The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 349

Boston NOTABLE The National Register of His-; toric Places lists 221 sites in 7 the communities south of Boston, ranging from the I John Alden House in Dux-V bury to the North Easton Railroad Station, INSIDE Ask the Globe 4 Business 7 Calendar 10 Dining Out 11 Letters 2 Opinion 2 Sports 8 MARCH 4, 1990 Mi wFFKIY Quincy's new mayor dives into jeopardy as he tackles budget "7 i i By Brian McGrory GLOBE STAFF UINCY Mayor Jim Sheets I should be sitting on top of the world in his airy third-floor office, where a wall of windows overlooks the new buildings of upper I Quincy Center and the hushed Jfw- my 1 i uy v. 'Jk fr AH. GLOBE STAFF PHOTO THOMAS LANDERS GLOBE STAFF PHOTO THOMAS LANDERS Biologist Lisa Hendrickson has conducted diagnostic studies to determine the characteristics of Foundry Pond, Hingham. Cutback threatens lake cleanups End of state program means towns must restore waters themselves surroundings nurture his most ambitious plans. But in his first two months as mayor, Sheets' every move has been restricted by a budget deficit that is threatening the jobs of hundreds of municipal workers and striking at the foundation of the city's school system.

Although other communities also are grappling with fiscal problems, in Quincy it is far worse than most had thought, with the projected deficit growing from $10 million to $15 million. So there has been no sun-splashed honeymoon, no time to gloat The mayor who rode into office on a wave of populist appeal and grass-roots support in November, the people's mayor, has moved steadfastly to downsize the city government, jeopardizing his own popularity at every turn. Already, he has called for an across-the-board 6 percent cut in virtually every discretionary program in the city. And he instituted a sewer user fee approved without dissent by the City Council that will cost most families in the city as much as $300 a year. "He has taken the bull by the horns," said Sen.

Paul D. Harold (D-Quincy), who is not a Sheets partisan. "Some communities are still wringing their hands, but he has taken steps to make sure checks issued by the city don't start bouncing by the month of June." "He hasn't avoided anything," said City Council President Theodore P. DeCristo-faro. "He hasn't had any problem facing Jennifer Bloom CONTRIBUTING REPORTER MAYOR JIM SHEETS No sun-splashed honeymoon Indeed, nothing in Sheets' 16 years on the City Council, or his two decades as a political science teacher at Quincy Junior College, seemed to indicate that he would be anything but a quiet, prodding coalition builder as mayor.

Critics said he had neither the political strength nor the knowledge of fiscal issues to make tough budget decisions. But since he took the oath on Jan. 2 he has ruled with a firm hand as the bad news of city finances continued to get worse. He opted for a flat spending cut to avoid pitting city departments against each other. "The decision to make the 6 percent cut across the board was the only fair way to do it," said Sheets.

"The building inspector MAYOR, Page SOUTH 5 With cities and towns unable to take on the entire cost of such projects, the real casualties of the budget cut are likely to be vacationers in search of summer pleasures, who may face murk, odors and more frequent beach closings. "It was a popular program and it was growing every year," said Gary Bogue, a former administrator of the Clean Lakes Program for the Department of Environmental Protection. "When we were given the ax, a lot of towns were left high and dry." With money not available to restore lakes as attractive recreation spots, tourism is likely to fall off and bring local economies down with it, Bogue said. The Clean Lakes Program, which began in 1981, invited cities and towns to use a two-phase system for restoring lakes. In the first phase, a diagnostic and feasibility study would determine the characteristics of the lake and recommend a restoration plan.

In the second phase, the restoration plan would be carried out. When the program ended, 80 projects LAKES, Page SOUTH 4 Boaters and swimmers who frequent the region's ponds and lakes may find themselves wading through murky waters this summer now that the state has stopped granting money for dredging and cleanup projects. This winter marked the end of the state's Clean Lakes Program, which paid three-quarters of the costs of restoring public recreational lakes and ponds that had filled with sediment and plants. Town, builder develop common ground Bike, horse riders tangle in Blue Hills Dedham selectmen, developer settle differences over office-park project By Patricia Nealon GLOBE STAFF and Amy Callahan SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE By Lisa Brems SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE ILTON For years, hnrsphafk niters havp D) ED HAM- They seemed an unlikely couple at first, and for a long time they fought with each other. But now it appears III 1 tne hundreds of I I 1 miles of wooded trails (J in the Blue Hills for any recommendations to the MDC, which is developing a master plan for the reservation.

The subcommittee met again last week, and horse riders are holding a private meeting of their own Friday. "There has been conflict between horseback riders and mountain bike riders," said Lisa Vernegaard, the acting regional supervisor for the South Region of the MDC's Reservations Division. "This is an issue that the MDC has been trying to address for a year." The problem is, she said, that horses can get spooked by the bikes and pose a safety threat to both horse rider and bike rider. "A horse often reacts in a very fearful way to mountain bikes," Vernegaard explained. "If a horse rears up, you don't want to be under that horse." Although the Vernegaard said HORSES, Page SOUTH 3 2 r- quiet trots.

But since the arrival of 'mountain bikes those fat-wheeled bicycles made for rough terrain the trails are no longer their exclusive Jturf. Skittish horses and swiftly moving bicycles do not mix well, and the Metropolitan District Commission, which runs the Blue Hills Reservation, is trying to figure out a way for them to co-exist. The MDC has formed a subcommittee that includes both bikers and horseback riders. It has met four times since last fall, but yet to make refrain from using narrow, twisting Rustcraft Road to get to the site. In return, the selectmen promised to support the developer's applications for all required permits and to recommend favorable action by other town boards.

"We need to hold hands for a long said Jack O'Neil, senior vice president of National Development Associates and the man in charge of the project, known as Dedham Corporate Center. He characterized the agreement as a "win-wfri situation," in contrast to the company's previous relations with the town, which were "less than a walk through paradise." Still, not everyone is overjoyed with the reconciliation. Several towii boards that have yet to sign off on the project and had no role in the negotiations with National Development bristle at the suggestion that they look more favorably on the plan because of the agreement Last week, the Planning Board issued a two-page statement expressing "surprise and outrage" at the secret agreement "The Planning DEVELOPMENT, Page SOUTH 4 both sides have set aside most of their differences, and a romance of sorts has blossomed. The new couple is the Dedham Board of Selectmen and National Development Associates the Newton-based company that wants to build a 62-acre office park, the largest in Dedham and one of the biggest in the Route 128 corridor. After almost two years of wrangling that stalled the project and resulted in four lawsuits against the town, the parties held a series of secret trysts beginning in early December to see if there was room for compromise.

The result was an agreement, signed on Valentine's Day, in which the developer, among other things, promised to pay the town $1 million in linkage-style fees, improve sewers, build a senior citizens center and Quotable GLOBE STAFF PHOTO DAVID RYAN Jack O'Neil of National Development Associates stands on site where proposed Dedham Corporate Center is to be built Little-used commuter station awaits traffic if What I did was the best thing that could have happened to me I was sick of corporate politics and wanted to spend more time with my family." JOSEPH E. DAMIANO Cleaning firm miner, Dedham. Page 7 My mother got me into figure skating. She wanted me to be the petite ballerina type of girl, but it didn't work out that way." LAUREN APOLLO j. Member of US WmAi 's Hockey team, if Seituate.

Page 8 Lkl guess I got tired of telling people what to do to straighten out Hull. Instead of shooting my mouth off, I decided I should do something." LINDSAY MILLARD Theater co-founder and editor, Hull Page 10 When I wrote the cantata I really wanted to show what Abigail Adams' childhood was like. I wanted to set history to music." MARJORIE JEFFRIES Composer, Milton, Page 11 EDHAM The train station at the Dedham III Corporate Center may be one of the best-kept secrets in the commuter rail system. Despite its location just off Route 128, plenty of parking and being a 23-minute train ride from South Station, the park Corporate Center lot" he said. Although the corporate station is on the Franklin line and fewer trains stop there than at the Route 128 station on the Attleboro-Provi-dence line, ridership is expected to increase, according to Dimond.

"We know there is a strong demand for parking," he said. The MBTA is so sure of the STATION, Page SOUTH 4 1 cars were in the 500-car lot which opened in December. Strong habits among commuters was the explanation given by a spokesman for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Peter Dimond. "Changing commuter patterns is often difficult but we anticipate the lot will be filled very soon as people hear about it" he said. Fly- ers were handed out when the station opened, and more publicity is planned, he added.

Two miles south on Route 128 from the corporate center stop, the sprawling Route 128 station parking lot is often filled to overflowing, Dimond said. "People who rush to 128 early to get a parking space are going to realize go to the Dedham i ing lot is practically empty. a recent weekday, only 44.