Fuel Tanks and the Winter of our Discontent

Shakespeare called it “the winter of our discontent. ”  Winters of discontent are periods that are generally described as bleak.  In Belmont, the winter of our discontent has lasted a lot longer than a single season.    

In one of the most dramatic exhibitions of the discord characteristic of Belmont today, residents overwhelmingly rejected an override in April, 2021; town officials, confident that their financial projections would take the day, had not given sufficient credence to the opposition many citizens had voiced in a variety of venues.  The dissatisfaction that was expressed then has not gone away.  Indeed, it continues to be expressed as people discuss anything from large capital projects to everyday expenses to appropriate behavior for elected, appointed and salaried officials.  There is no sign that this will end any time soon. 

Given that, the presentation on May 19th of the long awaited Clancy report on the DPW fuel tanks provided a rare moment in which we could see what Belmont is capable of being.  Glenn Clancy, the Director of Community Development, has a full time, demanding job.  That he took on an assignment he undoubtedly knew would not only require significant analysis and research but could be contentious is to his credit but it is not a surprise.  Mr. Clancy has a history of undertaking difficult projects and coming up with solutions that work for the community.  

Mr. Clancy has done it again.  His report is the product of in-depth research done over an 11 month period.  It inludes cost estimates as well as a careful assessment of the fuel tank size Belmont actually needs and the physical conditions present at the DPW plant ― all things that are tangible.     

But the report and the solution Mr. Clancy suggests is also based on things that are not tangible and/or  quantifiable.  They are the intangibles that are a vital part of any project that affects people.  Of these, the most important is what Mr. Clancy has called “community.”  By this, he means the concerns that are raised by residents in response to changes that have occurred or may occur in their neighborhoods.  These are often not easy to resolve.  Sometimes they involve expense.  Sometimes they require physical changes to a particular project.  However, as Mr. Clancy observed, Belmont has always gone the extra mile for its residents and their communities.  It has made sure that the concerns communities have and the permanent disruptions that may occur or have occurred as the result of a project are addressed.  Indeed, to demonstrate this, he prepared a list of such projects; they covered almost every community in Belmont.    

As significant an achievement as this in-depth report and solution is, it would not have been undertaken without the significant analysis done by members of the community which will be affected by the fuel tank project.  Judith Ananian Sarno, Bob Sarno and Lisa Otieri researched a myriad of issues including but not limited to the safety of above and under ground tanks, regulations on the distance tanks can be from homes if owners are to be able to obtain mortgages and whether the existing tanks could be insured while research was done.  They made sure that not only their neighbors but others throughout the entire town were kept informed of their findings.  And undeterred by what was considerable push-back, they used their research to raise questions about the project at the 2021 Town Meeting.   

The result was the rejection of the original fuel tank project and the subsequent research resulting in the Clancy report.  Not only does the report validate their work but it shows that there is an insignificant difference in cost between above ground and underground tanks.   

The serious research efforts of three outspoken citizens and that done by a long-time member of the town staff deserve the thanks and respect of every Belmont resident.  These efforts have resulted in a project outline that will benefit the town without the adverse effect above ground tanks would have on those who live near the DPW yard.  But more, these efforts have produced a moment in which Belmont has been at its best.  They have shown that Belmont is still capable of providing solutions that meet the tangible and intangible needs of the town and its residents.  They have shown that “community” matters and that “the winter of our discontent” does not have to be the Belmont norm.  Sadly, many  residents expect that that will not be the case. 

Judith Feinleib, a Precinct 6 Town Meeting Member has a doctorate in Political Science and, as an independent consultant, helps people with social media posting, writing and in-house and external corporate communications. Contact her at feinleib@gmail.com