2 on
>> Economic Development and 1 on Education) attended by close
>> to 1300 people,
>> organized the Black Black Friday Bazaar as a means of
>> getting folks to support
>> Black businesses, raised money for the Healthy Baby Healthy
>> Child Food Pantry,
>> Chaired the Friends of the Melnea Cass Recreational Facility
>> on MLK Blvd and
>> sponsored 2 Cass Family Days including last year where we
>> brought 5 Olympians to
>> Roxbury ( first ever), convened the 1st ever meeting of the
>> heads of the
>> Roxbury/Dorchest CDC's with elected officials, funding
>> agencies, city agencies,
>> Black businesses, guest speaker at Boston Debate League,
>> Charlestown High
>> School, number of churches, etc I could go on, but I think
>> you get my point!
>> Just because I don't post every move on social media
>> doesn't mean it's not
>> happening. You should know that I was paid ( a nominal fee)
>> for 1 of the above
>> listed activities, all others I did because I am committed
>> to my community.
>> Roxbury, Dorchester and the Black and Latino residents are
>> my focus and I would
>> strongly advise that neither you or anyone else challenge or
>> question that fact.
>> I've sacrificed too much, albeit willingly, to allow
>> that to happen without a
>> response.
>>
>> So you should know that I attended the HPNC meeting
>> this evening. I hope
>> that I was able to answer some of the questions and
>> appreciate the dialogue and
>> opportunity to engage with the HPNC. Though I received
>> offers from several
>> developers because of my history and knowledge of Roxbury
>> and Dorchester, I
>> chose to work as a development consultant to CRM precisely
>> because they are
>> doing development work in Roxbury. I committed to work to
>> make sure that the
>> residents opinions are heard, that the process is respectful
>> and responsive. And
>> more than anything, that local businesses and local
>> residents are the major
>> beneficiaries of the projects. You should check out for
>> yourselves the stats on
>> their project across the street from the Shelbourne.
>> That's why I took on this
>> assignment. I welcome your comments and look forward to
>> continuing to work with
>> you all.
>>
>> Dianne Wilkerson
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 23, 2017
>> at
>> 7:13 PM, Leonard Durant <lenny...@yahoo.com>
>> wrote:
>> Diane,
>>
>> I
>> have
>> been reading the email correspondence regarding City
>> Realty's desire to develop
>> yet another property in the Highland Park neighborhood. I am
>> a bit surprised
>> that you have chosen to represent CRM who at best have a
>> spotty record
>> throughout the Boston community. As a former member of the
>> HP PRC I have had
>> many opportunities to review numerous project proposals by
>> developers hoping to
>> establish a foothold in the Highland Park community. Many of
>> these developers
>> have given rushed and shorty overviews of their intent and
>> when meeting any kind
>> of opposition typically chose to fall back on the view that
>> they have done all
>> they need to. City Realty recently put up for sale a large
>> property they
>> developed barely two years ago on Marcella St showing the
>> community they are
>> only developing in order to make a "quick buck"
>> and move on. Most of the tenants
>> of that property on Marcella St. Were students who are not
>> invested in our
>> community. In defense of Jon and the PRC, I would counter
>> that the group has
>> always attempted to be thorough and detailed in their
>> proposal reviews and been
>> more than accommodating to the various developers who have
>> consistently shown a
>> lack of investment in our community other than one primarily
>> focused on profit.
>> I would suggest that you get a bit more involved with the
>> PRC and it's inner
>> workings. Especially when it involves CRM. Jon and the group
>> are a great team
>> and deserve better than your review. As a recent newcomer to
>> the area and with
>> your experience as a community activist I had hoped that
>> your arrival to the
>> neighborhood would have brought a bit more community focus
>> as opposed to your
>> support of these various developers. I look forward to your
>> response.
>>
>> Sincerely
>> Leonard
>> J. Durant
>>
>> Sent
>> from Yahoo Mail on Android
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 23,
>> 2017 at 5:45 PM, Jon Ellertson
>> <jon.el...@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hi Diane, I read your email and have some corrections
>> and additions to
>> the record since your incomplete review fails to make the
>> case you, as a paid
>> consultant to City Realty, are seeking to make.But before
>> getting into all the
>> details of back and forth emails, I have to correct you on
>> your assertion that
>> you have reached out the the Highland Park community via the
>> list serve. As a
>> member, you are entitled and welcome to use it but on the
>> 18th of January, you
>> instead sent notice of a meeting that you organized for that
>> very evening to
>> just a few. I copy that email here for the record
>>
>> From: "Dianne
>> Wilkerson" <newda...@gmail.com>
>> Date:
>> Jan 18, 2017 12:54 PM
>> Subject: Community meeting
>> To: "gov617" <gov...@gmail.com>, <Chynah...@mahouse.gov>
>> Cc: "Michelle Murray" <michell...@gmail.com>, <chavez...@gmail.com>,
>> <J.E.W...@verizon.net>, <steffi...@gmail.com>,
>> "Duviedo23" <manuel.du...@gmail.com >
>>
>> Hon. Rep. Tyler;
>>
>> I wanted to provide a heads up on a community meeting
>> that is
>> occurring this evening [my emphasis]
>> at 6:00
>> pm at the Shelbourne
>> Community Center. The focus of the meeting is planned
>> development at 37R-39R
>> Juniper St. The developers, CRM Realty, will be doing a
>> courtesy presentation
>> on the proposed plan. I say courtesy because they have
>> already done the
>> obligatory meetings before the ZBA hearing scheduled for
>> January
>> 24, 2017. This
>> evening's meeting will give you an opportunity to begin
>> to immerse yourself in
>> some of the development activities going on in your
>> District. I recognize that
>> this is late notice but in reviewing the list, I realized
>> that you may not have
>> received any prior notice. I hope that you or your staff
>> have an opportunity to
>> stop in. The meeting is only scheduled for 6:00 pm
>> - 7:00 pm.
>>
>> Respectfully;
>>
>> Dianne Wilkerson, President
>> New Day Services, Inc.
>> ............................. ..............................
>> .
>> Also
>> Dianne, in your email this afternoon you admonished me for
>> no reason> I
>> quote "You seem dead set on collecting letters of
>> opposition to a project you
>> acknowledge you have not seen."
>> Of course, without being invited to a meeting
>> where plans were presented, I have not seen the plans but I
>> did hear from some
>> who did and who came away with concerns and yes, opposition
>> to City Realty so
>> that was the basis for my seeking, to no avail, to get them
>> to attend the
>> January 10th HPNC meeting. Failing to get them, or you for
>> that matter, to
>> attend the HPNC meeting, I continued to reach out to Joshua
>> and Kayley Jones, of
>> the law firm representing CR with the suggestion that we
>> could call a special
>> meeting prior to tomorrow's meeting of the Board of
>> Appeal.
>> Instead, apparently, you found it more suitable to
>> call your own meeting
>> at Shelburne for last Wednesday which was a date I had
>> suggested was open for
>> HPNC to meet at HYCC as the venue.
>> And you sent that notice to a very few, not the
>> Highland Park Neighborhood
>> Watch list-serve.
>>
>> As for collecting letters, I have asked for
>> input of all kinds,
>> not just letters of opposition but yes, I have received a
>> few of those and will
>> present them.
>> As for the overall back and forth emails starting early
>> October, here is a
>> more complete record and I am sure most of you reading this
>> email will want to
>> bail at this point, but
>> I want to refute Dianne, your assertion that I never
>> responded to Kayley
>> Jone's email.... I did write a reply and thought it had
>> been sent when I
>> discovered it remained in my Draft file, I then sent it and
>> have been working
>> ever since to give City Realty an opportunity to meet with
>> HPNC.
>>
>>
>>
>> Here are details of emails back and forth, for the
>> record.
>> Yes, Joshua McFadden, MONS,, did contact me by email on
>> October 6,
>> 22016:
>> Hey Jon, Hope all is well on your end. I wanted to
>> touch base with you
>> in regards to a proposal requesting the erection of 2
>> townhouses on 37R-39R
>> Juniper St. Should I put the developer in contact with you
>> in hopes to present
>> in front of the Neighborhood Association?
>>
>> Peace and Blessings,
>> Joshua
>>
>>
>>
>> My Reply on same day:
>>
>>
>> Hi Joshua, Thanks for your email. Yes, all proposals
>> for new construction
>> of any kind should to come before the Highland Park
>> Neighborhood Coalition even
>> if the developer thinks they can develop "as of
>> right" to avoid zoning issues.
>> I just checked that address on the Assessing Dept
>> database and see the
>> exact location. Owner of record is Leovoft LLC but there
>> is no such
>> corporation listed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
>> Who was the person
>> who touched base with you?
>> Thanks,
>> Jon Ellertson,Secretary HPNC
>>
>>
>>
>> Joshua back to me on same day, Oct 6th: Hey Jon,The
>> person who touched base
>> information is below. Would you like me to give her your
>> info and reach out with
>> you?
>>
>> kjo...@dtlawllp.com
>>
>> Drago & Toscano,
>> LLP
>> Kayley Jones, Paralegal
>> 15 Broad
>> Street, Suite
>> 610
>> Boston, MA
>> 02109
>>
>>
>>
>> Indeed, Kayley did email
>> me on October 11th:
>> "Good afternoon, I'm reachngout from Drago &
>> Toscano's law office to see
>> about getting on the agenda for your community meeting
>> regarding a proposed
>> project on Juniper St. The proposal is to erect two
>> townhouses on 37R-39R
>> Juniper St. If you could let me know the dates of any
>> upcoming meetings that
>> we could attend that would be great. Best regards, Kaley
>> Jones"
>>
>>
>> My reply:Jon
>> Ellertson <jon.el...@gmail.com>10/26 /16
>>
>> to
>> kjones,
>> Joshua,
>> Rodney
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Joshua, Lost track of this in the midst of many
>> issues. I am copying
>> this to Kayley.Yes, Kayley, you should contact Rodney and me
>> with the following
>> information to request a spot on the December agenda of
>> HPNC. Name of owners;Set
>> of drawings including site plan and elevations that shows
>> the parcel(s) in
>> reference to all exisiting dwellings on that section of
>> Juniper St; projected
>> marketing plan. Once we have that documentation, we can
>> confirm a place on the
>> December 13th (Tuesday) HPNC meeting agenda.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> As it turned out, this
>> email remained,
>> unknown to me, in my "draft" file. Sometimes,
>> due to poor DSL service, when I
>> hit "send" and think that's done, it remains
>> unsent. In any case,
>> since
>> Joshua did not take this up again with me, I assumed it had
>> been sent and
>> received.
>> Finally, on December 1st I learned about a meeting MONS
>> organized
>> at Shelburne on Tuesday Nov 29th. Contrary to the
>> procedures we had set in
>> place with Joshua's predecessor, Kaira Fox, the meeting
>> was not publicized on
>> our Highland Park neighborhood watch list serve. I did
>> hear from some
>> abutters who did attend saying among other things, that the
>> meeting was
>> represented as being merely "informational" and
>> not official and that notice was
>> only by a flier left at their residences.
>>
>>
>> Once I learned that
>> my October email
>> had not been received, and I saw it in my Draft box, I did
>> send it to Joshua and
>> Kaley with CC to Rodney Singleton with an explanation and
>> request that we
>> seek
>>
>>
>>
>> About a week later, on
>> January 12th, I sent
>> this: Subject:�
>
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> On Jan 24, 2017, at 6:12 PM, 'Randy Foote' via Highland Park Neighborhood Watch <highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>
> I also deeply appreciate what Jon has done for the Highland Park community and the PRC, as well as Ted and Rodney and Lenny. We do have to fight to keep this neighborhood from devolving into student rentals, which seems to be what City Realty's business plan involves.
>
> Ms Wilkerson has supported the Roxbury community for a long time, but I have not seen City Realty as giving a damn about any community
>
>
> Randy
>
> Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Droid
> On Jan 24, 2017 11:15 AM, chris_mccarthy99 via Highland Park Neighborhood Watch <highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>>
>> Jon, Leonard, and Ted,
>>
>> Thank you for all you do for the community and for the support for us all shown here. Much appreciated.
>>
>> --------------------------------------------
>> On Tue, 1/24/17, Ted Resnikoff <t...@resnikoff.com> wrote:
>>
>> Subject: Re: City Realty project on Juniper Street
>> To: "lenny...@yahoo.com" <lenny...@yahoo.com>, "Dianne Wilkerson" <newda...@gmail.com>
>> Cc: "Jon Ellertson" <jon.el...@gmail.com>, "Joshua McFadden" <Joshua....@boston.gov>, "Kayley Jones" <kjo...@dtlawllp.com>, "highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com" <highland-park-ne...@googlegroups.com>, "Nichelle Sadler" <nichell...@boston.gov>, "Chynah...@mahouse.gov" <Chynah...@mahouse.gov>, "Malia, Liz - Rep. (HOU)" <Liz....@mahouse.gov>, "Marcus....@mahouse.gov" <Marcus....@mahouse.gov>
>> Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2017, 9:44 AM
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> #yiv8187903443 p{margin:0;padding:0;}
>>
>>
>> Dear Diane,
>>
>> I appreciate Leonard took the time responding to your
>> previous e-mail, which
>> is entirely appropriate on a community forum. I can't
>> understand why you began
>> your rebuttal as you did ("I wasn't sure whether to
>> laugh or cry" is not
>> indicitive of an attitude of open communication or dialog.)
>> I think you are
>> being combative, but that is only my opinion, others likely
>> disagree.
>>
>> Your direct communication to Jon was addressed to the
>> community list-serve.
>> You published your comments to and about Jon Ellertson - a
>> community member who
>> has fought on behalf of the residents of Highland Park for
>> near on 50 years - on
>> a community forum. That is how I got access to it. So, your
>> first point in your
>> response to Leonard is not correct. I think you should
>> retract or correct
>> it.
>>
>> I am aware of your laudable history fighting for all of
>> Roxbury, but I am
>> curious to know where in Roxbury you live and if you are a
>> member of this
>> community that is directly affected by the project in
>> question. You see, I write
>> this because our community is represented by the Highland
>> Park Neighborhood
>> Coalition (HPNC). And we are directly impacted by the City
>> Realty Juniper Street
>> proposal whether we abut it or live elsewhere within the
>> confines of Highland
>> Park.
>>
>> You attended the special meeting HPNC meeting at the HYCC
>> last night, and
>> you've attend meetings in the past, even when you
>> didn't have to, so I know and
>> respect your dedication to the people of Roxbury and
>> Dorchester. I also have
>> great respect and appreciation for your perspective and
>> eloquence advocating for
>> the community, and then fighting for it when fighting needs
>> to be done.
>>
>> Therefore, please respect that the HPNC is open to all
>> members of the
>> community, and it established a process many, many years ago
>> to ensure that - to
>> the best of our ability - the entire community has access to
>> developer
>> presentations. One way we do this is to systematically - on
>> the same evening of
>> the month, every month, hold public meetings at the same
>> place, which is the
>> Hawthorne Youth and Community Center (HYCC). You are aware
>> of this because you
>> are on the community list-serve which announces these
>> meetings.
>>
>> It is true, meetings can and do happen elsewhere, and
>> when they do it is
>> frequently at the Shelburne Center. But when they do they
>> are first announced at
>> the prior community meeting held at the HYCC so that all
>> community members who
>> regularly attend HPNC meetings are aware of the change of
>> venue or date and can
>> attend. This, as I am sure you appreciate, is to see to it
>> that members of the
>> community are not inadvertently disenfranchised by holding
>> meetings of which
>> they are unaware or unable to attend because of schedule
>> conflicts.
>>
>> Therefore, it is my opinion that Jon is correct to insist
>> that City Realty,
>> and by extension you, respect the process that has been in
>> place literally for
>> generations in our community to present your plans for
>> building on Juniper
>> Street. Sometimes respect for the process a community has
>> established does more
>> to empower the community to participate in its growth than
>> just about anything
>> else.
>>
>> ~~~
>>
>> Another way the fullest possible community participation
>> is encouraged is by
>> making all of our communication public - we make an effort
>> to avoid private
>> communcation, when it happens we report back on the
>> list-serve or at the next
>> community meeting. So it is appropriate the exchange between
>> you and Jon, and
>> now Leonard, and now me, happen in plain view of the
>> community. The right of
>> every member of the community to be as well and fully
>> infomed as any other
>> member of the community should always be respected.
>>
>> So, while I prefer that what follows remain private
>> communiucation, from
>> respect for the practices of this community which has
>> wlecomed me as an equal
>> member, I add the following and more personal comments in
>> this venue:
>>
>> Diane, I am prepared that you may attack me for
>> expressing my point of view
>> on this. That's unfortunate. We don't know each
>> other, and I am not interested
>> in being known in any way other than as a contributing
>> member of this community
>> who will raise my voice, volunteer my time and work on its
>> behalf. I am very
>> close to someone who knows us both; she holds you in in very
>> high esteem, and
>> I've been looking forward to meeting you since you
>> became active in our
>> neighborhood again. But I'm troubled by your demeanor
>> toward people like Jon and
>> Leonard who, as you, mean well and give of themselves for
>> others. Personally, I
>> don't see the point in any of us "going after"
>> another. Indeed, I think we are
>> all more successful when we get along, and that is very
>> important and to be
>> valued. The reality is that developer proposals that meet
>> existing codes will
>> almost always pass, even when the community is against it.
>> Developer proposals
>> that require code or zoning variances need community support
>> to pass. It is also
>> true that developers who take the time to meet with and
>> listen to the community
>> when they don't need variances have an easier time of it
>> with the community when
>> they do. (Jon's allusion to the difficulties Cad
>> Development has in Highland
>> Park is an excellent example.)
>>
>> I don't for a second believe your values have changed
>> because you represent
>> City Realty. I think it is a good thing that you do, and
>> that with you at their
>> table the concerns of people who live in Dorchester,
>> Roxbury, and even Highland
>> Park, are more likely to be heard.
>>
>> Thanks for reading. Let me know if you'd like me to
>> say "hi" the next time
>> we're at a community meeting.
>>
>> Warmly,
>>
>> Ted.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, 24 Jan 2017 00:04:45 -0500, Dianne Wilkerson
>> <newda...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Leonard;
>>
>> When I read your email I wasn't sure whether to
>> laugh or cry. Were it not
>> for the last comment, I would have let this one pass. I hope
>> that this might
>> suffice for you. 1. I made no comment to the group that you
>> need to defend, I
>> addressed my comments to Jon as he referenced me incorrectly
>> in his initial
>> email. That you feel the need to defend Jon against my
>> comments I'm just going
>> to leave that right there. 2. Aside from representing this
>> community with my
>> life, blood, sweat, tears and my freedom, I have LIVED in
>> Roxbury for most of
>> the last 25 years so I have no idea whatsoever, what you are
>> referring to when
>> you refer to me as a "newcomer". How odd. 3. You
>> say hoped for more community
>> focus from me?- In just the past 1 and a half years I have
>> saved 4 local Black
>> businesses from eviction, secured major contracts for close
>> to half dozen, saved
>> 4 houses from foreclosure, served on the steering committee
>> of the
>> Roxbury/Dorchester team mobilizing against Question 2,
>> incorporated a
>> Black-owned worker owned cooperative headquartered in
>> Roxbury which secured the
>> first snow removal contract by a Black contractor ever the
>> City of Boston ever,
>> organized 3 community town hall meetings for Freeze Frame
>> Black Boston ( 2 on
>> Economic Development and 1 on Education) attended by close
>> to 1300 people,
>> organized the Black Black Friday Bazaar as a means of
>> getting folks to support
>> Black businesses, raised money for the Healthy Baby Healthy
>> Child Food Pantry,
>> Chaired the Friends of the Melnea Cass Recreational Facility
>> on MLK Blvd and
>> sponsored 2 Cass Family Days including last year where we
>> brought 5 Olympians to
>> Roxbury ( first ever), convened the 1st ever meeting of the
>> heads of the
>> Roxbury/Dorchest CDC's with elected officials, funding
>> agencies, city agencies,
>> Black businesses, guest speaker at Boston Debate League,
>> Charlestown High
>> School, number of churches, etc I could go on, but I think
>> you get my point!
>> Just because I don't post every move on social media
>> doesn't mean it's not
>> happening. You should know that I was paid ( a nominal fee)
>> for 1 of the above
>> listed activities, all others I did because I am committed
>> to my community.
>> Roxbury, Dorchester and the Black and Latino residents are
>> my focus and I would
>> strongly advise that neither you or anyone else challenge or
>> question that fact.
>> I've sacrificed too much, albeit willingly, to allow
>> that to happen without a
>> response.
>>
>> So you should know that I attended the HPNC meeting
>> this evening. I hope
>> that I was able to answer some of the questions and
>> appreciate the dialogue and
>> opportunity to engage with the HPNC. Though I received
>> offers from several
>> developers because of my history and knowledge of Roxbury
>> and Dorchester, I
>> chose to work as a development consultant to CRM precisely
>> because they are
>> doing development work in Roxbury. I committed to work to
>> make sure that the
>> residents opinions are heard, that the process is respectful
>> and responsive. And
>> more than anything, that local businesses and local
>> residents are the major
>> beneficiaries of the projects. You should check out for
>> yourselves the stats on
>> their project across the street from the Shelbourne.
>> That's why I took on this
>> assignment. I welcome your comments and look forward to
>> continuing to work with
>> you all.
>>
>> Dianne Wilkerson
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 23, 2017
>> at
>> 7:13 PM, Leonard Durant <lenny...@yahoo.com>
>> wrote:
>> Diane,
>>
>> I
>> have
>> been reading the email correspondence regarding City
>> Realty's desire to develop
>> yet another property in the Highland Park neighborhood. I am
>> a bit surprised
>> that you have chosen to represent CRM who at best have a
>> spotty record
>> throughout the Boston community. As a former member of the
>> HP PRC I have had
>> many opportunities to review numerous project proposals by
>> developers hoping to
>> establish a foothold in the Highland Park community. Many of
>> these developers
>> have given rushed and shorty overviews of their intent and
>> when meeting any kind
>> of opposition typically chose to fall back on the view that
>> they have done all
>> they need to. City Realty recently put up for sale a large
>> property they
>> developed barely two years ago on Marcella St showing the
>> community they are
>> only developing in order to make a "quick buck"
>> and move on. Most of the tenants
>> of that property on Marcella St. Were students who are not
>> invested in our
>> community. In defense of Jon and the PRC, I would counter
>> that the group has
>> always attempted to be thorough and detailed in their
>> proposal reviews and been
>> more than accommodating to the various developers who have
>> consistently shown a
>> lack of investment in our community other than one primarily
>> focused on profit.
>> I would suggest that you get a bit more involved with the
>> PRC and it's inner
>> workings. Especially when it involves CRM. Jon and the group
>> are a great team
>> and deserve better than your review. As a recent newcomer to
>> the area and with
>> your experience as a community activist I had hoped that
>> your arrival to the
>> neighborhood would have brought a bit more community focus
>> as opposed to your
>> support of these various developers. I look forward to your
>> response.
>>
>> Sincerely
>> Leonard
>> J. Durant
>>
>> Sent
>> from Yahoo Mail on Android
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 23,
>> 2017 at 5:45 PM, Jon Ellertson
>> <jon.el...@gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Hi Diane, I read your email and have some corrections
>> and additions to
>> the record since your incomplete review fails to make the
>> case you, as a paid
>> consultant to City Realty, are seeking to make.But before
>> getting into all the
>> details of back and forth emails, I have to correct you on
>> your assertion that
>> you have reached out the the Highland Park community via the
>> list serve. As a
>> member, you are entitled and welcome to use it but on the
>> 18th of January, you
>> instead sent notice of a meeting that you organized for that
>> very evening to
>> just a few. I copy that email here for the record
>>
>> From: "Dianne
>> Wilkerson" <newda...@gmail.com>
>> Date:
>> Jan 18, 2017 12:54 PM
>> Subject: Community meeting
>> To: "gov617" <gov...@gmail.com>, <Chynah...@mahouse.gov>
>> Cc: "Michelle Murray" <michell...@gmail.com>, <chavez...@gmail.com>,
>> <J.E.W...@verizon.net>, <steffi...@gmail.com>,
>> "Duviedo23" <manuel.du...@gmail.com >
>>
>> Hon. Rep. Tyler;
>>
>> I wanted to provide a heads up on a community meeting
>> that is
>> occurring this evening [my emphasis]
>> at 6:00
>> pm at the Shelbourne
>> Community Center. The focus of the meeting is planned
>> development at 37R-39R
>> Juniper St. The developers, CRM Realty, will be doing a
>> courtesy presentation
>> on the proposed plan. I say courtesy because they have
>> already done the
>> obligatory meetings before the ZBA hearing scheduled for
>> January
>> 24, 2017. This
>> evening's meeting will give you an opportunity to begin
>> to immerse yourself in
>> some of the development activities going on in your
>> District. I recognize that
>> this is late notice but in reviewing the list, I realized
>> that you may not have
>> received any prior notice. I hope that you or your staff
>> have an opportunity to
>> stop in. The meeting is only scheduled for 6:00 pm
>> - 7:00 pm.
>>
>> Respectfully;
>>
>> Dianne Wilkerson, President
>> New Day Services, Inc.
>> ............................. ..............................
>> .
>> Also
>> Dianne, in your email this afternoon you admonished me for
>> no reason> I
>> quote "You seem dead set on collecting letters of
>> opposition to a project you
>> acknowledge you have not seen."
>> Of course, without being invited to a meeting
>> where plans were presented, I have not seen the plans but I
>> did hear from some
>> who did and who came away with concerns and yes, opposition
>> to City Realty so
>> that was the basis for my seeking, to no avail, to get them
>> to attend the
>> January 10th HPNC meeting. Failing to get them, or you for
>> that matter, to
>> attend the HPNC meeting, I continued to reach out to Joshua
>> and Kayley Jones, of
>> the law firm representing CR with the suggestion that we
>> could call a special
>> meeting prior to tomorrow's meeting of the Board of
>> Appeal.
>> Instead, apparently, you found it more suitable to
>> call your own meeting
>> at Shelburne for last Wednesday which was a date I had
>> suggested was open for
>> HPNC to meet at HYCC as the venue.
>> And you sent that notice to a very few, not the
>> Highland Park Neighborhood
>> Watch list-serve.
>>
>> As for collecting letters, I have asked for
>> input of all kinds,
>> not just letters of opposition but yes, I have received a
>> few of those and will
>> present them.
>> As for the overall back and forth emails starting early
>> October, here is a
>> more complete record and I am sure most of you reading this
>> email will want to
>> bail at this point, but
>> I want to refute Dianne, your assertion that I never
>> responded to Kayley
>> Jone's email.... I did write a reply and thought it had
>> been sent when I
>> discovered it remained in my Draft file, I then sent it and
>> have been working
>> ever since to give City Realty an opportunity to meet with
>> HPNC.
>>
>>
>>
>> Here are details of emails back and forth, for the
>> record.
>> Yes, Joshua McFadden, MONS,, did contact me by email on
>> October 6,
>> 22016:
>> Hey Jon, Hope all is well on your end. I wanted to
>> touch base with you
>> in regards to a proposal requesting the erection of 2
>> townhouses on 37R-39R
>> Juniper St. Should I put the developer in contact with you
>> in hopes to present
>> in front of the Neighborhood Association?
>>
>> Peace and Blessings,
>> Joshua
>>
>>
>>
>> My Reply on same day:
>>
>>
>> Hi Joshua, Thanks for your email. Yes, all proposals
>> for new construction
>> of any kind should to come before the Highland Park
>> Neighborhood Coalition even
>> if the developer thinks they can develop "as of
>> right" to avoid zoning issues.
>> I just checked that address on the Assessing Dept
>> database and see the
>> exact location. Owner of record is Leovoft LLC but there
>> is no such
>> corporation listed with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
>> Who was the person
>> who touched base with you?
>> Thanks,
>> Jon Ellertson,Secretary HPNC
>>
>>
>>
>> Joshua back to me on same day, Oct 6th: Hey Jon,The
>> person who touched base
>> information is below. Would you like me to give her your
>> info and reach out with
>> you?
>>
>> kjo...@dtlawllp.com
>>
>> Drago & Toscano,
>> LLP
>> Kayley Jones, Paralegal
>> 15 Broad
>> Street, Suite
>> 610
>> Boston, MA
>> 02109
>>
>>
>>
>> Indeed, Kayley did email
>> me on October 11th:
>> "Good afternoon, I'm reachngout from Drago &
>> Toscano's law office to see
>> about getting on the agenda for your community meeting
>> regarding a proposed
>> project on Juniper St. The proposal is to erect two
>> townhouses on 37R-39R
>> Juniper St. If you could let me know the dates of any
>> upcoming meetings that
>> we could attend that would be great. Best regards, Kaley
>> Jones"
>>
>>
>> My reply:Jon
>> Ellertson <jon.el...@gmail.com>10/26 /16
>>
>> to
>> kjones,
>> Joshua,
>> Rodney
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Joshua, Lost track of this in the midst of many
>> issues. I am copying
>> this to Kayley.Yes, Kayley, you should contact Rodney and me
>> with the following
>> information to request a spot on the December agenda of
>> HPNC. Name of owners;Set
>> of drawings including site plan and elevations that shows
>> the parcel(s) in
>> reference to all exisiting dwellings on that section of
>> Juniper St; projected
>> marketing plan. Once we have that documentation, we can
>> confirm a place on the
>> December 13th (Tuesday) HPNC meeting agenda.
>>
>>
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>> As it turned out, this
>> email remained,
>> unknown to me, in my "draft" file. Sometimes,
>> due to poor DSL service, when I
>> hit "send" and think that's done, it remains
>> unsent. In any case,
>> since
>> Joshua did not take this up again with me, I assumed it had
>> been sent and
>> received.
>> Finally, on December 1st I learned about a meeting MONS
>> organized
>> at Shelburne on Tuesday Nov 29th. Contrary to the
>> procedures we had set in
>> place with Joshua's predecessor, Kaira Fox, the meeting
>> was not publicized on
>> our Highland Park neighborhood watch list serve. I did
>> hear from some
>> abutters who did attend saying among other things, that the
>> meeting was
>> represented as being merely "informational" and
>> not official and that notice was
>> only by a flier left at their residences.
>>
>>
>> Once I learned that
>> my October email
>> had not been received, and I saw it in my Draft box, I did
>> send it to Joshua and
>> Kaley with CC to Rodney Singleton with an explanation and
>> request that we
>> seek
>>
>>
>>
>> About a week later, on
>> January 12th, I sent
>> this: Subject:�
>
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