Special town meeting

Selectmen have scheduled a Special Town Meeting to cut $1.5 million from this year's operating budget. The meeting is planned for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 9 in the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School gymnasium. Employees in several departments have already received lay-off notices, effective on the day of the meeting. While selectmen have a regular meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Memorial Building, they are not expected to make any major changes to the recommendations they have put together for the Town Meeting. The public library and Senior Center budgets are slated to be wiped out and money rerouted to public safety budgets to prevent massive layoffs in the Police, Fire, and Highway departments. The agenda is posted on the town's website at bridgewaterma.org. - Christine Wallgren

SEEKING COMMENT ON THE SCHOOLS - South Coastal Counties Legal Services Inc., a legal resource group for low-income families, is trying to encourage parents' involvement in the school system, and at the same time wants to hear what parents have to say about their children's education. The group has been reaching out to the Brockton Parents for Educational Change to hear about their concerns and thoughts directly. A public forum is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Cape Verdean Association at 575 North Montello St. Parents in the Brockton school system are invited to attend. - Milton Valencia

CLOSING BOLIVAR STREET - Busy Bolivar Street will be closed to traffic starting Oct. 1 as a 100-year-old culvert that failed at the beginning of the summer is repaired. "We are going to try to get it done in a week," said Town Engineer James Donovan, adding that the construction could take up to two weeks. Donovan said the $115,000 in repairs will include replacing the 35-foot culvert near 199 Bolivar St. and adjusting utility lines in the area. The detour routes will include Sherman and Pleasant streets or Mechanic and Bailey streets, and updates will be available at town.canton.ma.us, Donovan said. - Elaine Cushman Carroll

DUPLEXES PROPOSED - A local developer has filed plans to build the town's first condominium duplexes under a zoning bylaw adopted by Town Meeting in May. West Light Development proposed building five duplexes on a 17-acre site on South Meadow Road in South Carver. The duplex zoning rule adopted this year was recommended by the planning department in order to introduce more variety into the town's stock. - Robert Knox

EXAMINING FUTURE GROWTH - A spate of large-scale development proposals in recent years has prompted the Planning Board to review the town's master plan, which serves as a guide to growth. The Planning Board is setting up a steering committee to oversee the review and has appointed member Ralph Steeves to sit on the committee. The group will include representatives from the Board of Selectmen, the Conservation Commission, the Finance Committee, the Historic Districts Commission, and Parks and Recreation, as well as five at-large residents with no affiliations with those groups. Residents interested in serving must apply to the Planning Board by Oct. 12. The review of the 12-year-old master plan will take at least a year. - James Vaznis

SHOPPING FOR SENIORS - The Friends of the Seniors is participating in Macy's annual "Shop for a Cause" event, set for Oct. 13 at the Westgate Mall in Brockton. Tickets, $5 each, can be purchased at the Council on Aging's office at 137 Center St. and are good for 10 to 20 percent discounts at Macy's on Oct. 13. Proceeds will go to support programs offered by the East Bridgewater Council on Aging. For more information, call Christine White at the Council on Aging at 508-378-1610. - Christine Wallgren

WORK ON WATER PROJECT - Work on the Aquaria Water Pipeline Project has moved into a new phase with construction beginning last week to install new water mains in Turnpike Street at the intersection of Washington Street. A second crew will continue installing a 20-inch diameter water main from West Bridgewater into Brockton. Contractors expect work on the latest phase to be completed in two months. The work schedule is 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Police will set up detours, if needed, and will direct traffic. The work is to replace the region's water infrastructure and increase the water supply in Southeastern Massachusetts. - Milton Valencia

PARKING FOR PATS FANS - State and local police want Patriots fans to understand that construction around Gillette Stadium has created game-day traffic issues that have caused them to change parking lot opening times and traffic flow. The only parking lots that will be open earlier than the standard time of four hours prior to kickoff will be on the side of Route 1 opposite the stadium. "If they arrive early, they should plan on using P10 across from the stadium, or one of the private lots," said State Police Lieutenant Jeff Stuart. Fans at the home opener on Sept. 16 caused traffic jams when they tried to wait for particular lots to open. None of the stadium owned lots on the stadium side of Route 1 will be opening early this season. - Joan Wilder

FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN - Based on a study of future student populations at Halifax Elementary School, administrators plan to begin looking at expanding the school's half-day kindergarten program to a full day. In the past, lack of space in the school prevented such an expansion. But fewer students are expected to be enrolled at the school over the next 10 years, based on the sluggish housing market and a drop in the number of births in town. There are 711 students enrolled at the school. - Christine Wallgren

PRESERVATION ACT ON MEETING AGENDA - A proposal to adopt the Community Preservation Act will be among the key items to be considered by a Special Town Meeting that will convene at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Middle School on Liberty Street. The state law allows cities and towns to adopt a property tax surcharge to support open space, historic preservation, affordable housing, and recreation initiatives. The state provides matching dollars. The Hanson proposal, which selectmen placed on the agenda at the request of a citizens group, calls for a 1.5 percent surcharge with certain exemptions. If adopted by the Special Town Meeting, the proposal would still need to be approved by voters at the annual town election next spring. Other matters to come before the Town Meeting include budget transfers, several zoning bylaw changes, and proposed revisions to general bylaws to bring the wording into line with the legislation that allowed Hanson to create a town administrator position last year. - John Laidler

DOCTOR'S LICENSE REVOKED - The medical license of neurologist Milton D. Childress of Duxbury, who also practiced at a sleep center in Lakeville, has been revoked by the state Board of Registration in Medicine. Childress pleaded guilty in March to nine counts of indecent assault and battery of several of his patients in the Duxbury and Lakeville offices. The license, which was suspended in March, was revoked Sept. 19. Childress was sentenced to five years probation in the spring, and ordered to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and register as a sex offender. - Paul E. Kandarian

NEW FIRE CHIEF - Veteran fire Lieutenant Neal Boldrighini will take over as fire chief in December when Chief Robert Bellavance retires. According to Town Manager John D'Agostino, who made the appointment, Boldrighini's biggest asset may be his ability to connect with local civic organizations and the community in general. James Puleo will remain as deputy chief, D'Agostino said, where he can use his considerable skill training the town's firefighters. The department has 36 members, D'Agostino said. Boldrighini has been on the department since 1990. He is 46 years old. - Christine Wallgren

LOCAL TRUST IN ACCREDITATION PROGRAM - The Sippican Lands Trust has been selected as one of 23 land conservation organizations from 16 states to take part in a pilot program run by the Land Trust Alliance, based in Washington, D.C. The effort is an accreditation program being tested for implementation in 2008. Land Trust Alliance officials said the accreditation will provide independent verification of 42 Land Trust Alliance practices. The Sippican Lands Trust protects more than 1,500 acres of wetlands, bogs, forest and open spaces in Marion, local trust officials said. - Paul E. Kandarian

TOWN MEETING RESCHEDULED - Selectmen rescheduled a Special Town Meeting for 7 p.m. Oct. 22 at Old Rochester Regional High School. The meeting had been scheduled for Sept. 24, but selectmen postponed it when town officials told them there were items on the agenda that required rewording, and that there wasn't enough time to do that and repost the meeting as required by law. - Paul E. Kandarian

RESIDENT GETS CONSERVATION AWARD - The state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife last week presented Middleborough resident Kathleen "Betty" Anderson with the Governor Francis Sargent Conservation Award for her efforts to conserve the state's natural heritage. Anderson was honored at a ceremony held at the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, an organization Anderson founded and directed from 1969 to 1983. In the 1950s, Anderson was an ornithologist at a field station with the US Public Health Service, and later she worked for the state Department of Public Health. Anderson is currently a charter member and chairwoman of the Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Board's Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee. A hand-carved wooden loon decoy was presented to Anderson by Fish and Game Commissioner Mary Griffin and Phillip Griffiths, undersecretary for the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. - Christine Wallgren

NEW PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE - Marion resident Leanne Lord has taken over as Norton's new public health nurse. Lord is available in the Health Department office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. She replaces Norma Napoleone, who has retired. Napoleone has stayed on briefly to train Lord. "The transition has been really smooth," said Health Agent Leon Dumont. "She's very well qualified and we seem to be just what she was looking for. We're a small office and we serve 19,000 residents, so you do a little bit of everything." - Christine Wallgren

EXTREME MAKEOVER FIELD EDITION - Inspired by the popular ABC-TV program, "Extreme Makeover Home Edition," a variety of businesses descended upon the approximately 40-year-old ball field at the Cleveland School last week for a total overhaul. The nearly 1-acre field got new topsoil, sprinklers, and turf, as well as a new concrete floor for the dugout and stones for a nearby wall. A new fence should go up by mid-May, when the field should be ready for play. Gone are the sun-scorched weeds in the infield and outfield as well as poison ivy woven into the fence. New England Sports Turf Managers Association set up the makeover program to help cities and towns with improvements, and its gift is valued around $75,000. Local businesses and the Department of Public Works kicked in another $75,000 in donated time and materials. "It's really incredible," said Mark Ryan, the town engineer. "We have been filming the whole process with the local cable company." - James Vaznis

SELECTMEN CLOSE TO CHOOSING FINANCE DIRECTOR - The Sharon Board of Selectmen are close to making an offer to one of three candidates interviewed for the new position of finance director. Selectman Walter Joseph Roach said last week the board will decide by next week. Selectmen interviewed three candidates chosen by the screening committee, which met with about a dozen applicants. The finance director, a position sanctioned by Town Meeting, will perform the duties formerly assigned to the town accountant and town treasurer, Roach said. - Franci Richardson Ellement

PIT BULLS ORDERED KENNELED - Selectmen have ordered a Turnpike Street man to fence in his two pit bulls. The order comes a month after the dogs escaped their chains and attacked a nearby dog leashed to a run. That animal sustained minor injuries. "It's amazing my dog didn't get more seriously hurt," said Cindy Totman, owner of the shepherd-husky mix that was attacked Aug. 30 behind its 194 Turnpike St. home. "I was out there kicking the pit bull as he was biting my dog on the neck." The pit bulls are owned by Emmanuel LaBrun. Selectmen gave LaBrun until Oct. 15 to kennel the dogs or risk losing them. "This is not the first time someone has complained about Mr. LaBrun's dogs getting out," said Marie Chiofolo, the assistant town manager. "He's been cited a few times by the animal control officer." LaBrun could not be reached for comment. - Robert Carroll

CONSERVATION COMMISSION TO EXAMINE PROPERTY - The Conservation Commission is holding a public hearing on a request that it determine where the wetlands are on a property on Industrial Road owned by S.M. Lorusso, said Conservation Agent Landis Hershey. This type of application is the first step a developer needs to take when determining what uses are possible on a property. The site is approximately 15 acres. - Joan Wilder

FIRE DEPARTMENT PARADE AND OPEN HOUSE - The Wareham Fire Department will hold its annual open house and parade on Oct. 14. This year's event will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Wareham Fire District. The parade will start at 10 a.m. from Town Hall and proceed down Route 6 to Gibbs Avenue, and will end at the Fire Station at 273 Main St. The open house will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will include fire prevention programs and firefighting demonstrations. - Emily Sweeney

WORK BEGINNING ON FIELD, SEPTIC SYSTEM - Work is set to begin this week on a combined project involving construction of a new soccer field and improvements to the septic system in the Howard School area. The Board of Selectmen recently awarded a $723,250 contract to C.J. Mabardy of Cambridge to undertake the project, according to Town Administrator Elizabeth Faricy. The new soccer field will be built on the site of an existing practice field behind the Howard School and is intended for use by all the town's school and community soccer programs. The septic system serves the complex of buildings that includes the Howard School, the public library, the Police Station, the Fire Station, the Middle-Senior High School, and the Spring Street Elementary School. - John Laidler

CHEMICAL SPILL - A chemical spill in the back of a large tractor-trailer at Stop & Shop's loading dock on Route 18 caused a flurry of activity for a few hours Sunday night. The town's Fire-Rescue Department worked with the local Board of Health and the Department of Environmental Protection's Emergency Response Team to determine just how dangerous the chemical reaction might be. According to Fire Chief Timothy Travers, the spill involved eight to 10 gallons of household bleach and a gel drain cleaner. While the fumes were "very irritating for the people working," the combination was not life-threatening, he said. It turned out bleach was among the principal ingredients in the drain cleaner, rather than ammonia or lye, which would have caused a more powerful reaction. "There were so many chemicals in the truck, we didn't want to put anyone in harm's way," Travers said. An environmental cleanup firm was called in to dispose of everything that had been tainted in the spill. - Christine Wallgren