Tax hearing set
The Municipal Council will hold its annual tax classification hearing Tuesday. Each city and town is required to hold such a hearing annually to determine whether to establish separate tax rates for residents and businesses, and if so, how much of the tax burden to shift from residents to businesses. Amesbury has a single tax rate. Mayor Thatcher W. Kezer III and Amesbury Alliance president Nicholas J. Costello held a press conference Tuesday to voice their opposition to a split tax rate, arguing that it would hinder economic growth while providing only minimal gain to residents. Costello is a former mayor. The alliance is a nonprofit organization that seeks to maintain a working partnership among public officials, the business community, and residents. On Tuesday, the council will also hold its annual hearing to decide whether to maintain its policy of offering tax exemptions at a rate that is double the amount normally allowed by the state. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at Town Hall. -- John Laidler
GEORGETOWN
LIBRARY CAMPAIGN UNDERWAY -- The Friends of the Georgetown Peabody Library GOAL 2000 Committee has launched a campaign to raise $500,000 to furnish and equip the town's public library, which is now under construction at Lincoln Park. The committee plans to install a mural of individual ceramic tiles sponsored by area residents, businesses, and organizations. The mural will celebrate Georgetown's colorful history -- from its humble beginnings as New Rowley to the community it is today -- and recognize donors to the furnishings fund. Tiles will depict local events and places, as well as native plants and animals. Renowned ceramic artist Marion Grebow of Connecticut has been commissioned to create the permanent public art installation. Workers broke ground on the $4.3 million library addition in May. The library, which is now housed at 5 Elm St., is expected to reopen its doors at Lincoln Park in August, according to library director Ruth Eifert. Anyone interested in purchasing a commemorative tile may contact Eifert at 978-352-5728. The tiles range in price from $150 to $2,000. Contributions to the tile campaign are tax-deductible. -- Brenda J. Buote
GROVELAND
LIBRARY GOES WIRELESS -- The Langley-Adams library began offering wireless Internet services this month. Any patron with a WiFi-equipped laptop may access the Internet inside the library building. Funds for the upgrade were donated by the Friends of the Langley-Adams Library. The library has also added more passes to its offerings, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, and the Seacoast Science Center in Seabrook, N.H. The library also continues to offer passes to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem. -- David Rattigan
HAVERHILL
SESSION ON CHARTER SCHOOL PLAN -- Euthemia Gilman, principal of the Silver Hill Elementary School, is expected to address the Haverhill School Committee on Thursday to discuss her hope of transforming Silver Hill into a Horace Mann charter school. Such a change would transfer management of the school from the district's central office to educators at Silver Hill. The principal would no longer report to the superintendent but to the state Department of Education and a board of trustees. In September, Silver Hill was one of 27 area schools deemed "in need of corrective action" by the state Department of Education for failing to meet federal standards for two consecutive years. Gilman has been examining the Horace Mann model since June, with the support of Superintendent Raleigh C. Buchanan. Such a transformation also would require the support of the local teachers union, the School Committee, and the community , Gilman said. If the idea is well-received, the process would take several months to complete, she added. -- Brenda J. Buote
MERRIMAC
FOUR NAMED TO PANEL -- The Board of Selectmen has appointed four people to the Energy Committee, a new advisory panel that will advise the town on energy costs. Larry Fisher , Gregory Rahe , Dan Cowher , and Patty Dillon are the appointees to the committee, which will work with the finance director, Carol McLeod. -- David Rattigan
NEWBURY
MEETING ON OPEN SPACE -- Residents who are interested in preserving open space and helping to develop recreation fields for the community may attend the inaugural meeting of the newly created Newbury Master Plan Committee at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Newbury Town Hall. The committee, appointed by the selectmen, includes members of the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, and residents. The first order of business will be to update the town's open-space plan. Other responsibilities include maintaining an inventory of potential land to be preserved for open space and assisting landowners who are interested in conserving their property for open space. For more information, contact the Planning Office at 978-463-3516 or at planningboard@townofnewbury.org. -- Kay Lazar
BRIDGE WORK SCHEDULED -- Reconstruction and expansion work will begin next year on the Route 1A bridge over the Parker River, said Erik Abell, spokesman for the state Highway Department. The $12.7 million project is expected to take "just shy of four years to complete " because of restrictions placed on the project's permit by the Coast Guard, Abell said. Those restrictions prohibit any construction activity between Feb. 1 and June 30 to lessen the impact on marine life in the Parker River. The contract to rebuild the bridge, which was deemed "structurally deficient" by state officials, was awarded to S&R Corp. of Lowell. One lane of traffic will remain open in each direction throughout the reconstruction project, Abell said. -- Kay Lazar
NEWBURYPORT
NEWSLETTER STARTS UP -- The debut edition of a new city newsletter, Newburyport Newscast, was mailed to all homeowners and renters, according to the office of Mayor John Moak. The four-page letter contains information about the city's snow emergency rules, curbside leaf-collection schedule -- tomorrow starts the last full week for the season -- and other policies. It also contains a list of phone numbers for a variety of city departments and some other numbers residents may find useful, such as a hot line to register complaints about odors from the Crow Lane Landfill. That number is 978-462-5240, and is staffed by a worker from New Ventures LLC, the company that was recently ordered by the state to control landfill odors as it caps the facility. The mayor's office aims to publish its newsletter twice a year, said Moak's assistant, Maria Capriola. The newsletters also will be posted on the city's website, cityofnewburyport.com . -- Kay Lazar
ROWLEY
HEARING ON TAXES -- The Board of Selectmen tomorrow will hold its annual classification hearing. The state requires each city and town to hold such a hearing each year to decide whether to charge separate tax rates for residents and businesses, and if so how much of the tax burden to shift from residents to businesses. Rowley has a single tax rate. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, with the hearing scheduled for 7:15 p.m. -- John Laidler
SALISBURY
TREE LIGHTING TODAY -- The town will hold its annual tree-lighting ceremony at 6 this evening at Salisbury Square. In addition to the tree lighting, the event will feature a performance by the Salisbury Elementary School band, the arrival of Santa Claus by fire truck, and Christmas caroling. Refreshments will be served at the East Parish Meeting House immediately after the ceremony. The event is sponsored by the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce. The approximately 35-foot-high tree was donated by the Trofatter family. According to Frederick Trofatter, the tree had grown on the lawn of his Cushing Street home. He said the family donated it in memory ofhis wife, Carol Trofatter, who died last September,and of Leary K. Chase, his daughter-in-law'sfather, who died last November. Colby Trofatter, 2, the paternal grandson of Carol Trofatter, andthe maternal grandson of Leary Chase, will lightthe tree, which was transported to the square without charge to the town by Ryan's Trucking of Salisbury. -- John Laidler
WEST NEWBURY
DISCUSSING PRESERVATION -- On Monday , the Board of Selectmen discussed bylaws concerning the makeup of the Community Preservation Committee, which will make recommendations on the use of community preservation funds. The town adopted the Community Preservation Act at Town Meeting in the spring, and plans to enact bylaws to put the Community Preservation Committee in place at Town Meeting next spring. The board determined that it will recommend an appointed board of nine members, including four at-large members in addition to five members required by state mandate,one each representing the Housing Authority, Conservation Commission, Planning Board, Historic District Commission, and Parks and Recreation Department. -- David Rattigan
NEW HAMPSHIRE
DURHAM
APPLICATIONS UP AT UNIVERSITY -- The number of applications for next year's freshman class at the University of New Hampshire has already exceeded the record number received at this time last year. So far, the university has received 4,400 applications and officials estimate about 15,000 will arrive by the filing deadline. This year, 3,080 freshmen enrolled at UNH, bringing the total undergraduate population to 11,400 students. According to a university spokeswoman, officials have already started looking at ways to ease the demands the incoming class will place on housing. -- Tom Long
EXETER
CHAMBER PRESIDENT LEAVING -- Tracey McGrail announced last week she will step down at the end of the year as president of the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce. McGrail, who joined the chamber as office manager in 1989, has been president since 1990. She is leaving to take an executive position with
HAMPTON
CONCERNED ABOUT SECURITY -- Town employees haven't hit the panic button, but they may get a chance to in the future. After a town worker was verbally assaulted by an irate taxpayer several weeks ago, town officials are looking into upgrading security in Town Hall. Among the options being considered is installing a "panic button" that will sound in the Police Station if an emergency arises. -- Tom Long
PORTSMOUTH
FREE PARKING -- Last week, the City Council approved free parking downtown for holiday shoppers. From Dec. 9 to 25, parking meters will display signs that state: "Season's Greetings -- Free Parking." Each sign will indicate the time limit for the space. Time limits will be enforced, as will parking for the handicapped and loading zones. -- Tom Long 
