Negotiations with Dana-Farber on Constructing Cancer Treatment Facility Continue

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In a remote meeting earlier this week on Monday, July 12, 2021, Westwood’s Select Board unanimously voted to authorize the Town’s special counsel and staff to negotiate a community services agreement with Dana Farber Cancer Institute (Dana-Farber). 

According to special counsel for the town, Mr. Daniel Bailey, when University Station was developed, the developer agreed not to sell any part of the property to a non-profit unless the non-profit entered a community services agreement with the Town of Westwood. Because cities and towns like Westwood cannot collect tax payments from tax-exempt non-profits, they sometimes request that non-profits enter into a payment in lieu of taxes, which in this area is sometimes referred to as a community services agreement.

Mr. Bailey began his presentation by answering two questions that Select Board had earlier posed to him in its June 21, 2021 meeting: (1) How does revenue from Dana-Farber’s proposed project compare to revenue from Brigham and Women’s Health Care Center (which is also located at University Station) and (2) Whether the Dana-Farber community services agreement would be more economically favorable to the town compared to the similar agreement that the Town executed with Brigham and Women’s Health Care Center? His answer in brief, was "yes."

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Mr. Bailey noted that the Year 1 payment agreed to by Brigham and Women’s Health Care Center in its community services agreement amounted to $32,500 with a 2.5 percent increase per year of the contract term, or 25 percent of the assessed value.  In contrast, the one year revenue from the Dana-Farber facility would be slightly over $600,000, followed by 25 percent of the assessed value during construction of the facility. He also noted that Dana-Farber would agree to hold the property as a non-exempt entity until construction starts, paying ordinary real estate taxes of around $83,000 a year. During construction, Mr. Bailey says that Dana-Farber would pay 25 percent of the assessed taxes. Brigham and Women's Health Care Center paid no taxes during construction.

In answer to Select Board Chair Michael Walsh’s question of “How long are we even looking at before they even put a shovel in the ground?” Mr. Bailey answered, “Two years.”

The proposal under discussion would mean that Dana-Farber will provide the most revenue per square foot compared to any other use of University Station, stated Mr. Bailey.  He included in his comparison the revenue generated for the town from mixed retail space restaurants, Lifetime Fitness, hotels, and offices.

Select Board Member Robert Gotti expressed his appreciation to Dana-Farber for the work that it does, noting that 6 weeks ago, his family lost a sister-in-law to stage 4 colon cancer. He stated his full support for negotiating with Dana-Farber but expressed a desire for a more clearly defined revenue plan and an agreement with a longer term.

Select Board Clerk John Hickey echoed Mr. Gotti in his appreciation for Dana-Farber’s proposal and also stated being in favor of continuing negotiations. He also expressed his long-term hope that the project will go forward.

Mr. Michael Walsh noted that much work remains to be done on negotiating the agreement, including some additional issues which he declined to elaborate on but which he will bring to the Special Counsel's attention.  He expressed a desire to hear from the Dedham-Westwood Water District, appearing to allude to the issue of whether the location of the proposed proton therapy facility, near a water source, may be a health or safety concern to Dedham and/or Westwood residents.

Mr. Walsh inquired of the Town Administrator about the status of a meeting with the water district. Mr. Christopher Coleman noted that a meeting date has not yet been set but would soon be forthcoming.

With these last remarks, Mr. Hickey made a motion that the town’s special counsel and staff be authorized to negotiate the community services agreement with Dana Farber, taking into consideration the term of the agreement and Dedham-Westwood Water District's consideration and approval. All three Select Board members gave their “ayes” and approved the motion.

Mr. Walsh emphasized that the Select Board's action is simply for continued exploration of what could be obtained in a community services agreement with Dana-Farber and is not a final approval. "It is not a done deal. This is just for further investigation," he said.

Since at least the beginning of June this year, the Select Board has been discussing with Dana-Farber the possibility of constructing a cutting edge proton therapy facility for treating cancer on the last, or one of the last, remaining unused parcels of University Station. Also known as proton beam radiotherapy or proton radiotherapy, there are only 37 such treatment centers in the United States. Building such a facility in Westwood’s University Station could make the town a destination for medical treatment for residents both within and outside of Massachusetts.

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