November 18, 2008 - Today, Plymouth Rock Studios announced an important partnership with MIT to create the Center For Future Storytelling to be located at the Studio campus in Plymouth. This is the Studios' first National announcement with a full article reported in The New York Times. "It is my distinct pleasure to be the first to tell you that it is official," David Kirkpatrick said. "At the MIT Center for Storytelling, we will be working on creations as vast as the camera of the future, sets without walls and new systems to streamline computer generated imagery." I'm sure we'll be hearing lots more about this exciting initiative in the future.
Another important step was taken this week towards the Studio receiving its final approvals. The Studio filed an application on Monday with the State that puts the environmental permitting process in motion. An Expanded Environmental Notification Form was filed with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) office of the Executive Of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Exciting times in Plymouth! Can't you feel it?!!!
(source: WickedLocalPlymouth.com)
Last Wednesday night (Nov 12th), I had the opportunity to attend the Jobs On The Lot program presented by Plymouth Rock Studios to well over 1,000 attendees at Memorial Hall. The evening was filled with lots of information from various presenters including studio co-founder David Kirkpatrick. Various types of jobs that are needed to be filled at the studio complex were outlined and estimated salary ranges for each category were also presented. Most every job discussed had a weekly salary range projected at over $1,000 per week. Can you imagine how wonderful it will be to have so many well paying jobs available for people in Plymouth and surrounding towns? The speakers also included Scott Gustafson who outlined some of the jobs associated with the construction of this massive project. The evening closed with an uplifting and motivational summary by Studio Executive Thom Black. All in all, it was a night of excitement, hope, and a few dreams for the future of Plymouth.
October 29, 2008 - Okay - so I'm not the first one to use this phrase. I like it!! I had the pleasure of attending Plymouth's Fall Town Meeting on Monday October 27th as a spectator. After 6 years of being an elected Town Meeting member and 5 years as Chairman of Precinct 5, it was fun to watch the meeting as a resident. This was a meeting I knew I wouldn't want to watch from home. It was terrific to see the overwhelming support that Plymouth Rock Studios received from Town Meeting Representatives. When I was first elected back in 2002, I learned quickly that with the ability to make ammendments to Town Meeting Articles, anything can happen right up until the last minute before a vote is taken. This meeting was no exception. The ammendment to remove the Special Permit process for traffic and access passed with somewhat surprising ease. I must say I was as surprised as David Kirkpatrick and others were that Town Meeting decided it had heard enough discussion in the preceding weeks and months leading up to Monday night and was ready to vote after only a handful of presenters. It was absolutely a moment to remember when the final vote on Article 7 was taken and Memorial Hall erupted into a mix of cheers, applause, screams, and whistles.
Now, we look forward to hearing that the remaining hearings, public meetings, site plan reviews, permits etc. still to be completed by the Town and the State of MA proceed swiftly and without serious objections or road blocks. Plymouth will be nothing but better once this project is completed and thriving for years to come.
Good Luck PRS!!
October 21, 2008 - Let's recap. Over the past few weeks, the Planning Board, Selectmen, and Finance Committee have voted positively to support the Articles due to come before Town Meeting for the Plymouth Rock Studios project related to changing the zoning bylaw to allow this type of use on the land currently used as the Waverly Oaks Golf Club. These votes were taken with the understanding that issues related to traffic and access to the site would be further deliberated through the public Special Permit process. In the recent days leading up to Town Meeting, there have been some very serious discussions taking place both privately and publicly that have many people concerned as to the ability for some members of elected Boards to proceed with the previously mentioned course of action in a trusting manner. One thing is as clear to me today as it has been for months, and that is, that Plymouth Rock Studios cannot allow their project to be delayed for months or years. How we as a town manage to get over the hurdles that a small group continue to try and throw in front of this project begins with Town Meeting on October 27th. As a past 2 term Town Meeting member and Past Chairman of my Precinct, I can say that anything can happen at Town Meeting. It is imperative that the residents and voters of our town continue to watch this project very closely and not be afraid to contact Town Meeting members, Selectmen, Planning Board, Finance Committee and others to voice your concerns and opinions on this once in a lifetime project. Recent Federal, State, and Local economic changes highlight that now more than ever, Plymouth and the State of Massachusetts need this project. Stay involved!!
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