ShrewsBuried

Share The Warmth

2009-11-24T09:03:00.001-05:00

To the Editor:--

SELCO is asking you to “Share the Warmth” with your neighbors who are having difficulty affording electricity this winter. Each year SELCO asks the community to support Share the Warmth, a program that assists Shrewsbury residents with www.SELCOEZpay.com funding to maintain electric service for heat, light and hot water through the cold winter months. Each year the community responds kindly.

Fixed incomes, unemployment, illness and other economic problems make it difficult for some Shrewsbury families and senior citizens to afford even life’s basic needs.

100% of funds donated to Share the Warmth go directly to assist struggling Shrewsbury families and seniors. Due to tough economic times, we need your donation now more than ever!

Please give generously using the envelope included in November’s SELCO bill, or click the “Donate to Share the Warmth” icon on the www.SELCOEZpay.com website.

If you are in need of assistance this year, Share the Warmth applications are available at Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services, St. Anne's Community Services, the First Congregational Church, St. Mary's Church, and at the Shrewsbury Council on Aging Senior Center. All Share the Warmth applications must be received at the SELCO office by March 1. SELCO does not process applications directly.

--Jackie Pratt

Zoning: What You Don’t Know Might Just Make You Sick

2009-11-23T17:23:00.003-05:00

ZONING BYLAWSThe Polito Development lot at 263 Cherry Street and 609 Hartford Pike (Route 20) is zoned light industrial. The town of Shrewsbury’s by-laws state what is included and what is excluded for the Route 20 Overlay district (which appears to run from Flint Pond to the eastern border of Shrewsbury).

Looking through the Use Regulations (see town by-laws sections below) the common person would not think that a Medical Waste facility would be allowed. I will also venture to say that if one of the businesses that are on the list were to be proposed for this site you would not see the negative out pouring that you are seeing in reaction to a Medical Waste Facility. A Special Permit is being considered for a Medical Waste Facility on this lot.

As a town meeting member, who after reviewing the allowed businesses, I voted in favor of the Route 20 Overlay district, I did not foresee that one day the Planning Board would be considering a special permit for a Medical Waste Facility on this site or any other site within the overlay. I wonder if other town meeting members understood that a Medical Waste Facility was a potential.

Our town by-laws also outline the criteria for granting a special permit: Will NOT: “create a nuisance by virtue of noise, odor, smoke, vibration, traffic generated, unsightliness or other conditions detrimental to the public good.”

I don’t think a lot of people will disagree that trucks entering and leaving from 4:30 AM to 11:00 PM 1000 feet from people’s homes will create noise. Medical waste is known to produce very bad odors. Everyone I know that is involved in the medical field say that this waste has a great deal of odor. Adding this type of facility to the town is detrimental to the entire town because of the reputation of being the MA medical waste capital will not help our home values. Adding this waste processing facility to this section of town on top of the landfill is environmentally and economically abusive to the people who live in this area. The Planning Board must not grant this special permit.

If they do, I suggest that everyone look very closely at the zoning throughout the town and began the process to add to the list of things not to be allowed. I know first on my list will waste processing facilities and other types of business that can containment the areas where we live and raise our families. This is not anti-business, this is common sense.

Town By-laws -

N. ROUTE 20 OVERLAY DISTRICT (adopted 10/11/05)

1. Purposes and Intent

The purposes of the Route 20 Overlay District are to:

a. Encourage development that provides economic and fiscal benefits to the Town;

b. Provide flexibility to develop an organized mix of office, retail, and compatible light industrial and other uses in a manner that is aesthetically pleasing from the vantage points of Route 20, adjacent uses and surrounding neighborhoods;

c. Promote distinctive, non-formulaic architecture and site designs along Route 20;

d. Prevent big-box development and its associated impacts;101

e. Facilitate shared access and appropriate links to adjoining properties, thereby reducing the need for curb cuts and improving traffic safety on Route 20; and

f. Encourage landscape designs and landscape treatments that create a parkway effect and functionally contribute to traffic calming along Route 20.

3. Use Regulations

a. The following uses are permitted in the Route 20 Overlay District, provided they comply with Section N(7):

1) Business or professional office.

2) Banks.

3) Banking machines, where public access is only available from within a building and is operated in connection with other uses in the same building.

4) Retail store or service establishment, up to 15,000 square feet of gross floor area.

5) Restaurant or other place for serving food within the structure, excluding drive-through service.

6) Charitable institutions, and non-profit research laboratories and accessory uses thereto.

7) Accessory uses customarily incidental to a permitted use.

b. Uses and Structures Allowed by Special Permit:

The Planning Board may grant a Special Permit for the following uses in accordance with Section N(6).

1) Large retail development (any retail establishment exceeding 15,000 square feet of gross floor area), subject to Section N(9).

2) Cinema or Theatre.

3) Gasoline Service Stations, or Gasoline Service Stations with Related Uses, located not more than 500 feet from a signalized intersection; subject to Table 1, footnote 9.102

4) Auditoriums, athletic facilities, health clubs, and other places of amusement or public assembly where activities take place inside the building.

5) Medical clinic or veterinary clinic.

6) Assisted living residence.

7) Campus-style office or light industrial development, excluding warehouse except as an accessory use.

8) Manufacturing and accessory retail.

9) Drive-through food service establishment.

10) Accessory uses customarily incidental to a Special Permitted use.

c. Prohibited Uses:

The following uses are prohibited in the Route 20 Overlay District and any underlying districts, notwithstanding the provisions of Section VI Table I of this Bylaw:

1) Adult bookstore, adult motion picture theater, adult paraphernalia store, adult video store, or establishment which displays live nudity for its patrons.

2) Any use which will produce a nuisance or hazard from fire or explosion, toxic or corrosive fumes, gas, smoke, odors, obnoxious dust or vapor, harmful radioactivity, offensive noise or vibration, flashes, objectionable effluent or electrical interference which may affect or impair the normal use and peaceful enjoyment of any property, structure or dwelling in the Town.

3) Any use not explicitly provided for in this Bylaw.

d. Use variances shall not be granted in the Route 20 Overlay District.

SECTION IX - BOARD OF APPEALS AND SPECIAL PERMIT GRANTING AUTHORITY

E. Conditions for Approval: The Board of Appeals/Special Permit Granting Authority may grant upon appeal or petition a Special Permit for those uses as specified in this Bylaw upon satisfaction that said use is appropriate and that it will not create a nuisance by virtue of noise, odor, smoke, vibration, traffic generated, unsightliness or other conditions detrimental to the public good.

Passed Over

2009-11-23T10:38:00.004-05:00

GOP tycoon Charlie Baker has passed over our own Karyn Polito to run with him on the 2010 gubernatorial ticket. Instead, Baker choose long-time State Senator and newly out-of-the-closet Ricard Tisei of Wakefield.

This means that Polito is likely to dominate the Shrewsbury/Westboro representative district for years to come. It comes as a relief to the local Republicans who had nobody with her "star" power to fill her shoes (sorry for the mixed metaphor). She can still choose to challenge Tisei at the GOP convention and primaries, but Baker is the front-runner and his hand-picked partner will inherit his advantage. And his money.

The $64,000 Question

2009-11-20T07:20:00.008-05:00

The Planning Board hearing room last night was overflowing with people, largely abutters & neighbors, who asked the Planning Board to "just say no" to the Special Permit requested by Daniels Sharpsmart, to build a medical waste processing facility at Rte. 20 and Cherry St. The meeting, contentious at times, lasted 4 hours and has been continued until Thursday, December 3.

Two parcels of land, located at 609 Hartford Turnpike and 263 Cherry St., owned by Polito Development Corp., have been slated for an industrial park consisting of up to 8 buildings. This land is currently zoned "Limited Industrial", but is very close to a number of residential neighborhoods, off Cherry Street. Daniels Sharpsmart is the first business that landowner Fran Polito has deemed "a high-quality, good fit with our community" for this industrial location.

Daniels Sharpsmart hopes to build a highly-automated facility which would wash and sanitize reusable "sharps" containers AND process an array of regulated medical waste, using high-temperature and high-pressure autoclaving. The medical waste would be transported daily to Shrewsbury from throughout Massachusetts; the operation would typically operate 24 hours/day, 5 days/week. Following processing, most of the solid waste would leave Daniels for a landfill (TBD) in the region. The remaining solid waste, which by regulation cannot go to landfill, would be transported to Maryland to an authorized incinerator.

If this special permit is approved, what does Shrewsbury get? A series of revenue streams (property tax, permit fees, electric, water & sewer receipts) projected to reach $64,000 per year. The property tax portion is approximately $11,600 per year. The one-time building permit fees are estimated at $7,000. On-going charges are projected for electricity ($22,000), water ($10,360) and sewer ($13,600) each year.

When concerns were raised by neighbors about this water-intensive business, the meeting attendees were assured by the Town Manager that Shrewsbury has the capacity to supply Daniels with the required 3,000,000 gallons per year. The Daniels representative noted they are working with their autoclaving vendor, Bondtech, to develop a new version of the equipment which would use 50% of the amount of water. If this is put into operation, the water & sewer revenues projected annually would be cut in half.

The only portion of the projected revenue stream which would truly help close Shrewsbury's budget gap on a going-forward basis, is the $11,600 in property tax. The questions asked last night by Cherry St. residents and their neighbors focused on concerns about the impact to Shrewsbury's water and wastewater system, traffic, noise and potential risks in the 12-15 truckloads (60,000 pounds) of medical waste arriving at Daniels each day.

Leaf Bag Crisis

2009-11-12T11:23:00.000-05:00

To the Editor:—

I have tried to buy leaf bags at Price Chopper, Stop and Shop and at Home Depot with my son this week, and to no avail they are all out of them. As I drive around town and in my own neighborhood, I am seeing many lawns with leaves still left on them. I am wondering if other neighborhoods are having the same problems due to the leaf bag shortage. If the leaves are left on lawns and in the street, it will become a big road hazard during the rain and sleet this winter.

I asked my friend of mine who lives in Worcester about their leaf bag policy. Worcester allows the residents to dump the leaves along the curb for their special trucks to pick them up during the season. I am wondering if Shrewsbury had these trucks picking up leaves would it be a savings to property owners or not. However, in fairness to Worcester, residents do have to bring their leaf bags to the landfill if they miss the deadline for putting their leaves along the curb during the pick-up season.

What do residents think of having special trucks picking up the leaves during the season as opposed to having to buy bags and put them out instead?

Robbin Miller

Medical Waste Facility in Shrewsbury?

2009-11-11T09:43:00.007-05:00

November 19 @ 7 PM there will be a public hearing at town hall in meeting room B to discuss a special permit for Daniels Sharpsmart, Inc. to construct a solid waste facility at 263 Cherry Street and 609 Hartford Pike.

Access Daniels Sharpsmart's website by clicking here

Hours of operation: 24 hours, 365 days per year

Daniels Sharpsmart, Inc (DSI) will pick-up wast from generators off-site and bring it to the facility during normal business hours. What are normal business hours?

What type of medical waste will be trucked though our town? What type of health risks, if any, could this pose?

DSI will wash the waste and recover reusable sharps and pharmaceutical containers.

What exactly will be going down our drains? What affect does this washing have on water usage and the waste treatment facilities? Both water usage and the waste treatment have been big issues for Shrewsbury. Can this get into our water ssupply?

Non-reusable containers of biomedical waste will be placed in bins. The bins go through a steam sterilization process. The waste then goes into a compactor. Once the compactor is full the waste will go to an approved sanitary landfill for final disposal.

Where are the compactor's located and how long will waste be sitting in them? Is it the Shrewsbury landfill that will be the approved sanitary landfill? If so, what impact will this have on the landfill?

Any waste not able to be processed at the facility will be shipped to an approved treatment facility.

What could come to this site that could not be treated? Again, what type of waste is trucked through our town to the site and then through our town again to where?

The site will have trucks, washing equipment, boilers, compactors, and forklifts. What will the noise level be given that the operation is 24 hours a day 365 days a year?

Cleaning will be done to minimize odor. Does not say eliminate odor, so what level of odor will be left?

What size will the facility be?

What are the traffic impacts?

What impact will there be on Shrewsbury property values if the medical waste facility is approved and we have medical waste trucked though our town and in our landfill?

These are my questions, what are yours?

Please come to the public hearing on Thursday evening, November 19 at 7PM

Here is the T&G coverage 11/17 about the proposed facility

2010 SYFS Gala

2009-11-11T06:55:00.001-05:00

To the Editor:—

Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services Gala committee is pleased to announce the Annual Gala Celebration will be held Saturday, February 27, 2010 in the Salem Commons at St. Johns High School.

This evening event will mark the 6th year that a group of Shrewsbury’s leadership and citizen volunteers will come together to celebrate and support the amazing work done by Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services administration, staff members, interns and community volunteers.

The Gala has become a highly anticipated event for Shrewsburians to meet and socialize while helping to raise needed funds to support the critical programs that SYFS provides to children and families in our community.

The evening begins with a cocktail reception and includes live music, a silent auction, a gourmet dinner, presentation of the Harry S. Cutting and the Outstanding Youth of Shrewsbury Awards. There will be a live drawing for a fabulous grand prize and new this year a dessert and coffee bar after hours!

For the third year David and Kim Long are graciously co chairing the Gala. For more than 25 years, Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services, a private, non-profit community social services agency, continues to provide professional support and social services to children, parents and individuals in times of need, regardless of their ability to pay.

New volunteers to the committee are always welcome, business sponsorships and item donations are sought for the event as well.

To volunteer for the committee, offer a business sponsorship or donate an auction item contact Kelly Marcimo kpmarcimo@townisp.com. Nominations for the Youth of Shrewsbury Awards click here. For more information about Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services and/or the Gala please contact Jeff Chin, Executive Director, at 508-845-6932 jchin@townisp.com. Visit Shrewsbury Youth & Family Services website www.syfs.cfsites.org. See us on Facebook, become a fan!

How Do You Picture Shrewsbury's Future?

2009-11-05T17:57:00.006-05:00

How Do You Picture Shrewsbury’s Future?

Shaping the Future Workshop,

Tuesday, November 10 at 6:30pm Shrewsbury Public Library

During this Tools and Techniques Session, participants will explore opportunities and learn effective strategies in working with local officials to help guide development, ensuring a high quality of life for years to come.

The workshop will provide guidance for crafting and implementing effective strategies to:

· Update and implement community plans

· Identify and protect the highest priority land and water supplies

· Provide incentives for well-planned growth

· Establish and apply standards to minimize the impacts of development

Speakers and Topics:

Stephanie Elson, Mass Audubon
Communications Strategies and Scenic Roadways Bylaw

Melissa Cryan, Mass Exec. Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Updating Shrewsbury’s Master Plan

Donna Williams, Mass Audubon
Stormwater Management in the Blackstone River Watershed

Brad Stone, Shrewsbury Conservation Agent
Shrewsbury’s Efforts to Manage Stormwater and
Past Efforts to Pass a Local Wetlands Protection By-Law

Inquiries: Donna Williams 508/753-6087 or dwilliams@massaudubon.org

Flu Missed

2009-11-05T09:46:00.003-05:00

Do you know the difference among Common cold, Seasonal Flu, and the 2009 H1N1 Flu?

Here's a chart from the Lahey Clinic. Forwarded to me from Town Meeting neighbor Everett "Chick" Joseph.

SYMPTOM	COLD	SEASONAL FLU	H1N1
FEVER	Fever is rare with a cold.	Fever is common with the seasonal flu.	Fever is usually present with H1N1 in up to 80% of all flue cases. A temperature of 101°
COUGHING	A hacking, productive (mucus-producing) cough is often present with a cold.	A dry and hacking cough is often present with the seasonal flu.	A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with H1N1 (sometimes referred to as dry cough).
ACHES	Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.	Moderate body aches are common with the seasonal flu.	Severe aches and pains are common with H1N1.
STUFFY NOSE	Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.	A runny nose is commonly present with the seasonal flu.	Stuffy nose is not commonly present with H1N1.
CHILLS	Chills are uncommon with a cold.	Chills are mild to moderate with the seasonal flu.	60% of people who have H1N1 experience chills.
TIREDNESS	Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.	Tiredness is moderate and more likely referred to as a lack of energy with the seasonal flu.	Tiredness is moderate to severe with H1N1.
SNEEZING	Sneezing is commonly present with a cold	Sneezing is common present with the seasonal flu.	Sneezing is not common with H1N1.
SUDDEN SYMPTOMS	Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.	Symptoms tend to develop over a few days and include flushed face, loss of appetite, dizziness and/or vomiting/nausea. Symptoms usually last 4-7 days, depending on the individual. Diarrhea is common.	H1N1 has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. H1N1 hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains. Symptoms usually last 4-7 days, depending on the individual. Diarrhea is common.
HEADACHE	A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.	A headache is fairly common with the seasonal flu.	A headache is very common with H1N1 and present in 80% of cases.
SORE THROAT	Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.	Sore throat is commonly present with the seasonal flu.	Sore throat is not commonly present with H1N1.
CHEST DISCOMFORT	Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.	Chest discomfort is moderate with the seasonal flu. *If it turns severe seek medical attention immediately!*	Chest discomfort is often severe with H1N1.
SYMPTOM	COLD	SEASONAL FLU	H1N1

Another Special Episode

2009-11-04T09:35:00.003-05:00

Some interesting tidbits from last night's Special Town Meeting:

Nobody, and I do mean nobody, understood how articles 1-3 shifted the money around from the salt shed. Like it or not (and I was fine with it, myself), the proposal was confusing. Do we really understand how the tax levy works vis-a-vis other accounts and 9C cuts? If so, can you explain it to the rest of us?
There was a lot of practical discussion of the article to change motions to end debate.
There was an audible grumbling when I rose to ask a very simple question about Highway funding.
How can anybody think that raising the meals tax that tiny amount is so bad?
Why is raising taxes called "permanent"? That was just a scare tactic.
I, for one, don't understand the town's involvement in the Centech proposal. I support the development, but what is the town's legal interest? Don't developers spend their own money to develop their own land?
Did anybody else realize that the ever-menacing wall clock hadn't been set back to Standard Time?

I welcome your comments, too!

Shrewsbury's Fiscal Woes Continue

2009-11-01T11:43:00.007-05:00

The Board of Selectmen began their Financial Workshop for FY11 on October 26 with a sobering presentation by the Town Manager. Shrewsbury’s growth has been slowing for the past five years. This means little/no increase in excise tax, water revenues, property tax from new homes, etc.. Moreover, the State’s dire financial situation means that the State Aid on which we have made ourselves dependent has also been cut.

The Town Manager walked the Board through a series of charts showing trends, with little positive news. One thing that “saved” the town's budget last year was the very favorable negotiations with the teacher’s union. Since it was only a one-year contract, another round of negotiations will begin again soon. Federal stimulus money, which mitigated layoffs for this current fiscal year, will NOT be available again for FY11. The stimulus money, which was to be used over two years, was largely consumed in one year, thanks to decisions at the State level.

Even the Town Manager’s conservative estimates for Local Receipts in FY09 were not achieved. Shrewsbury missed its estimates for motor vehicle excise tax, for water receipts and for investment income. For the first time in anyone’s memory, this important segment of revenues showed a deficit, totaling $142,000.

There is no optimism that Shrewsbury’s revenue sources will recover for FY11, except for the legally allowed 2-1/2% increase in property taxes. Therefore, serious cost-cutting will be required and service levels WILL suffer.

The Town Manager posed five questions for the BOS to consider as the budget process continues:
1. What are those services and programs that the Board places the highest priority? Which are the lowest?
2. What is the minimal amount of staffing that the Board wishes to see in the Police and Fire Departments?
3. How will the needs of the School Department be met relative to the needs of the municipal departments?
4. Will the fees charged by the Board be increased? What are the Board’s instructions on the matter of fees in general?
5. What changes should be made in the budget development process?

In the past, the Board of Selectmen has attempted to wrestle with the critical discussion of priorities, but they are incapable of making the politically challenging decision of stopping any municipal services or closing any departments, to preserve items of higher priority. Instead, the approach used each year is to cut EVERYTHING a little and then cut a little bit more.

It’s time for the Selectmen to look at every service and task across the board. The Selectmen must ask rigorous questions to segregate what our town government “must do” from what we “want to do” (or have historically done) for the residents of Shrewsbury. Services that are not legally required and services that do not serve a broad segment of the community should be subject to significant cutting or elimination.

Another option to preserve a “nice to have” service is to begin charging a fee or increase the fees which are already being charged. Fees have been used extensively on the “school side” of the budget to preserve jobs and core program elements; why hasn't the “municipal side” pursued fees more vigorously?

I'd like to see the Board of Selectmen lay out different scenarios for FY11 revenue projections (level revenue, 10% reduction in revenue, 20% reduction in revenue) and then articulate the resulting cuts in programs & services for each scenario. Armed with this information, voters would be able to make the appropriate trade-off between a loss in valued services and an increase in their property tax bill via an operational override.

Unfortunately, the Board already took the operational override option off the table for FY11, well before details were available regarding projected costs or revenues for the next fiscal year. What’s wrong with giving every voter a chance to say “YES, I’m willing to pay a little more in property taxes to preserve the town services that are important to me?”

Stay tuned as these discussions continue on November 9 and November 23.

Score!

2009-10-28T10:52:00.002-04:00

Our MCAS scores continue to improve in our schools. Hooray!

The following message we sent out this morning from the School Department:

Dear Shrewsbury Families,

Yesterday, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its first set of “growth model” data. The “student growth percentile” was calculated for each public school and school district in Massachusetts in order to demonstrate how much improvement, on average, students in that school or district made on MCAS tests compared to their peers across the state, in order to show growth over time for the same group of students. This is different than the traditional measure of one grade level cohort’s MCAS results vs. the next year’s results (e.g., Grade 3 results in 2008 vs. 2009).

As a district, Shrewsbury’s results are exceptional. The DESE indicates that a growth percentile of 60 or higher is considered to be “high growth,” with 50 representing the median. Shrewsbury students collectively achieved a growth percentile of 64 in English language arts and a 60 in mathematics, both of which are excellent. To put this in context, these results are among the very best in the state. We can be extremely proud of the following:

Shrewsbury’s overall ranking, including all districts of any grade configuration with at least 20 students taking the test (note: charter schools are counted by the DESE as districts):
English language arts: Ranked in top 29 districts out of 379, or top 8%
Mathematics: Ranked in top 66 districts out of 379, or top 17%

Even more impressive is our ranking when doing more of an “apples to apples” comparison. We rank at the very top of the state when comparing ourselves to districts that include all levels of MCAS testing (Grades 3-10) and are comparable in size (at least 1,000 students taking the exam; Shrewsbury had 2,600):

English language arts:
Westford (67)
(tie) Lexington, Shrewsbury (64)
Brookline (62)

Mathematics:
Lexington (65)
(tie) Brookline, Duxbury, Groton-Dunstable, Weston (62)
(tie) Hingham, Shrewsbury, Triton Regional (60)

For more information, see today’s Telegram & Gazette, Boston Globe, boston.com, or go to the DESE link www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/growth

As with any standardized measure of student performance, it is important to note that minor differences in scores may not be educationally significant, and therefore it would not be appropriate to read too much into small variations between districts. However, there is no question that Shrewsbury’s overall performance is extremely strong on the “growth” measure, which, more than traditional methods, demonstrates the impact that schools are having on students over time. There are several factors that contribute to this success, including outstanding efforts by our students, skilled work by our educators, high levels of involvement from our families, and great support from various elements of the community. These results confirm what many of us already know: Shrewsbury’s schools are among the finest in Massachusetts. That is something to celebrate!

Respectfully,

Joe Sawyer

Now I can't (and won't) speak for the Superintendent, School Department, or School Committee, but I'm thoroughly please with how good our schools have been and I credit it to the good work of our teachers and our parents. They're a cut above.

All's Fair: U.S. Senate Candidates' Forum

2009-10-23T10:52:00.001-04:00

You all know I'm backing Martha Coakley for U.S. Senate. Nevertheless, I found a good and fair primer on all the Democratic candidates here, and I suggest you check it out if you want to support a Democrat, but haven't made up your mind.

While you're at it, can you recommend to me a good source for learning more about the Republicans? Not for my sake, of course, but for your fellow readers?

Finally, even though I'm supporting Ms. Coakley in the Democratic primary, I'm passing on some information on behalf of a friend who's supporting Rep. Mike Capuano for U.S. Senate. There will be a Capuano-for-Senate "Open Mike" event tomorrow (Satuday 10/24) from 3pm to 4pm in Westborough at Tatnuck Booksellers at 18 Lyman Street. Mike's a good guy, and if he wins the primary, I'll be happy to support him.

Will The Historic District Commission Kill The Library?

2009-10-22T17:43:00.008-04:00

The Shrewsbury Historic District Commission has a small geographic jurisdiction. But it's enough for them to control the Sumner House, the Common, and the Library. Basically, anything that can be viewed from the windows of the Shropshire Shoppe.

View Larger Map

The HDC has opposed the library's proposed renovation project. I'm not sure what standards they use to decide whether a construction project is allowed to go forward, but they have the power to stop it. Do they base their decisions on what is "historically accurate"? What historical period do they choose? I ought to do more research on this, but maybe someone will come out of the woodwork out their in bloggerville and clue us in.

I also don't understand why they would want to keep that eyesore of the 1979 library addition. How did that thing get their approval in the first place?

Got 84 Minutes? The Way We Get By

2009-10-19T20:48:00.002-04:00

To the Editor:—

If you've got 84 minutes tomorrow, starting at 7pm, I'd like to suggest/encourage you to attend the screening of the independent movie "The Way We Get By." Check out the movie trailer. This screening occurs one night only, tomorrow @ 7:05pm at Oak Middle School and tickets are $5 at the door or in advance with the Parks & Recreation Office.

I was first introduced to this movie by the movie review described on the Boston Globe. From the review, the reason I'm going is "There’s no righteousness in what the greeters do. They’re not super-patriots - or at least they don’t think so. (The movie sidesteps political points.) What they’re doing at Bangor International seems extraordinary." I'll let the Boston Globe's critique speak for itself.

Maybe its karma, my maternal grandfather Joseph Burdulis, a veteran of WWII and The Battle of the Bulge, passed away 10 years ago today. He was quite a character and could tell one heck of a story. The men depicted in the movie trailer remind me so much of him. I also recently had a good friend and co-worker ship out for 15 months to Afghanistan.

These 84 minutes may prove to be real good.

Dana Canzano

A Fun Night With The Dems

2009-10-17T20:53:00.005-04:00

Last night I had the great pleasure of attending the Shrewsbury Democratic Town Committee's biannual Eleanor Roosevelt Awards. As previously reported, Deb Peeples, John Keeton, and Guy Glodis were given awards and the committee recognized the late Michael Von Behren and Thomas and Thelma Zekos. The night was emceed by Kevin Byrne. I won two door prizes!

In addition to the honorees, speakers included Peter Whitney (President of the Town Committee), Congressman Jim McGovern, State Senator Mike Moore, Congressman Mike Capuano (candidate for U.S. Senator), and Steve Grossman (a former DNC & MDP chairman, and candidate for State Treasurer).

They spoke to a friendly crowd. I, for one, was thrilled to hear Congressman McGovern cheer us on for supporting health insurance reform.

There were, however, some Republicans in the house. Jim & Hannah Kane were there with Moira Miller. I believe they were there to recognize Deb Peeples.

Library Renovation May Get More State Funding

2009-10-05T19:30:00.001-04:00

The Public Library got a reprieve from the Mass. Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) last week.

The MBLC is opening a new grant round for funding public libraries across the commonwealth. This new round would offer more money to reimburse towns in their programs. The old formula dropped fairly quickly for mid-to-large projects. The new formula would improve the percentages for those projects. In Shrewsbury's case, the funding could be increased to $8.6 Million from $3.9 Million.

The purpose of the new funding is to increase the reimbursements from around 30% to around 50%, and to encourage the use of green technology. The MBLC still has around $80-90M from the original $100M bond, and they don't want it taken away by the rest of the budget. The money hasn't been disbursed already because other municipalities have been unable to go ahead with their projects with such low funding. Hence the increase in the funding for this new round.

It would bring the taxpayer's cost of the entire renovation project almost to the level of the repair cost.

Under proposed regulations for this new round, grant recipients would have to reapply to get the new formula. Shrewsbury is at the top of the current list of funding recipients and a new application would throw them back in the pool of applicants.

Library Trustee Laurie Hogan, Director Ellen Dolan, and State Rep. Karyn Polito met with leaders of the MBLC, last week to ask the MBLC to grandfather Shrewsbury's project into the new funding at the head of the line. They were told that such a request would not be possible, but they might be willing to give Shrewsbury some preference through a streamlined approach because we have reached significant benchmarks including the establishment of fundaising foundation and acceptence by town leaders. Ellen has reviewed the proposed regulations, and has suggestions to amend the regulations.

"We can get an eighteen million dollar building for around six million dollars." — Library trustee, Laurie Hogan

The trustees asked the Selectmen to remove the article from the November 3, 2009 Special Town Meeting warrant. The trustees still plan to report their plan to the Town Meeting for discussion.

The trustees would also seek an extension of the current grant from December 31, 2009 to June 30, 2010, which would retain our priority under the curent round of (lower) funding. The town cannot reapply if we are still on the list, so once a decision has been made to reapply the town would formally withdraw from the current list.

Moore Support For Coakley

2009-09-30T06:29:00.000-04:00

Our own State Senator, Mike Moore, has endorsed the campaign of Martha Coakley for U.S. Senate.

“I am proud to announce my support of Martha Coakley for U.S. Senate,” said Moore. “She will be someone who will fight for Central Massachusetts families in Washington, and who will represent our hopes and values in the Senate. She is the ideal choice to carry on the legacy of Senator Kennedy.”

“Having grown up in Western Massachusetts, I am keenly aware that our government must work for everyone across the state – from Cape Cod to the Berkshires,” said Coakley, in accepting the endorsement.

“In Washington I will fight for working families in Worcester County and all across the state.”

I'm also supporting Coakley in this race, and you'll find a lot of other people from Shrewsbury are backing her campaign. Like her, I'm also from Western Massachusetts, and she brings to the campaign her great integrity. She's a tough prosecutor who's extremely bright and personable. It's time that Massachusetts had a woman representing the Commonwealth in Washington.

Coakley is a candidate to fill the Senate seat of the late Ted Kennedy. The primary election will be held on December 8, with the general election scheduled for January 19, 2010. Learn more at MarthaCoakley.com.

Space Workshop, And Not Outer Space

2009-09-30T00:58:00.007-04:00

The Mass Audubon contacted me to talk about the watershed issues and about open space in Shrewsbury. At first they contacted our town manager Dan Morgado, but he told them the people of Shrewsbury were not interested in these issues. In the past Shrewsbury did not really care about space and planning issues, however I think it has changed. So of course I said sure, Waste Watchers: A support group for the planet will sponsor it. It isn’t just about pretty green trees and fluffy bunnies and vernal pools, but more practical concerns like water runoff, smart growth communities and balancing the need to increase our commercial base.

Smart growth is the new buzz phrase thanks to climate change, energy issues and the goal of sustainable communities. This doesn’t just mean placing houses and job sites around public transportation, having sidewalks and bike paths, but using your natural resources wisely. I have read a few doom and gloom reports about the fate of most suburbs and I truly believe with some planning and reaching out to Worcester, Shrewsbury could be a model and the envy of many.

If you are interested in looking at options and educating yourself regarding these issues, please read the press release below about a workshop on Tuesday, Oct 6 at 6:30pm in the Shrewsbury Public library. There will be another follow up workshop on Nov. 10, based on our interests from the first one, every community will have different needs and goals.

How do you picture Shrewsbury’s future?

Mass Audubon’s Shaping the Future of Your Community Outreach and Assistance Program can give you the tools you need for active involvement in guiding your community’s development, helping you to make a difference in your town’s future.

Program Overview

In June 2009, Mass Audubon released Losing Ground: Beyond the Footprint, documenting changes in Massachusetts’ land-use and exposing the harsh reality of habitat loss and sprawl. Over the past 40 years, the landscape of Massachusetts has been dramatically transformed. Shaping the Future of Your Community is Mass Audubon’s response to the issues revealed in Losing Ground. Working together, we can maintain the Commonwealth's natural heritage for the benefit of this and future generations.

Fall Workshop Series

In partnership with the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC), the Outreach and Assistance Program will be holding series of free workshops in fall 2009, targeting communities in the Blackstone River watershed in Central Massachusetts, an identified sprawl frontier. Come help shape the future of your town with Mass Audubon’s Shaping the Future of Your Community Outreach and Assistance program. We will assist local citizens to proactively work with their local officials to plan how land in your town is developed and protected. A series of free workshops held this fall will provide residents in communities (see list below) with the tools needed for active involvement in guiding their community to a sustainable future, maintaining a high quality of life for current and future generations. Local officials, land trusts, and other interested parties are also invited.

Class to teach skills to last a life time.

2009-09-29T00:09:00.001-04:00

Jean Brunell, SHS Family Consumer Science/Health teacher, and I had a chat over the summer about her idea for a cooking class for children to be held in her Shrewsbury High School Consumer Science (yup, Home Ec to most of us) kitchens. I thought it was a great idea and told her to go for it, I have seen similar courses in other towns for children and they seemed to be very popular. The Food Network has a huge following of young fans fueling record numbers of those interested in the culinary arts. Jean ran the idea by Dr. Sawyer and it has been approved. Please check out the full flyer on any of the elementary school web pages or Sherwood, entitled Culinary Creations.

Here is just a taste of what the young chefs will be creating. Cooking with Literacy is for those in grades 1 to 4 and they will be creating foods based on books. The award winning, “Caps for Sale” will inspire Banana and Monkey Bread; “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” will inspire the creation of what else? Spaghetti and meatball cupcakes of course! The Main Attraction class will be for those in grades 4-6 with the movie theme setting the menu. Harry Potter: Quidditch Players Pie; The Princess Diaries: Blueberry Scones, and The Wizard of Oz: Auntie M’s M&M Cookies.

The cost of the six week, 90 minute course is $82 (includes all materials). The classes start Oct13 and are limited to 12 per class, so don’t procrastinate. If you are interested go to a school website or you can contact Jean Brunell at jbrunell@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us for more information.

Shrewsbury Democrats Announce Eleanor Roosevelt Awards

2009-09-23T17:00:00.000-04:00

The Shrewsbury Democratic Town Committee announced the winners of its 2009 biennial Eleanor Roosevelt Awards, to be held on Friday, October 16th, at The Manor Restaurant in West Boylston.

This year's recipients of the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Awards are John Keeton of Morningside Drive, a former Chair of the Democratic Town Committee, and Deborah Peeples of Keyes House Road, a former School Committee Member. Worcester County Sheriff Guy Glodis will be awarded “Democrat of the Year.”

Additionally, Michael Von Behren will be given the committee's Outstanding Youth Award posthumously. The evening will also feature a tribute to the late Thomas and Thelma Zekos, long-time Democratic Party activists in Shrewsbury.

“We are very proud of this year's honorees,” said Peter Whitney, Chair of the committee. “These people have given so much to our party and to Shrewsbury, and it is only fitting that we will recognize all of their hard work and dedication.”

"Eleanor Roosevelt set an enduring example of meaningful service through her work in education, politics, human rights, and social justice,” said Peeples. “Her commitment to improving the world around her has always inspired me, and I am honored to have been chosen to receive an award that links me in a small way with her ideals."

"I am truly humbled to be recognized by an organization whose commitment to Democratic candidates and ideals is unparalleled by any other town in the Commonwealth,” said Glodis. “Having represented Shrewsbury in the Legislature, and now as Sheriff, I'm honored to receive this award."

A cocktail hour will be held at 6:30 PM, and the program and dinner will begin at 7:30. The Manor Restaurant is located at 42 W Boylston Street, in West Boylston.

Tickets are $35. Additional levels of support include the Eleanor Roosevelt Circle, $500; Patron, $250; and Sponsor, $100. Checks can be made payable to “Shrewsbury Democratic Town Committee” and sent to Treasurer Mary Ellen Killelea at 2 Essex Drive, Shrewsbury MA, 01545.

The Shrewsbury Democratic Town Committee is the local Democratic Party entity in Shrewsbury, and functions to support Democratic candidates running for area offices. Anyone interested in becoming involved in the committee may contact Secretary Jason Palitsch at ShrewsburyDTC@gmail.com.

Signature Chefs Support March Of Dimes

2009-09-22T20:18:00.003-04:00

To the Editor:—

I encourage you to attend this event. The March of Dimes does a great job of making information available to doctors and families alike so that we can keep babies healthy. Please support them in a way that’s fun for all.

— Beverly Hay, MD, Chief of Genetics, UMass Memorial

Signature Chefs Auction^® Brings Worcester’s Best Together for the Sake of Babies

On October 19th, 2009 at Mechanics Hall, Worcester’s finest chefs will offer their signature dishes, in a glamorous setting, accompanied by an array of unique auction items.  All proceeds benefit the March of Dimes to help all babies be born healthy.

The March of Dimes is also pleased to announce that the 2009 recipient of the Charitable Leadership Award is Dr. Marianne Felice, Physician-in-Chief of the UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center and Chair of the Worcester Infant Mortality Reduction Task Force.

The affair is special in other ways, too — featuring some of the area’s best restaurants. Chefs from the Worcester area’s finest establishments will prepare their specialty dishes for guests to enjoy. Restaurants include: Bean Counter Coffee Bar & Bakery, Pleasant Valley Country Club, Piccolo’s, Sonoma, Pepper’s Catering, Romaine’s Wood Grill and Bar, Coral Seafood, On the Rise Baking, Sweet, Bella's, The Castle, Armeno Coffee, Rovezzi's, La Bussola, and Ciao Bella.  These special dishes will be paired with wine provided by KJ Baaron’s.

Funds raised by Signature Chefs Auction support lifesaving research and programs that offer hope for prevention of infant health threats in the future, including community grants in Worcester and Massachusetts.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health.  With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Registration is now available online at marchofdimes.com/ma.

Library Tour Invitation

2009-09-21T12:48:00.001-04:00

(Editor's note: The following letter was set to Town Meeting Members. The tour has since been made available to ALL Shrewsbury residents.)

To the Editor:—

Dear Town Meeting Member,

The Board of Selectmen has voted to call a Special Town Meeting this fall to ask Town Meeting Members to consider the Shrewsbury Public Library Building Project. We invite you to take the “Behind the Scenes” Tour of the Library so that you can make an informed decision about this important capital project.

Tours will be held during September and October every:

Monday at 7pm,
Wednesday at 1pm,
Saturday at 10am, or
by appointment.

Hopefully one of these times fits your schedule.

For more information about the project or to watch the August 31st presentation to the Board of Selectmen by the Library Trustees go to www.shrewsbury-ma.gov/library.

If you have any questions please call Library Trustee Chair Laurie Hogan at 508-754-2344.

——
The Committee of Shrewsbury Library Supporters

UMass Bringing People To Town

2009-09-17T15:23:00.002-04:00

To The Editor:—

I read the paper yesterday and saw that UMASS is building a new lab at the University campus

Since this project is projected to create 1,600 jobs in the state and since the majority of them will presumably be in or near Worcester and since, traditionally, a large percentage of UMASS employees choose to live in Shrewsbury I think we can safely assume that this project will result in a population increase here in town.

I was just wondering, how does that population increase effect things like 1) our schools in general and the middle school project in particular, 2) other town projects like the library 3) our already overburdened infrastructure. I’m specifically thinking about water and sewer but I wonder how long it will be before SELCO runs out of capacity as well 4) Our ability to undertake other projects like the Allen property (the report I just read sites the lack of sufficient water and sewer resources as an obstacle to developing that property. Will more residential development just make matters worse?)

On the other side of the coin…projects like this have a habit of creating a significant amount of spin off development. I wonder what sorts of related businesses will be created/expanded because of this new lab? I wonder how many of them we can attract to Shrewsbury (Allen property? Centech?). I WONDER WHAT SHOULD BE DOING IMMEDIATELY to make that sort of thing happen?? I really really really wonder who in town Hall is thinking about all of this stuff.

Just a thought

George Malits

Special Town Meeting Set

2009-09-15T05:03:00.002-04:00

Town Meeting will have its chance to debate the proposed library renovation project.

November 3 will be a Special Town Meeting day, at the usual time & place (7pm Oak Middle School). The three warrant articles will consider: appropriating funds from a debt exclusion referendum for the major renovation of the Shrewsbury Public Library; increasing the tax rate for meals to seven percent; and increasing the tax rate for hotel occupancy to six percent.

A date has not yet been set for the referendum on the library. I believe the selectmen can call a special election within 90 days of the Town Meeting. Selectmen are considering holding that election in conjunction with the U.S. Senate special election this winter.