By Katie Farrell
AMESBURY — Gov. Deval Patrick was ready to be questioned.
Standing before a crowd of hundreds in Amesbury's Upper Millyard amphitheater last night, Patrick even figured out what was on some of the speakers' minds before they raised their points.
"I'm not here to make a speech. I'm really here to listen to you," Patrick told the audience, a mix of families with young kids, senior citizens, the mayors of Newburyport and Haverhill, half of Newburyport's City Council, and officials from neighboring communities.
Patrick began by telling the audience just why he wanted to go on a summer "town hall-style" tour of communities.
"I need an unfiltered relationship," he said, with constituents, not just one through the media.
"You need to hear directly from me," he said.
And the people in the audience, roughly 300 to 400 people, were ready to share their own thoughts and concerns.
Those questions ranged from why Patrick didn't allow a vote on same-sex marriage to go before the public to his view on whether there should be a new commission formed to investigate the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Local issues were raised as well — how Amesbury can partner with the state to fund its Lower Millyard project and how the state can provide relief to the neighbors of Newburyport's Crow Lane landfill.
"We need you to strengthen your Department of Environmental Protection," said Ron Klodenski of Newburyport, who has spearheaded a neighborhood crusade to end the noxious odors that come from the landfill. The site has been designated as a "21E" site — a location with hazardous materials — which means that the city has to pour money into lawsuits rather than funding schools and roads, Klodenski said.
"Can DEP rescind that designation?" he asked.
Patrick told the group from Newburyport — which also talked about the impact the landfill has on the health of neighbors — that discussions are happening.
"I am talking to DEP," he said. "You want it to be closed properly. That's the issue. It needs to be closed properly."
Everyone is at the table now, Patrick said, including the state, the city and New Ventures, the owner of the landfill.
"Everyone, including DEP, wants the right outcome," he said.
"I will talk to Mass. DEP about it myself, OK?" he added, drawing applause.
Matt Sherrill, the president of the Amesbury Chamber of Commerce, asked Patrick how the town can partner with the state to get needed funding to develop its Lower Millyard site — a plan that includes moving the Department of Public Works garage and finishing the Riverwalk pedestrian trail.
Patrick said he wants to help, but where the project falls on the state's priority list he couldn't say right then.
"I'm interested in the project," Patrick said. "Money's tight right now. That's the truth."
Patrick said he's aware of the impact the Upper Millyard project had in rejuvenating downtown and knows Amesbury wants to extend that impact with the Lower Millyard.
"We'll figure it out," he said.
One option, he said, might be to introduce partners to Amesbury who can help fund such a project — something that has already happened in Newburyport.
"We'll sort it out with you," Patrick said.
Diane Legg of Amesbury, a lung cancer survivor and 42-year-old mother of three boys, asked the governor to provide more funding to a program to educate the public about lung cancer awareness and prevention.
"It's the least funded of all the cancers," she said.
Some 5,000 people in Massachusetts are diagnosed with lung cancer a year, Legg said, adding that it's known as a "silent epidemic among women."
"This disease does not discriminate," she said.
Patrick said he will raise the issue with the Department of Public Health in order to get an educational and awareness program in place that the state needs.
With a microphone in hand at the center of crowd, Patrick seemed at ease as he engaged questioners. He frequently injected humor into his responses.
Todd Schell, 46, of Amesbury, said he believes Patrick is sincere and well-spoken, listening even when he disagreed on the viewpoint being expressed.
"He gave everyone an ear," Schell said. "I thought he did a very good job listening."
Earlier in the day, Patrick stopped by for a visit to the Boys and Girls Club in Salisbury. Patrick chatted with the summer campers, shook hands, signed autographs and answered questions. The topics ranged from what is his favorite food to what is the hardest part of his job.
Taylor Paquette, 12, of Salisbury lobbed one at him: If Barack Obama is elected president, would Patrick go work in his administration?
His answer? No.
"I hope he wins, but I like the job that I have," Patrick said.
Staff and campers alike agreed — meeting the governor was an exciting moment.
"I started to shake," said employee Brittany Caldwell, 19. Caldwell came in on her day off just for the occasion.
Showing the photo of her standing with the governor on her digital camera, she added, "Look at how red I got."
She planned to send the image to her civics and government teacher from high school.
