The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 51

Boston Sunday Globe Globe Northwest 3 4PRIL 11, 2004 Kt Starting the countdown to mall decision By Davis Bushnell GLOBE CORRESPONDENT Thursday night's wrap-up public meeting in Tewksbury on Mills proposed retail-entertainment center will be a prelude to a May 4 special Town Meeting vote on rezoning and development plans for the mammoth project, one of the most controversial that has come before the town in years. The April 15 meeting, to be conducted by the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee in the auditorium of Tewksbury contamination of the 100-acre property. The cleanup effort will be accelerated "long before we get a dime, if we do, from the Mills mall," Sears said, adding that he is going to propose that the topic be part of the selectmen's agenda for April 27. The proposed development agreement that will be voted on May 4 requires Mills to pay the town $1.1 million in lieu of building permit fees. It also offers some free ice time for residents and youth hockey teams at the indoor rink.

but, in the meantime, town government should be more concerned about how it will come up with money for paying its share of cleaning up the former Rocco's Landfill adjoining the proposed mall site, Selectman Douglas Sears said. The old landfill, now called the Sutton Brook Disposal Area Su-perfund site, went on the US Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund list in June 2001. Nearly two months ago, the EPA entered into an agreement with the town and 24 other parties "potentially responsible" for Town Meeting is especially critical to Mills, which has spent the last two years fine-tuning plans for a shopping mall and indoor skating rink that would be built on a 38-acre site in South Tewksbury. Perkins Development Trust owns this land, which Mills wants to have rezoned from residential to commercial. For Mills, it's "all over" if the rezoning plan is not approved, said David Wahr, a regional consultant to the large mall operator.

Mills has a purchase-and-sale agreement with Perkins, contingent upon the rezoning and Mills's High School at 320 Pleasant will also focus on the rezoning rw tii measure and a pro- Ine M111S UOrp. posed development rezoning and agreement between the town and Mills, a development mall owner-operator 1 inomwi tin KNEELAND CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION based in Arlington, Va. Local officials say the meeting, which will begin at 7, is expected to draw a huge turnout But everything will hinge on the May 4 vote, said these officials, shopping center opponents, and a CUSTOM STYLED 5 YEAR GUARANTEE FREE ESTIMATE major ones dividingthis Robert Kelley Tewksbury resident and member of Sensible Taxpayers Opposed to Mall Plans MOVE UP WITH DORMERS ADDITIONS, SECOND LEVELS OOP lit in if II MA Reg.113869 AND HOME BUILDING KM'? Kira Lusk takes judges' questions after her presentation on volcanoes. entrance. The 33 volunteer judges are the only ones allowed to ask questions of the presenters and must pass a stringent training session set by the national 4H.

But that part is easy, said Sherrie Guyott, program manager for the Massachusetts 4H. "Judging is the hardest job in 4H," she said. The criteria participants are judged on include appearance, voice, selection of equipment, articulation, organization, and subject. Junior presenters, those age 9 to 13, must speak for no less than three minutes, and senior presenters, ages 14 to 18, must speak for at least seven. Presentations are not supposed to last longer than 10 minutes and 30 seconds, according to the contest rules.

By the time the presenters get to the state level, they have been through the process a few times. State contenders must place well in the local and regional 4H clubs to qualify for the state tournament. "I was definitely nervous," Kira admitted a few minutes after the pressure was off. She added, however: "It's actually pretty fun once you get up there." Kira hid her nervousness well, even though the introduction to her first state competition was interrupted when an audience member dropped an object that created a clamor. She remained as composed then as she was toward the end of her presentation when judge Charlie Chace asked where Cotopaxi was.

He had recently returned from climbing the world's highest active volcano. Kira inhaled slightly and responded: "The question was, do I know where Cotopaxi is," she said, repeating it for the audience, a required element of the program. "I do not know, but I would like to know." The volcano is in Ecuador, and Kira could add that to the host of learning experiences she accumulated during the event. "You can get real shaky, especially when you're trying to figure out what cards to say," she said, referring to the index cards that helped her through the oral report. Laser Tattoo Removal 27,000 laser treatments since 1992 less than 1 risk of scarring New England's top tattoo removal doctors state-of-the-art Medlite IV laser Despite cutbacks, 4H show goes on By Maureen Costello GLOBE CORRESPONKNT BEDFORD Kira Lusk stood perfectly poised and looked straight ahead, a pair of honey-colored braids accenting her peasant top.

The 11-year-old sixth-grader from North Reading Middle School had just finished a four-minute presentation about volcanoes, a carryover from a fifth-grade class project last year. But this appearance was more informative, including a well laid-out visual about the history and locations of various types of volcanoes. It also featured a model volcano that erupted under the gaze of two judges at the state 4H Club's Visual Presentation competition. In the end, it would be the judges who would decide if Kira's research and public speaking skills would merit an award in the junior category of entomology, forestry, and geology at the competition held March 27 at the John Glenn Middle School in Bedford. More than 250 contestants, ages 9 to 18, participated in the annual event that, according to organizers, has been going on for more than 50 years.

Participants from the Berkshires to Cape Cod traveled with their families and their props in hopes of leaving Bedford with a blue rosette for first place, or a red one for second. The event was held at a time of uncertainty for Massachusetts 4H. In the past, the organization has relied heavily on government money for its budget. But, facing a 55 percent cut in its funding this fiscal year, the University of Massachusetts Extension substantially cut state support of 4H, according to Steve Demski, the extension director. As a result, 4H had to lay off workers and institute a $25 a year dues fee for its members.

Demski said the extension wants the organization to rely on private funding, such as grants, donations, and foundation money for its budget. He said plans call for 4H to attain this goal by July 1, but if, that is not possible, "there is a safety net in place" to keep the program operating. Despite the funding uncertainty, the judging went on at the March 27 contest. Kira Lusk did not win a prize. But her older sister, Kaitlyn, received a first-place rosette for her presentation on horses.

Both girls have been giving visual reports for years, said their mother, Patti. "This is such a great learning 'experience," she said. "It is such a ood public speaking tool. Unfortunately, the funding is being cut." At John Glenn Middle School, participants spoke on topics in eight categories, from consumer nd family science to technical 'and engineering. Props ranged jrom embroidered textiles to Cosmo, a miniature horse from Mills who munched on a jjatch of grass outside the school 44 Mall Road Suite G20 Burlington Massachusetts www.laserdocs.com 781-270-1144 receiving all required permits.

If, on the other hand, the rezoning measure prevails by a two-thirds vote, then Mills will complete environmental plans for the site that will be submitted to state officials for their review, Wahr said. After that, he noted, Mills will press the Haver- hill-based Merrimack Valley Planning Commission to have the mall operator's proposal for a new Interstate 93 exit added to the commission's four ramp proposals. These are part of an 1-93 corridor study completed by the commission in late 2003. "We must have a new interchange" that passes muster with the planning commission and, ultimately, state and federal highway officials, Wahr said. Mills favors a loop-around 1-93 ramp that would funnel cars into the 38-acre site.

Voters will decide Mills's fate, Mark Moloney Mills representative. The special session will also be held in the high school auditorium, starting at 7 p.m. The rezoning and development issues "are the major ones dividing this town," said Robert Kelley, who recently lost a bid to become a selectman, running on an anti-mall ticket. He is also a member of the local activist group STOMP, or Sensible Taxpayers Opposed to Mall Plans. The group is contending, for the most part, that shopping center traffic would choke local streets.

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