Over the Fence Post – Letters to the Editor
Gun “Manufacturing” in Stow?
A Planning Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug 15 at 7:00 pm. On the agenda is discussion of the Gleasondale Mill proposal to lease spaces to 10 gun “manufacturing” companies that have left Littleton and that are required to have a physical space and mailing address. (There are four full-length articles in Boston Globe archives since Sept 2022 on the concentration of 83 gun dealers and issues in a single Littleton mill.)
It is understood that the proposal in Gleasondale is for small ~150 sq ft offices, but not known is how they will be used: computers for online sales, on-site sales, weapons parts storage…? It is apparently typical to exploit Mass gun law loopholes by having different dealers sell different parts of assault weapons so a user can assemble them (making the buyer the felon–not the dealer). This issue is of concern to many Stow residents who are urged to attend the Planning Board meeting which typically has a public input period. The link will become available a few days before the meeting from the Stow Town website / Town Directory / Planning Department / Agendas.
David Gray, Stow
Gleasondale Mill Planning Board Meeting
We should all take note of an important issue concerning Gleasondale Village on the Planning Board agenda for Tuesday August 15, beginning at 7:00 PM. The topic of discussion is a proposed gun “manufacturing” area at the mill. I understand this will consist of ten 150 sq ft windowless “offices” to be rented in the Gleasondale Mill and which will be devoted to selling un-assembled gun parts. At least some of these companies may be relocating from Littleton, from a facility with a recent history which, with even a small amount of research, may cause some to be alarmed. Facts should become more clear at this meeting, but this is an important issue of which we need to be aware.
In 2014 I had the pleasure to participate with many community members in a multi week conference led by the University of Massachusetts in Amherst on the economic and physical rejuvenation of the mill village, one of the best preserved in the state. This thoughtful study ended with a lot of optimism and some ideas which have already been carried forward, like the vest pocket park. This thoughtful study did not foresee a usage of the historic mill which may alter the nature of this pleasant and historic village. Please consider attending this planning board meeting by Zoom to participate in the discussion.
Karen Gray, Stow
