Bill Keohan, chair of the Community Preservation Committee, has done a remarkable job. For the last 20-plus years, Mr. Keohan has been the accomplished and energetic face of the CPC at Town Meeting. During this time, he has shepherded countless CPC articles through Town Meeting. He has earned many times over the respect of Town Meeting for his institutional knowledge of the Community Preservation Act and for his professionalism in presenting funding requests.
Our CPC projects are the envy of any town: the Plymouth Center for the Arts, the Spire center, Town Hall, Hedges Pond Recreation Area, the rail trail from North Plymouth to Nelson Park, Stephens Field, affordable housing on State Road in Manomet, homes built or renovated by partnering with Habitat for Humanity, and the handicapped accessible units at the Oak Street School.
For the successful Center Hill Preserve project, not only did the CPC negotiate the agreement with the Diabetes Foundation, but the CPC also wrote the grants which resulted in over $3 million in state and federal money to help fund the acquisition.
Bill is a lifelong resident of Plymouth. He has the connections and skills to work with residents on their land contributions to conservation. This often takes years of careful follow-up, negotiation and nurturing of intent. He has worked tirelessly with Wildlands
Trust. Few people in Plymouth are as adept at land preservation as Bill. Hundreds of acres of land have been preserved. With a property tax surcharge of only 1.5 percent, Bill has made hiking and recreation a gift in perpetuity to Plymouth residents.
Who else but Bill Keohan has the skills, the knowledge, and the determination to lead such projects? Bill was there at the start to bring the Community Preservation Act into Plymouth some 22 years ago. His diligence and outstanding work as chairman have been amazing to witness. We have all benefited so much by having Bill’s leadership at the CPC.
Please re-appoint Bill Keohan to the Community Preservation Committee.
– Pat Adelmann, Bill Abbott, and Birgitta Kuehn, on behalf of the following people:
Richard Serkey, Jack Adelmann, Deb Iaquinto, Mary LeSueur, Harvey LeSueur, Karen Petracca, Geri Williams, Don Williams, Deborah Etzel, Virginia Davis, Art Desloges, Martha Vautrain, Charlie Vautrain, Charlotte Russel, Ed Russell, Joan Bartlett, Peter Neville, Nancy Pincelli, Christine Sampson, Dayla Sampson, Rudy Sampson, Elizabeth Nahill, Robert Nahill, Tess Brennan, Katie Kearney, Dan Enos, Sandra Enos, Kevin Enos, Mark Withington, Kathleen Dunn, Gordon Dunn, Ashley Carlucci, James Carlucci, Pat Vacchi, Randy Vacchi, Martha Sheldon, Brian Harrington, Diane Peck, David Peck, Connie Melahoures, Russell Shirley, Shark Heller, Robert Hollis, Daniel Bell, Kathleen Leslie, Jan Rushforth, David Malaguti, and Bob Cotti