Historic Time Line (starting April 2007) - Part 1

This timeline is not going to be perfect.  It is based on actual events that occurred and is as accurate as possible.  If there are any inaccuracies, please send a courteous email to the Editor.

April 27, 2007 - Auction of the Town of Middleborough Land on Precinct Street

Through an act of the then Board of Selectmen, about 130 acres of land (in three parcels), originally taken by the town due to failure to pay taxes, located on Precinct Street and under the direction of the Board of Selectmen,  was auctioned off by the Town Manager - Jack Healey.  There were two bidders for the land and high bids totally some $1,765,000 was submitted by an attorney on behalf of his client.  The high bidder has 45 days to complete the transaction.

May 6, 2007 - CasinoFacts.org registered

CasinoFacts.org website is registered

May 10, 2007 - Informational Meeting on the Auditorium Stage with Jon Witten

With the land sold to a Detroit developer with ties to the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, an informational meeting was held on the auditorium stage at the Middleborough Town Hall.  Walking through the color of the annual Middleborough schools art show, people did not seem happy.

Jon Witten, a local attorney who is an is an adjunct professor at the Boston College Law School where he teaches land use planning law and American Indian Law, presented the processes by which the tribe can pursue to apply for land into trust, initial reservation and the different categories of Indian gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (IGRA).

May 14, 2007 - Board of Selectman meet - First motion of Referendum Question

Selectman Adam Bond made a motion which was amended and unanimously voted to include a referendum question of "Do you support a casino in Middleborough" , to be done as soon as possible and that all expenses for the election to be paid for out of the proceeds of the Precinct Street property sale.  Then the source of funding was removed due to legal reasons.

May 21, 2007 - Middleborough Gambling Casino Study Committee

In an act under Article 1 of the 2007 Annual Town Meeting held May 21, 2007, there was a motioned to:

"establish a committee of seven residents of the Town, appointed by the Moderator, to formulate a recommendation to be presented at the next Special Town Meeting, and voted upon at that time, regarding whether or not the Town should allow the establishment of a Gambling Casino within its borders, and to prepare draft petitions for the Governor of the Commonwealth, the Town's Legislator's at General Court, and the Federal Secretary of the Interior asking them to take action consistent with that recommendation. The committee shall consider and investigate the financial, cultural, and physical effects of such a Gambling Casino on the Town with respect to its Zoning, Master Plan, basic infrastructure, utilities, traffic, and long term character of the community by meeting with residents, town officials, legislators, developers, and informed individuals from towns that presently host gambling casinos in neighboring states, and any other resource they deem necessary. Members shall serve until the presentation of the Committee's recommendations to a Special Town Meeting. Vacancies occurring on the Committee shall be filled by the Moderator"

The motion carried and the committee was created.  The  Committee website includes meeting minutes and documents which can be found at www.casinocommittee.com. 

The Committee held its first meeting on June 7, 2007 and proceeded hold eight public meeting as a committee.  Each member was assigned an area to research and study.  Members of the committee visited the local resort casinos in Connecticut.  Interviews with local town officials near the Connecticut resort casinos  and other areas were conducted.  Each week, the committee discussed its previous weeks findings and welcomed the comments of the public and an Impacts and Mitigation report was written.  That report can be found here.

The Committee delivered its report to the Special Town Meeting held on July 28, 2007 and was discharged from its duties.

May 22, 2007 - Informational Meeting at the Nichols School

The Town of Middleborough meets Chairman Glenn Marshall of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe for the first time.  Without notes, Chairman Marshall talks about the process his Tribe has gone through over the last 30+ years just to be recognized.  People on both sides of the casino issue begin to draw their lines.

Over 500 signatures of Middleborough citizens are presented to the Chairman from a citizen who would be a founding member of Casino-Friends.

May 23, 2007 - Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe - Official Recognition

In a formal ceremony, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe are officially recognized by the United States of America.

May 26, 2007 - Casino-Friend.com registered

www.Casino-Friend.com website is registered.

June 5, 2007 - Board of Selectmen Meeting

At a meeting of the Board of Selectmen, it was discussed that a draft agreement between the Town of Middleborough and the Wampanoag Tribe was underway.  Several people spoke against the swiftness of the agreement and that it would require more time to thoroughly investigate the impacts that it would have on the Town.

Brian Giovanoni (future chair of the Middleborough Gambling Casino Study Committee) presented a letter in writing to the Board of Selectmen which outlined 14 specific items which he believed needed to be investigated in order for the Town to take appropriate action with respect to any agreement with the Wampanoag.  These items ranged from Traffic and Social Impacts to where any revenues gained from an agreement are spent by the Town.

June 8, 2007 - First Meeting of the Casino Study Committee

The Committee held it's first meeting at the Town Hall on Nickerson Avenue.  The Town Moderator lead the discussion for the first half hour and then opened the floor for nominations for officers.  A Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary were voted and the meeting continued.

June 12, 2007 - First Agreement Released

The first agreement which was drafted was released to the public.  This was drafted between the Town of Middleborough and the Mashpee Wampanoag.  The first agreement is available here.

June 13, 2007 - People are presented the First Agreement

At a meeting at the High School, the public was afforded the limited chance to comment on the first agreement presented.  Many people spoke about different items that seemed to be missing from the agreement.  Brian Giovanoni, the newly elected chairman of the Middleborough Gambling Casino Study Committee, but acting as a citizen of the community, submitted a list of 12 items which the agreement seemed to lack.  The future president of Casino Facts spoke about social impacts that need to be investigated and how the Town seems to be moving too fast.

This meeting also saw the first appearance of Attorney Dennis Whittlesey.  Attorney Whittlesey was brought in to work with the Town on the agreement and thought that it was a good first draft, a good starting point but thought we could do better.

June 14, 2007 - Dr. Clyde Barrow from UMass comes to Middleborough

The Casino Study Committee, held it's second meeting at the Middleborough High School with a presentation from Dr. Clyde Barrow of UMass Dartmouth, Center for Policy Analysis.  Dr. Barrow presented the sparse audience with where Native American gaming has come since 1988.  How gaming has developed in New England over the last 20 years and where the trend is heading in the future.

June 19, 2007 - Selectmen Recall linked to Casino

In an article in the Boston Globe, a local resident has linked an attempt to recall three members of the Board of Selectmen for their actions with respect to potential of there being a Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Casino in Middleborough.

June 24, 2007 - Tribe Negotiates for More Land

In an article reported by the Providence Journal, the tribe begins negotiating for an additional 202 acres of land adjacent to the land which they purchased from the Town of Middleborough on Precinct Street.

June 25, 2007 - Board of Selectmen Meeting - Announcement that the Town must hold Town Meeting

It was announced that based on an opinion by Town Counsel, Daniel Murray, for the selectmen to enter into an agreement with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe the Town of Middleborough will have to hold a Town Meeting.  The Special Town Meeting is born with a date to be decided in the future.

July 4, 2007 Second Agreement leaked out

The second draft agreement between the town and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is leaked to the press as the holiday sets in.  In it there is the outline for substantial roadway and other infrastructure improvements.

July 9, 2007 Selectmen create ad-hoc Town Meeting Committee and Set Warrant for Special Town Meeting

The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to create an ad-hoc Town Meeting Committee in order to organize what was shaping up to be one of the largest Town Meetings ever held in New England.

In other discussion, the Board of Selectmen open the Special Town Meeting warrant to be held Saturday, July 28, 2007 at 11:00 AM. 

Article 1 was to hear the report of the Middleborough Gambling Casino Study Committee. 

Article 2 was to:  "

To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen on behalf of the Town to enter into an agreement with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in connection with development by the Tribe of a proposed gaming casino and related facilities in the Town in accordance with the terms and conditions of a proposed agreement presented by the Board of Selectmen to the Town Meeting or in accordance with an agreement on such terms and conditions as the Board of Selectmen may approve, which agreement may provide for payments by the Tribe to the Town in lieu of taxes, payments by the Tribe for the cost of transportation and infrastructure improvements related to the proposed casino and facilities, payments by the Tribe related to income from the gaming facilities and annual payments by the Tribe to the Town to support the Town’s municipal services, provision by the Town of certain water, sewer, gas and electric facilities and services in connection with the proposed gaming casino and facilities, provision by the Town of police, fire and emergency services, provision for creation of a Tribal Town Advisory Committee with jurisdiction over any matter within the scope of the agreement, and/or agreement by the Town to support the proposed gaming casino and facilities in connection with approvals by state and federal agencies, or act anything thereon.”

Article 3 was by petition "To see if the Town approves of the creation of a Gambling Casino Resort Complex within the Corporate Boundaries of the Town, or act anything thereon"

July 11, 2007 Chairman Marshall  addresses the Cranberry Country Chamber of Commerce

Chairman Marshall met with 100 local business leaders in Lakeville to present what he envisions the resort casino to be in Middleborough.  He outlined a hotel and casino, golf course and possible water park.

July 17, 2007 Negotiations

In an undisclosed location in Boston, face to face negotiations between the Town of Middleborough and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe begin.  The Town represented by, Attorneys Jon Witten, Dennis Whittlesey, Selectman Adam Bond and Town Planner Ruth Geoffroy, negotiate a deal which will take the better part of a week to finalize.

July 20, 2007 Negotiations End and a Deal is Reached

After a week of intense negotiating, a deal is reached and the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Town of Middleborough and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is drawn up.  It will require ratification by both the Tribal Council of the Wampanoag and the Middleborough Special Town Meeting.

July 23, 2007 Final Meeting of the Casino Study Committee

The final meeting of the Casino Study Committee was held at the Town Hall.  It was voted at that time that the Committee would recommend that the Town enter into the Intergovernmental Agreement as presented with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.

It was also voted at the meeting for Chairman Brian Giovanoni to present a report under Article 1 at the Special Town Meeting on July 28, 2007.

July 23, 2007 Board of Selectmen Meeting

The Board of Selectmen held an information meeting at the High School to present the Intergovernmental Agreement section by section to the public.  After the presentation of the IGA, Selectman Bond made an individual presentation as to why the Town should vote to approve the IGA.

Casino Study Committee Chairman Brian Giovanoni made a statement to the public that they had just completed their meeting and that the Committee unanimously voted and recommend that the Town enter into the Agreement with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.

July 25, 2007 Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council votes to approve IGA

During their weekly meeting in Mashpee, the Tribal Council votes to accept the terms of the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Tribe and the Town of Middleborough.

July 28, 2007 Special Town Meeting

If not for planning of the Ad-Hoc Town Meeting Committee and hundreds of volunteers, the Special Town Meeting would not have been held.  Every security issue had been check and double checked and safety personnel from all over Massachusetts were on hand.  The Secretary of State sent a representative to the Town Meeting in order to be sure that everything was done properly.

6:00 AM - Volunteers arrive and begin the daunting task of parking, directing, checking in and providing information to the voters who chose to attend.

8:00 AM - Doors open for people to begin checking in On one of the hottest days of the Summer of 2007, nearly 3,800 registered voters assembled on the ball fields behind the High School for the what was recorded as the Open Town Meeting held.   

11:00 AM - with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner.  The meeting was opened by the Town Moderator.

Article 1 was the report of the Middleborough Gambling Casino Study Committee.  Chairman Giovanoni delivered a prepared report to the people.  After some debate, the report was accepted by the Town and placed on the shelf.

Article 2 was the Intergovernmental Agreement was debated and voted on by Australian Ballot.  As people voted, they began to head for the buses and home to their loved ones.

Article 3 was the petition article which was a nonbinding opinion question.  A voice vote was taken and Article 3 was voted down.

With only a fraction of the remaining Article 2 voters on hand, the results of Article 2 was provided to the people.  The tally of the Article 2 ballot was 2,387 for and 1,335 against, granting the Board of Selectmen the authority to enter into the agreement and act thereon.

The agreements were presented immediately where signatures of the Board of Selectmen and Chairman Marshall were gathered.  Hands were shook and photos taken.

A copy of the Agreement can be found here.