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July 25, 2011
Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor,
MaxPac's developers -- KSS Realty Partners and Gate Residential -- are relying on state funding for the construction of an essential ramp connecting the new rental housing site to the bridge on Lowell Street.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation awarded Somerville $490,000 in order to build the ramp and construct a large retaining wall. The city chose Argus Construction of Woburn, MA to perform the work, as it was the low bidder.
Contractors on state-funded projects are required by law to provide the City of Somerville (the awarding authority for this project) "certified payroll records." With help from the Bricklayers Union, we were able to obtain those records.
As of June 11, the payroll records show that not one of the eight workers who have been employed by Argus is a resident of Somerville.
After all of the rallies, hearings, news articles and broad public concern, you would think that the developers and contractors would make an effort to hire at least one person from Somerville!
While some may disagree, I'm confident that the majority of people in Somerville feel as I do. Not hiring any local people (or making a good faith effort to do so) is an insult to our community. It should be unacceptable to the planning board, the Board of Alderman and all of our elected officials.
Sincerely,
Rand Wilson
3 Lester Terrace
1 comment:
This is what happens when you bribe rich developers - they take the money and run.
Hasn't KSS gotten nearly a million from the city/state? They also got that "bike path grant" that wasn't really a grant to build a bike path at all.
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