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Braintree council accepts deed in lieu for Elmwood Park parcel; treasurer flags contamination and grant plan
Summary
The council unanimously approved accepting a deed in lieu of foreclosure for Parcel 3020‑0‑83B (Elmwood Park), a property with an assessed value listed in the resolution as $198,600 and outstanding taxes/interest of $212,324; the treasurer‑collector recommended town ownership to permit a site assessment and pursue brownfield remediation grants.
The Town of Braintree Council unanimously approved a resolution on July 7 accepting a deed in lieu of foreclosure for parcel 3020‑0‑83B, known as part of Elmwood Park, after the treasurer‑collector outlined the property’s long history, tax arrears and likely contamination.
The treasurer‑collector recounted the property’s chain: Argonaut Corporation (Edward "Ned" Dwyer) operated a filling station and repair shop on three parcels beginning in 1986, failed to pay real estate taxes, and the town foreclosed on two of the parcels in 2002. A third parcel (referred to as 83B in the record) remained privately held and was the subject of a lien placed in 2015. The treasurer‑collector said outstanding taxes, interest and costs total $212,324 as of May 17, 2026, while the resolution attached to the order lists the assessed value as $198,600.
The treasurer‑collector warned the council that the site contains dilapidated buildings and underground storage tanks likely containing petroleum; prior state (DEP) site assessment in 2006 indicated probable contamination. He said the town already owns two of the three parcels and that taking the third parcel by deed in lieu would give the town control of the combined half‑acre, allow it to apply for federal brownfield grants for a site assessment and, if funded, remediation. He said the receivable on the books the town would be wiping away is roughly $66,000 in committed taxes (with additional interest and costs producing the $212,324 figure).
Councilor Quilty and the treasurer‑collector noted concerns about building decay and public safety; a member of the public asked how liability for cleanup would be handled. The treasurer‑collector emphasized the town already owned contaminated portions of the site and that grants could fund the site assessment and remediation without out‑of‑pocket town expense.
Why it matters: acquiring the remaining parcel will allow the town to pursue site assessment and remediation grants and reduce the town’s regulatory and public‑safety exposure associated with a decaying, potentially contaminated commercial site in a residential area.
What’s next: the council authorized execution of the deed and resolution; the treasurer‑collector plans to apply for brownfield grants to perform a site assessment and, if available, remediation funding.
