Freetown sets Aquinnah casino vote
By George Brennan
March 28, 2012
Freetown selectmen have scheduled May 29 as the date for a townwide vote on a proposal by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) to build a casino in the town, officials said Tuesday.
The Martha's Vineyard-based tribe will reveal the specific location to Freetown officials during a closed-door meeting with tribal council Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, Selectman Chairwoman Lisa Pacheco and Town Administrator Richard Brown, James McManus, a spokesman for the Aquinnah tribe, said.
How is this not a violation of the spirit of the Open Meeting Law?
But setting a date for a Freetown election does not rule out the tribe picking Lakeville or Fall River as possible locations, McManus said Tuesday. "They're still keeping their options open," he said.
Freetown Town Clerk Jacqueline Brown said the vote is expected to cost the town $4,500 to $5,000 and the last day for voters to register is May 9.
The statute requires the DEVELOPER to bear those costs.
The expectation is that the tribe will reimburse the town, the town administrator said.
The Freetown board's vote to set the date should not be interpreted as support for the Aquinnah's proposal, because the town still needs more information, specifically the location and what mitigation money it will receive, Brown said. "I think the board is receptive to the idea of letting the voters of Freetown make that decision," he said about a casino.
The board set the date under the requirements of the law that authorized three casinos and one slot parlor in the Bay State. The law requires a vote no sooner than 60 days after an election is requested and no later than 90 days.
Thursday's meeting is just one of a series of meetings planned between the Aquinnah and potential suitors, McManus said. The tribe is scheduled to meet with Lakeville selectmen Thursday night and with Fall River officials on Friday, he said.
Two weeks ago, Gov. Deval Patrick told the Vineyard-based tribe that it would have to offer more specifics on land, election dates and its development partners to open up compact talks with the state. A compact sets the parameters for payments in lieu of taxes for an Indian casino.
The Aquinnah are still vetting multiple development companies and haven't settled on investors yet, McManus said.
Arkana Ltd., a subsidiary of the Malaysian casino giant Genting Group, is backing the Mashpee Wampanoag. The Mashpee tribe has opened compact talks with Patrick's office.
All of this comes as the Aquinnah and Mashpee Wampanoag tribes are racing against the clock to meet a July 31 deadline imposed by the legislation for the tribes to have deals with host communities and the state in place. Missing that deadline would give the state's gaming commission authority to seek commercial bids for a Southeastern Massachusetts casino.
The Mashpee tribe is gearing up for a June 9 vote in Taunton on its casino proposal. The tribe now has 135 acres under agreement in the Liberty and Union Industrial Park, located near the intersection of routes 24 and 140.
The Mashpee tribe has agreed to pay $340,000 to the city to pay for the June 9 election and for consultants to help negotiate a host agreement.
The statute does NOT limit the costs.
Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr., in a letter to the tribe, has requested that a series of neighborhood meetings begin soon. He was scheduled to brief the city council on his request Tuesday night.
Together for Taunton, a pro-casino group backed by the tribe that includes local business leaders and tribe members, plans to hold gatherings in homes and social clubs across the city, Terry Quinn, chairman of the group, said.
The group is about to open office space near the Taunton Green at 1 Knotty Block, where residents can get information, Quinn said. "I think it's going to have a positive impact on the city of Taunton and all of Southeastern Mass.," he said.
The group is the only pro- or anti-casino campaign organization established to date for the election, City Clerk Rose Marie Blackwell said. Together for Taunton will have to file its first financial disclosure as of June 1, she said.
A website has been established, but it is only a placeholder at the moment. "Our focus is to get the information out there and to hear the concerns of the public so developers can mitigate them," Quinn said. "I hope the group Together for Taunton can open a dialogue with facts rather than false statements and personal attacks."
There is opposition organizing in Taunton, as well. Frank Lagace, a Taunton resident who lives in the shadows of the industrial park, said his group doesn't have a name yet and has only four members, but they are researching ways to block the tribe's plans.
Traffic is the biggest worry, he said.
"I am not against casinos. I go to casinos, but I don't like the idea of this casino because it will impact neighborhoods," Lagace said. "I'll be able to see it from my front window."
Lakeville to discuss Aquinnah casino proposal, location
By Marc Larocque
Staff Writer
Lakeville — The Lakeville Board of Selectmen is holding a public meeting on Thursday to discuss the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head-Aquinnah’s proposal to build a casino in the town, including more specific information about the tribe’s plans.
The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the Lakeville Town Hall at 346 Bedford St.
The Aquinnah tribe plans to disclose a potential location for the proposed casino, according to Lakeville Town Administrator Rita Garbitt. Aquinnah Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais requested the meeting, Garbitt said.
“The chairwoman of the tribal council said she’d like to discuss timelines, and identify the location of the land under option,” Garbitt said on Tuesday.
During a Board of Selectmen meeting on March 12 the Aquinnah discussed their intentions to build a casino in Lakeville — with the hopes of getting the tribal casino license provided by the state’s gaming legislation — and said they had land under option but weren’t ready to disclose it at that time. The Aquinnah are also moving ahead with similar plans in Freetown and Fall River, saying that they are trying to find a host community that is most receptive to their plans.
“I’m sure the Board will have more questions,” Garbitt said.
When asked about Freetown already moving ahead and scheduling a referendum, Lakeville Selectman Stephen Olivier said, “We’re going to have to do that as well.”
Garbitt said it has not yet been addressed how the cost of a potential referendum vote would be paid for.
“We haven’t discussed that yet,” she said. “But I assume the town clerk would come up with the cost, with the number of poll workers needed and cost of ballots.”
The Lakeville Board of Selectmen is holding a public meeting on Thursday to discuss the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head-Aquinnah’s proposal to build a casino in the town, including more specific information about the tribe’s plans.
The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at the Lakeville Town Hall at 346 Bedford St.
The Aquinnah tribe plans to disclose a potential location for the proposed casino, according to Lakeville Town Administrator Rita Garbitt. Aquinnah Chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais requested the meeting, Garbitt said.
“The chairwoman of the tribal council said she’d like to discuss timelines, and identify the location of the land under option,” Garbitt said on Tuesday.
During a Board of Selectmen meeting on March 12 the Aquinnah discussed their intentions to build a casino in Lakeville — with the hopes of getting the tribal casino license provided by the state’s gaming legislation — and said they had land under option but weren’t ready to disclose it at that time. The Aquinnah are also moving ahead with similar plans in Freetown and Fall River, saying that they are trying to find a host community that is most receptive to their plans.
“I’m sure the Board will have more questions,” Garbitt said.
When asked about Freetown already moving ahead and scheduling a referendum, Lakeville Selectman Stephen Olivier said, “We’re going to have to do that as well.”
Garbitt said it has not yet been addressed how the cost of a potential referendum vote would be paid for.
“We haven’t discussed that yet,” she said. “But I assume the town clerk would come up with the cost, with the number of poll workers needed and cost of ballots.”
Read more: http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x760604889/Lakeville-to-discuss-Aquinnah-casino-proposal-location#ixzz1qQ9E7M2Y
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