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    Brian Keaney

    Monster Billboards Coming to a Town Near You

    by: PaulReynolds

    Tue Jun 16, 2009 at 22:27:22 PM EDT


    (Let them know what you think. - promoted by Brian)

    Clear Channel/MBTA billboard case is coming before The MassHighway's Outdoor Advertising Board this Thursday to lobby for billboards along Rte 128 - bordering Dedham/Westwood.

    While these billboards will generate money for the state, according to The Boston Globe (March 24, 2009), approximately 60% of the revenue goes right to Clear Channel.   And we get monster billboards to stare at - distracting, ugly, reducing property values of near-by homes, etc.

    The meeting for the hearing was scheduled during the work day in the middle of the week, which may be challenging for folks to attend, but here is the information:

    Thursday, June 18, 2009
    11 AM
    Conference Room 1 2nd floor of the Transportation Building,
    10 Park Plaza
    Boston MA.

    If you can attend, it would be a great.

    If you can't make the meeting, it would help to do TWO things:

    1) Email (directions below)
    2) Spread the word via your network
    PaulReynolds :: Monster Billboards Coming to a Town Near You
    Here is a little guide to help with the email or fax - (617)973-8444.  You can use this to send along an email of opposition to:

    Executive Director, Outdoor Advertising Division
    Email: edward.farley@mhd.state.ma.us

    Luisa Paiewonsky
    Commissioner
    Email: Luisa.Paiewonsky@mhd.state.ma.us

    Mass Highway
    c/o Outdoor Advertising Division
    Ten Park Plaza, Room 7515... Read More... Read More
    Boston, MA 02116-3973
    Tel: (617)973-8470
    Fax: (617)973-8444

    SAMPLE NOTE - MODIFY/CUSTOMIZE AS YOU WISH:

    Dear Ms Paiewonsky and Mr. Farley,

    I was alarmed to hear about the plans to add/expand billboards along Massachusetts highways - especially in the Dedham/Westwood area.

    Unleashing visual blight on Massachusetts with a billboard blitz is a short-sighted strategy by the Outdoor Advertising Division that would raise funds with little to no regard to local by-laws nor the impact of those who must live with these eyesores.

    Please know that I adamantly oppose any increase in the number of billboards (standard or over-sized) in the Commonwealth.

    I respectfully ask you to put an immediate end to these plans in the Dedham/Westwood area - as well as the rest of the state.

    Signed,
    YOUR NAME

    I got this nice note from Senator Susan Tucker's Office today:

    Dear Mr. Reynolds,

    Senator Tucker asked me to follow up and let you know that she completely agrees with you. She continues to advocate for a requirement that the MBTA receive local approval before erecting billboards. The MBTA must be fair to our cities and towns.

    Thank you for your advocacy,

    Julie del Sobral, Legislative Director
    Senator Sue Tucker
    State House, Room 425
    Boston, MA 02133
    617-722-1612 (phone)
    617-722-1058 (fax)

    It's good to see the voices rising in opposition.  Hope you can join the cause.

    All best,
    Paul

    P.S.

    Background: http://www.boston.com/news/loc...

    Paul Reynolds
    Board of Selectmen
    Dedham Town Hall
    26 Bryant Street
    Dedham, MA, 02026
    Town Hall Main Number: 781-751-9100
    Mobile: 617-610-5801
    preynolds@dedham-ma.gov

    Dedicated to Dedham.

    Stay in touch with the Board of Selectman's ALL-NEW TownWorks eNewsletter!
    Sign up on the front page of the Town Site:  http://www.dedham-ma.gov

    Also - Get Regular Town Hall News Alerts:
    http://www.dedham-ma.gov/index...
    Tags: , (All Tags)
    Print Friendly View Send As Email

    | More
    Monster Billboards Coming to a Town Near You | 15 comments
    Hearings (0.00 / 0)
    I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I have a question:

    Of course, the meeting for the hearing was quietly scheduled during the work day in the middle of the week:

    When else are hearings scheduled? Are there evening hearings, or weekend sessions? I seriously don't know, but my instinct is to think that M-F 9-5 is fairly normal hours for hearings to be scheduled, and shouldn't be considered nefarious.

    Point taken - Thanks (0.00 / 0)
    I don't want to suggest anything conspiratorial - but I do think we have a way to go in communication and outreach.  In a Facebook/blog age, news can spread in minutes - inviting public comment, input and participation.   I just think we need to do more to make it easier for civic engagement.

    All that said, I've modified the post accordingly - and want to say I appreciate the perspective.

    All best,
    Paul

    Paul Reynolds
    Board of Selectmen
    Dedham Town Hall
    26 Bryant Street
    Dedham, MA, 02026
    Town Hall Main Number: 781-751-9100
    Mobile: 617-610-5801
    preynolds@dedham-ma.gov

    Dedicated to Dedham.

    Stay in touch with the Board of Selectman's ALL-NEW TownWorks eNewsletter!
    Sign up on the front page of the Town Site:  http://www.dedham-ma.gov

    Also - Get Regular Town Hall News Alerts:
    http://www.dedham-ma.gov/index...


    [ Parent ]
    UPDATE: No hearing Thursday (0.00 / 0)
    Just a quick update-- the Westwood/128 billboard will not be on the agenda for the Thursday hearing.

    However, residents should still send comments and concerns as directed above so we make sure they hear us loud and clear.

    Thanks!
    Sarah

    Email on the way (0.00 / 0)
    Consider our email to the Commission sent.

    Gary & Amy Roberts

    [ Parent ]
    HBA Sham (0.00 / 0)
    Unfortunately the Highway Beautification Act of 65 is a complete sham and leaves this basically to the states and local boards.

    I agree that they all should be brought down, period, but that won't happen. I hope folks do e-mail the state on this issue. But just like out little town, revenue is king.

    Just look at that monster that sits right near Sarah MacDonald's. You can thank our lovely ZBA for that eye sore.

    So how hypocritical is it that our Board comes out against this now? Day late and a dollar short?

    I also ask what will be the status of the one that was brought down due to the Route 1/Harris/High street over pass (the bill board that use to be at the edge of the soccer field)? Will one go back up in replacement, or have we finally said good riddens to that hideous billboard?

    I would hope a lesson can be learned. Let the Sign By Law folks draw up a complete ban on these in Dedham.

    Neutral question (0.00 / 0)
    Does the town benefit in any way from these billboards?
    No. (0.00 / 0)

    [ Parent ]
    they're already here... (0.00 / 0)
    A couple of years ago the MBTA installed 2 billboards along the tracks at the Endicott Station, a residential area.  Although they are not the monster size ones, but smaller than average ones, they are still completely out of place and a blight on the neighborhood.  They might fit in better at Dedham Corp. Center station because it is a more commercial stop.  But to put them there shows a complete lack of concern for the surroundings. They obviously did not get approval from the town or consider the local community before installing them.  

    This is what we get because they are desperate for money and threatening to shut down the trains on nights and weekends, which would wreak havoc for many commuters in town.

    Thanks for the heads up (0.00 / 0)
    I sent an email to Mr. Farley and Ms. Paiewonsky  today. I will let you know if I hear anything.
    A Few Years Ago (0.00 / 0)
    I thought there was some discussion at a selectman's meeting awhile back, Kehoe may have been on the board, about billboards on 1128 and they wanted to be on Dedham land and get electric power. At that time I think the town said no. not sure about who get's the money.

    but now it looks like maybe they went to the state after being shot down at the local level.

    any one else remember this?

    T Shelves Plan to Lease Billboards - Tepid ad response, outcry spur move (0.00 / 0)
    It was great to read The Boston Globe article today From the piece: "The MBTA has retreated from its plan to raise millions of dollars by leasing 32 large billboards on land it owns in 19 Eastern Massachusetts communities after a disappointing response from prospective advertisers and a growing outcry from unwilling host communities."

    Thanks to all those who called, emailed, blogged, tweeted, and wrote letters. This is the power of civic engagement.

    Paul

    So where does the money come from ... (0.00 / 0)
    Will the "power of civic engagement" produce an alternative means of securing revenue?

    It's always easy just to be against something, yet another to propose/advocate an alternative which produces results.

    [ Parent ]
    preventing bad . . . (0.00 / 0)
    Sorry  . . . sometimes preventing bad is good enough all by itself.

    Externalizing the MHD's revenue problem to our Town is a lousy way to do government. Said another way, it's not Dedham citizens' or officials' responsibility to find ways to solve this state agency's money problems. We have more than enough knotty Town issues that deserve our attention and creativity without making Dedham responsible for state highways.

    Kei

    [ Parent ]
    Not for .. just asking for an alternative (0.00 / 0)
    First off .. we are the State, so the problem still rests at our feet. Understanad I'm certianly against all those hideous billboards.

    Of course, it was good enough for the town to allow, via the ZBA, that huge billboard off Rustcraft/Allied Drive. So I think the town should be deservedly call hypocritics. I didn't see any of this allustrious group clammering for that not to happen.

    Does anyone out here know what will happen to the billboard they took down to redo the Providence Highway/Harris street bridge? Is that down permanently?

    [ Parent ]
    pick, then choose (0.00 / 0)
    well, if "we" are the state and all the state problems rest at our feet, we are also, the US, the UN, Dedham, DWWD, Norfolk County, and then do all problems in those entitites also rest at our feet?

    Then, of all those things that "we" can do, to which  do we devote our "power of civic engagement"?

    hmmm . . .  can't do all things . . . must choose what to work on . . . where is it possible for my own efforts to make a difference . . . and is it in working with MHD to solve their revenue issues?

    I'd rather rely upon representative democracy for that one :-)

    Kei

    P.S. I gotta say that there really is no such thing as the "town" that deserves to be called hypocrites . . . in political science terms, the "Town" has mutliple factions and entities, each of which has its own distinct identity, scope fo responsibility, and reasons for acting . . . e.g., in your example the entities and people that OK'd one billboard are not the people or entities that opposed another.

    Substitute the "blog" for "town"and see how it reads :-)

    [ Parent ]
    Monster Billboards Coming to a Town Near You | 15 comments

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