Committee hears bills on Blue Hills trust transparency, law-enforcement memorial markers and park namings

Senators and representatives asked the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources to move favorably on a cluster of bills concerning the Blue Hills Reservation Trust Fund, memorial markers for law-enforcement officers and official park namings.

Senator Duskel and others described a bill (S574 / companion language) that would clarify that revenues from on-site activities such as film and television production and certain tower leases be returned to and spent for Blue Hills preservation. Duskel said the trust fund is nearly 20 years old and that the statutory language should ensure retained revenue benefits the reservation.

Separately, Senator Duskel and Representative Wells spoke in support of bills to place memorial markers at the locations where several law-enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty near the Blue Hills and to erect local monuments in the towns of Milton and Canton. Representative Wells introduced retired and current troopers and described the project as a way to honor the service and sacrifice of officers killed between 1909 and 1984.

Senator Hals asked the committee to consider bills to officially name Farragut Park in South Boston (and athletic fields within it) after Admiral David G. Farragut and to add markers recognizing long-serving local coaches. He noted the historical and civic reasons for the namings and said draft language to require a maintained marker had been submitted in writing.

Supporters asked the committee to amend language to ensure trust-fund revenues are traceable and used on Blue Hills projects. Committee chairs invited written revisions and submissions and did not take votes during the hearing.