Will Brownsberger -- State Representative, Democrat, 24th Middlesex District

The flash news in the Governor’s state of the state address was that he intends to file a budget (due next week) that preserves local aid at last year’s level.

I’ve had conversations with several friends in the Benton library area in Belmont who have sought my advice about how to interact with the town as the town decides what to do with the property.

On Tuesday, the Governor signed into law a bill eliminating any question about the exemption from Proposition 2.5 of the Wellington School bond issue. I am extremely grateful to the Governor, to my colleagues in the House, and to Senator Tolman and his colleagues in the Senate for moving the bill through so quickly.

I had been Selectman in Belmont for only a couple of months, when, in the major June 1998 rain storm, a constituent called me late one night to come see the raw sewage rising out of the sink in his finished basement.

I’ve heard from many of you who have expressed concern for the loss of our Charlesbank bookstore in Belmont Centre. I had a long conversation today with the COO of Barnes and Noble (the chain that owns Charlesbank) and he indicated that there was nothing the community could say to him that would change his decision. Anyone want to start a bookstore in Belmont?

The Governor called me on Thursday with they welcome news that he has decided to allocate federal stimulus funding to expedite the construction of the Alewife Greenway — a great improvement in the bikepath that runs from Alewife Station to the Mystic River.

Bids were opened yesterday (October 14) for the bikepath that will run from Brighton Street in Belmont through Alewife station to Somerville.

For over 5 years, the Town of Belmont has been designing the reconstruction of Belmont Street and Trapelo Road — the busiest traffic corridor in town.

State-federal funding for the actual construction may still be five years away, but the good news is that the state has finally placed the project in its long term funding plans.

I’ve been biking down the Brighton St. – Alewife – Davis Sq. trail almost daily, and I’ve made a few observations I’d like to share.

The McCrehan pool on Rindge Avenue opened on June 27 and will remain open until August 16, according to DCR’s current plans. It’s looking much better than it has for a while.

The single most immediate priority for flood control is assuring that the Alewife Brook and the Mystic River have the capacity to drain large rainstorms. Recent progress is encouraging.

For the past 10 years, I have been among conservation advocates hoping to find a way to preserve the Silver Maple Forest property adjacent to the Alewife reservation. We are still struggling.

Given that the potential for road congestion reduction in the area is limited, it makes sense to improve bicycle and pedestrian alternatives for local residents. Several projects are in progress or on the drawing board.

Slow progress continues in efforts to address traffic issues in the Alewife area, one of the most congested areas in the state. Expectations for improvement should remain low.

Yesterday, I sat in on a meeting where the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization struggled to define the long-term parameters of a financially realistic Transportation Improvement Plan. Locally, the tight planning environment will likely mean further delay in the Belmont-Trapelo Corridor project (my primary concern in the meeting) and perhaps other projects.

Why is there not more posting about the many events that show efforts to retain the preservation of the silver maple forest by Belmont, Arlington and Cambridge residents. And why do we not hear about the re-filing of the silver maple forest acquisition bill.

Over the 2007-2008 session, I have spoken out and taken positions on many larger issues, but some of my most satisfying accomplishments have come from lower profile legislative work.

A quick update on Alewife traffic issues.  Some progress has been made that
merits report.

Summary of a meeting that occurred at the State House (September 25) regarding the status of Department of Conservation and Recreation issues in the Alewife area.

I’m very disappointed to report that Governor Patrick chose to veto the
language that we worked to place in the Environmental Bond Bill regarding
the Silver Maple Forest acquisition.