Community briefing

ABINGTON

DELAY ON DEMOLITION BYLAW -- The Historical Commission has decided to table its proposal for a demolition-delay bylaw. The commission initially planned to ask voters at tomorrow night's Town Meeting to approve the measure, believing it was the best way to protect more than 200 historic sites in town. ''But as we kept looking at it we realized it needed to be tweaked here and there," said Sharon Orcutt-Peters, commission chairwoman. ''The best thing, we thought, is to hold off and present it again in November." The bylaw would force a developer to wait up to six months before demolishing a building deemed of historic value to allow time to explore alternatives to razing the structure. -- Robert Carroll

BRAINTREE

REPAVEMENT PROJECT AWARDED -- Selectmen have voted to award a road construction project on Liberty Street to Aggregate Industries, an international construction company based in England. The project to repave approximately three-fifths of a mile of roadway will cost $1 million. Parts of the road will also be widened and new curbing will be added. The project is part of a long-term plan by the state to improve the transportation infrastructure. The work is to begin soon, with a completion deadline of June 30, selectmen chairman Charles Kokoros said. -- Robert Knox

COHASSET

SEA WALL FENCE PLANS -- Good fences not only make for good neighbors, but for good debates as well. Town officials have been butting heads with developers over a fence design for a 300-foot stretch of sea wall that runs along Border Street from the Atlantica restaurant to the Mill River Marine Boatyard. Vine Associates of Hingham, the company hired by the town to repair the aging sea wall at a cost of $600,000, has submitted various plans to replace the antiquated split-rail fence with a safer, if more obstructive, one that meets state safety codes. The state requires public fences to be at least 42 inches tall and have no more than a four-inch gap between posts. It also discourages horizontal rails because they promote climbing. ''Vine Associates has been asked to bring in more fence plans," said Building Commissioner Bob Egan. ''The town likely will look into getting a waiver on the spacing issue. The height of the fence is not a problem." Egan said some new options should be ready within a few weeks. -- Robert Carroll

DUXBURY

ELECTION RESULTS -- Only 1,513 residents -- 14 percent of registered voters -- turned out for the March 26 town election. Every incumbent on the ballot was reelected, but a few new faces emerged to fill vacancies. Incumbent John Magnarelli and newcomer Anne R. Ward came out on top in a four-way race for two seats on the School Committee. Allen M. Bornheimer retained his title as town moderator, defeating Robert M. Mustard Jr.; Planning Board incumbent John P. Bear defeated challenger Douglas J. Carver; incumbent Carl W. Meier was reelected as a library trustee, to be joined by newcomer James B. Mandrell; and Duxbury Police Officer Thomas M. Johnson beat John W. Britten for a one-year term on the Board of Assessors. -- Emily Sweeney

HANOVER

ACTION ON CINEMA EXPANSION -- Patriot Cinemas, situated behind Hanover Mall, is within the building inspector's signature of expanding from six to 10 screens. The expansion is expected to be completed in time for the annual Thanksgiving movie crush, officials said. ''The Planning Board has approved the expansion, which includes the installation of a wastewater treatment plant on site," said Town Planner Andrew Port. ''Construction, I believe, will start in a couple months." The 30-year-old building will be expanded forward into the parking lot, where parking spaces will be reconfigured, said Port. Seating will grow from 1,000 to 1,600. -- Robert Carroll

HINGHAM

SCHOOL WELLNESS FAIR -- Hingham High School is hosting a wellness fair from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday to educate parents about how to minimize risky behavior by teenagers experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Principal Paula Girouard McCann said that after the death of a student in an automobile accident last fall, ''the PTO was really energized to do something to minimize teenage risky behavior." The wellness fair is part of Hingham High's Community of Concern efforts, which included the distribution of a booklet, ''A Parent's Guide For the Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use." Other sponsors, including the Sun Protection Foundation, South Shore Women's Center, and In-Control/Advanced Driver Training will also be taking part. -- Carolyn Y. Johnson

HOLBROOK

TOWN ELECTION TUESDAY -- The annual town election is scheduled for Tuesday. Incumbent selectmen Jeffrey Lowe and Robert Austin face four challengers -- Paul Currie, Michael Vanelli, Thomas Carlo, and John Smythe -- in vying for two three-year seats. School Committee members Ruth Callahan and James Hathaway face Barbara Davis in a race for two three-year seats. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents in precincts 1, 3, and 4 vote at Holbrook Junior/Senior High; those in precinct 2 vote at the John F. Kennedy school. -- Sandy Coleman

HULL

CASAGRANDE PROMOTED TO SERGEANT -- Selectmen have appointed Robert Casagrande to the rank of sergeant. Casagrande, 33, has been a member of the Police Department since 1996. A Hull resident, he has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and is working on a master's degree. Casagrande's appointment brings the department back to full strength in its roster of sergeants, said Captain Robert Sawtelle. He was recommended for promotion by Police Chief Richard Billings. -- Robert Knox

KINGSTON

NO OVERRIDE NEEDED -- The town will not need an override after all, said Town Administrator Kevin Donovan. On March 8, selectmen voted to add a $700,000 override question to the April 23 annual town election ballot, just in case the Silver Lake Regional School budget was higher than expected. It turned out that the town has enough to cover its share of the school budget, said Donovan. Voters will still decide two ballot questions. One proposes a 3 percent property tax surcharge under the state's Community Preservation Act program. The money, which would be matched by state funds, would be set aside for preserving open space, restoring historic resources, and creating affordable housing. The other question asks if the district's state legislators should vote to allow manufactured housing to be counted as low-income housing under Chapter 40B, the state's affordable housing law. -- Emily Sweeney

MARSHFIELD

CANCER SOCIETY FUND-RAISER -- Last year, local teams walked all day and night to raise about $20,000 for cancer research in the American Cancer Society's ''relay for life." People interested in participating this year are invited to attend a drop-in session from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Ventress Memorial Library. Anyone interested in volunteering at the event is invited to a planning session afterward, from 7 to 8 p.m. Already, 28 teams of 12 to 15 people have signed up for the event, and ''the more the merrier," according to Ned Bangs, recreation director. The walk is scheduled from 3 p.m. June 24 to 10 a.m. the next morning. Team members take turns walking, cooking, and sleeping. Each registered walker is asked to raise at least $100. For more information, contact Cindy Whipple at 781-834-7421. -- Carolyn Y. Johnson

MILTON

NSTAR SAYS THANKS -- Milton will receive a cash donation of $1.73 million from NStar Electric & Gas Corp. for its cooperation during the installation of a 3.7-mile underground power line along Route 138, said David Colton, town administrator. The Board of Selectmen approved the mitigation agreement March 21. The funds will go toward several traffic improvements, including a new signal at the intersection of Canton Avenue, Blue Hills Parkway and Unquity Road, the reconstruction of Canton Avenue between Route 138 and Brush Hill Road, and an expansion of a bicycle path along Neponset Valley Parkway so it will reach the Trailside Museum. -- Maria Cramer

NORWELL

BRIDGE SPEED REDUCED -- The speed limit on the Bridge Street Bridge has been reduced from 35 to 25 miles per hour. Town Administrator Jim Boudreau said the bridge connecting Norwell to Marshfield is scheduled to be replaced by the state Highway Department by the beginning of 2007. Boudreau said spot repairs will be made to keep the bridge operational. In the meantime, Marshfield officials asked for Norwell's cooperation in reducing speeds to slow the bridge's decay. Signs indicating the change have been posted on the bridge. -- Susan Hagstrom

PEMBROKE

LIBRARY BOOK SALE -- The Friends of the Pembroke Library will hold its semiannual book and bake sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the library, 142 Center St. The group is still seeking book donations, which may be dropped off at the library during its regular hours. Digests, textbooks, and magazines are not needed, organizers said. The Friends provide financial support for the library and work to educate the public and legislators about library improvements, organizers said. New members are welcome, and annual dues run $10 for individuals and $50 for corporate sponsors. Membership applications are available at the library, or checks can be mailed along with a name, address, phone number and email address to the Friends of the Pembroke Library, 142 Center St., Pembroke, 02359. -- Paysha Stockton

PLYMOUTH

''ARTY" AWARD NOMINATION -- The Plymouth Cultural Council is extending to April 14 the deadline for nominations for its ''Arty" awards. The annual awards honor residents who offered broad support for the arts, supported the arts financially or through in-kind donations, succeeded in bringing recognition to the arts and artists of Plymouth, and had an overall impact in making the arts a vital part in the community. The 2003 recognition dinner raised over $8,000, which was added to the Plymouth Cultural Council's grant fund, more than doubling the state award. Letters of nomination should be sent to the Cultural Council at P.O. Box 1785, Plymouth, MA 02362-1785. For more information, contact council member Mike Landers at 508-747-7727. -- Robert Knox

QUINCY

PLAN FOR EXCERCISE PATH -- The Neponset River Walk Association will present its vision of a proposed 5-mile jogging, biking, and walking path along the eastern bank of the Neponset River to the City Council's Environmental Committee at 6 p.m. tomorrow in City Hall. ''We'll talk about what needs to get done for the path to be created, in terms of land acquisition, and review what's been happening on the other side of the river," said Carley Rocklen, a Neponset River Watershed Association official. -- Carolyn Y. Johnson

RANDOLPH

GOVERNMENT ON BALLOT TUESDAY -- A proposal to change the town's form of government from a board of selectmen and town meeting structure to a mayor and town council will highlight Tuesday's annual town election. Town Clerk Brian Howard said polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Contested positions include collector/treasurer, and seats on the School Committee, Department of Public Works Commission, and Planning Board. Voters will also be asked to adopt the state Community Preservation Act, which would add a surcharge to property taxes to help fund local preservation and housing efforts. Howard said he has posted texts of the questions and proposed charter online at www.randolphtownclerk.com.

-- Paysha Stockton

ROCKLAND

CROWDED ELECTION ON SATURDAY -- The annual town election will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. A sample ballot is available online at www.rockland-ma.gov. Five residents are running for three seats on the Board of Selectmen. Seats on the Board of Health, Park Commission and Water Commission are also contested. Voters will also face two ballot questions. One asks voters to approve an override of the state's property tax law to replace the Memorial Stadium playing field. The project, sponsored by the Rockland Youth Football league, is expected to cost $1 million and would also require Town Meeting approval. The second question asks voters to approve spending $15,000 for a new gas-fired boiler at the public library. -- Paysha Stockton

SCITUATE

MEETING ON PROTECTING WATER -- Members of the First Herring Brook Watershed Initiative will present new information regarding the town's water supply, and how to protect it, at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Scituate Public Library. The multimedia presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer session. The information is based on a new watershed map, recently completed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. -- Susan Hagstrom

WEYMOUTH

DISCOUNT FOR RAIN BARRELS -- Barrels to collect rainwater are now available to town residents at a discount, thanks to a grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The 55-gallon barrels can be used to store water for the garden or yard in case water-use limitations are enacted this summer. According to the manufacturer, New England Rain Barrel Co., even a quarter-inch of rain can fill a barrel positioned to catch runoff from a roof. The barrels are being sold to the town for $62, but a $10 discount is available to the first 100 residents who place an order online at www.nerainbarrel.com, or by calling 978 977-3135 by April 29. Barrels will be delivered to the Department of Public Works on May 7 to be picked up by residents. -- Carolyn Y. Johnson