Senior center seeks to restore funds

Director of Elder Affairs Lorraine Carrozza said she developed a budget proposal for next year that she believes would restore the senior center to its previous level of service. Her requested bottom line is for $112,000. "I'm not asking for the world," she said. "I'm hoping we can progress forward and provide services to people in the community who are in dire need." Last fall, the senior center budget was slashed from $108,000 to $53,000 after an operational budget override failed. Staff was laid off, Carrozza and assistant director Elizabeth Moura were reduced to part time, and the center was only able to open for 25 hours a week. Many services were only able to continue this year because of donations from the community, Carrozza said. - Christine Legere

REP GETS DIMASI NOD - State Representative Thomas P. Kennedy, Democrat of Brockton, received a promotion to the House leadership team with his appointment to vice chairman of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. Kennedy was one of four promotions that House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi made last week. Kennedy's new assignment will put him in an oversight role of contractual bidding for public projects, state regulations and reporting laws. State Senator Robert Creedon, Democrat of Brockton, is a member of the committee. Kennedy's appointment gives Brockton two seats on DiMasi's leadership team: the other is state Representative Christine Canavan, a member of the floor division committee and chairwoman of the second division. - Milton Valencia

FIREFIGHTERS RAISE MONEY FOR MDA - Canton firefighters raised $1,600 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the annual volleyball fund-raising tournament March 1. "The weather was bad, but we had a lot of fun," said firefighter Jim Maguire, who organized the tournament with help from his wife Suzanne Maguire and fellow firefighter Tom Norton. Fourteen regional teams, mostly police and firefighters, competed in the event, which drew dozens of spectators to Canton High School on a snowy Saturday. The Boston Police team took top honors, Maguire said. All proceeds support MDA, and those still wishing to contribute to the organization, which Canton firefighters have been supporting since 1954, can mail donations to the Canton Fire Department, 99 Revere St., Canton MA 02021, in care of Maguire. - Elaine Cushman Carroll

CONSERVATION CONVOCATION - Residents are invited to a discussion on land conservation Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Town Hall meeting room 1. The panelists include: Robb Johnson of the Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit land preservation organization; Bob Wilber of Mass Audubon; Gabriela Silva of the Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts; Sarah Hewins, Carver's conservation agent; and Phil Benjamin, a forester. The planning department sponsors monthly community forums on important issues. For further information, contact the planning department at 508-866-3450 or e-mail jack.hunter@carverma.org. - Robert Knox

SELECTMEN RACE ONE TO WATCH - With two members of the Board of Selectmen not seeking reelection, four candidates are vying to replace them. Running for the seats are Tom Polito, Russell Poole, Paul Reynolds, and Sarah MacDonald. Stepping down from the board are Marie-Louise Kehoe and Dennis J. Teehan. The race is expected to be the most watched this spring. Incumbents on the school committee and the planning board face no competitors for reelection. Other boards however, such as the Parks and Recreation Commission, have races. The town's website has a full list of candidates. Town elections are April 12. - James Vaznis

VOTE ON DEBT EXCLUSION STANDS - After checking with the town's attorney, officials have decided the recent Town Meeting vote that failed to authorize a temporary tax increase, or debt exclusion, for up to $4 million to build a new senior center, will stand. The proposed spending won a majority at the late February Special Town Meeting, but failed to secure a two-thirds vote. Officials conferred later with town counsel, who confirmed the request needed a two-thirds majority to move forward. The next step would have been a ballot vote. - Christine Legere

HEALTHY BUDGET BUT GAP REMAINS - Voters could decide whether to cut services or dip into the stabilization fund to help plug a $1,059,806 budget gap for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Town Administrator David A. Colton said in a preliminary budget message that the town's finances are healthy in this fiscal year, and that at this time he does not predict a need for an override. But he stressed that a dip in state revenue and a slow growth in the tax base, coupled with rising labor, energy and healthcare costs, have created the budget gap. He said he and town officials will further dissect finances to recommend cuts or dip into the stabilization fund, or both. The stabilization fund is certified at about $2.5 million, and the town has $1,089,375 in free cash. - Milton Valencia

MANAGER RETURNS - After receiving several serious code health violations over the last 15 months, Stop & Shop has brought back the store's original manager, Dave Slarve, to set things right. The most serious violation involved repeated instances of outdated meats for sale, which resulted in a decline in business. "Hopefully, with his return, they will do better," said Health Agent George Young, whose department will continue to conduct spot checks. - Joan Wilder

3 DOGS DIE IN FIRE - Three dogs died in a fire at Ellis Auto Body on Old Plymouth Street on Feb. 28, but 10 were saved. Fire Chief Lance Benjamino said firefighters responded to an emergency call just before 11 that night. The right wing of the building was destroyed, but the main building was saved. Four cars, a dune buggy, and a motorcycle were also destroyed. In its preliminary report, the state fire marshal's office attributed the cause of the blaze to a heat lamp attached to a dog kennel. Nick Gentile, the owner of Ellis Auto Body, also has a kennel license and breeds dogs at the location. The 10 dogs that survived were in the main building, Benjamino said, and were rescued by Gentile and his associates. Firefighters were unaware that there were dogs in the building, Benjamino said. "There were many obstacles we had to overcome," he said. The right side of the building will have to be demolished, Benjamino said. Damage is estimated at between $150,000 and $200,000. Gentile got the OK from the town's building and safety officials to continue to do business from his main building. - Christine Legere

SELECTMEN OVERHAUL - The May 17 annual election will be unusually busy when it comes to filling seats on the Board of Selectmen. Four of the five seats will be on the ballot, including those of the two board members whose terms expire this year, James Egan and Chris Colclough. Both are seeking new three-year terms. The other two seats are vacant due to resignations. Mark Gallivan, who resigned last fall, and Jesse McSweeney, who resigned effective this past Friday, are relocating. The winners of those two seats will serve a year, the time remaining on the terms. As of Tuesday, only Donald Howard had taken out nomination papers in the race for the vacant seats. In all, 16 offices will be on the ballot. The last day to obtain nomination papers is March 27, and to return them, March 31. - John Laidler

RAIL ROUTES - The state South Coast Rail manager, Kristina Egan, has scheduled an informational meeting tomorrow to present a short list of alternative routes that the Executive Office of Transportation is suggesting be forwarded to the environmental review process, as the state moves to restore passenger rail service from South Station to the south coast. A route should be decided by 2010, with construction of the line completed by 2016, according to a plan by Governor Deval L. Patrick. The meeting is at the Lakeville Public Library from 6:30 to 8 p.m. More information is available about the project at southcoastrail.com. - Paul E. Kandarian

PARKING LOT OWNERS GET HIKE - Selectmen have voted to increase fees for two owners of private parking lots used by commuter rail passengers, to help defray costs of weekly police details at peak times. Businessmen William Clemmey and Joseph Ditchman will be charged higher rates as part of the yearly licensing process. Final amounts are still being calculated, and will go into effect on July 1, according to the selectmen's office. Each of the privately owned lots contains about 175 spaces. Currently each owner pays a $50 licensing fee to the town plus $6 for each parking space. About 30 percent of the parking near the MBTA station is privately owned. - Christine Legere

CENSUS CHECK - Residents who have not returned their 2008 town census forms run the risk of being dropped from the voter rolls, officials said. Home visits will be made to those not responding to the request that the forms be filled out and mailed back to town hall. Information can be mailed or phoned into the town clerk's office at 2 Spring St., Marion, MA 02738, 508-748-3502. - Paul E. Kandarian

SENIOR CENTER GETS MORE SPACE - The Mattapoisett Council on Aging is moving to a new location in the same building. The council is scheduled to move to four first-floor classrooms at Center School that had been used for the past two years by the Mattapoisett Free Public Library during the library's expansion. The four rooms are in the oldest section of the school and will afford the council more than double the space it has now, said council director, Vanessa Williams. The move is expected to occur over the April school vacation. - Paul E. Kandarian

CANINE CLUB CLINIC - The Health Department and the Pocksha Canine Club will cosponsor a rabies clinic for dogs and cats, from 1:30 to 4 p.m., on March 30 at the South Middleborough Fire Station. Dogs should be on leashes and cats in carriers. The fee per shot is $10. For more information, call the Health Department at 508-946-2408. - Christine Legere

SCHOOLS TOLD TO EXPECT LESS NEXT YEAR - School Superintendent Patricia Ansay said she has been told by Town Manager James Purcell that the school budget for next year must be $371,000 less than the current year's $22.9 million. "That's less money than we had in 2005," Ansay said. Asked where the cuts will be made, Ansay replied. "Right now, everything is on the table." Norton voters have defeated two overrides in the last two years. The School Committee is expected to resume its budget discussion at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow in the middle school library. - Christine Legere

BUS SERVICE CLOSER - Bus service along two routes in the Route 44 corridor may be operating by the beginning of May, according to Town Administrator Randall Buckner. Currently, the only bus service available to residents is through the Dial-A-Ride program, where individuals make arrangements in advance. The routes would be offered by the Greater Attleboro and Taunton Regional Transit Authority. Money to cover the new service will come from the town's $89,000 yearly assessment paid to the MBTA. Such amounts may be taken to cover the cost of local public transportation, Buckner said. - Christine Legere

SILENT WITNESS - The Silent Witness Exhibit, a collection of red wooden silhouettes representing murder victims of domestic violence, is coming to the Sharon High School library. Last year saw a 63 percent increase in domestic violence homicides in the state, from 24 in 2006 to 39 in 2007. The name and story of what led to each individual's death - they are women, children, and men - is detailed on a breast shield. The exhibit, sponsored by the Sharon Help Us Get Safe organization and the Norfolk district attorney's office, opens April 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. It will run until April 16 at several locations in town. - Franci Richardson Ellement

PUSH FOR MORE IRAQ BENEFITS - Town officials and the Stoughton firefighters union remain at an impasse concerning pay and benefits to a Stoughton firefighter serving in Iraq with the National Guard. Town officials said they have offered to cover the difference between Fire Captain Doug Campbell's salary and his military pay, and to pay his and his family's health insurance premiums while he serves. But union officials last week labeled town officials "unpatriotic" for failing to provide fringe benefits. "It's shameful what the union is doing," said Joe Mokrisky, who as a selectman in 2001 made a motion that the town pay people on active duty the difference in pay, as well as health insurance, while they serve. He said the union wants Campbell to receive pay for sick time not used, uniform allowances, and an EMT stipend. "Where does it end? We're trying to be fair," Mokrisky said. "I don't know where we go from here," said Stoughton Town Manager Mark Stankiewicz. Union officials could not be reached for comment. - Robert Carroll

RADIO CHAIN - Ever wonder how amateur radio operators communicate in emergencies when mass power sources are down? "Our equipment is simple; . . . we have batteries and we relay, radio to radio," said Roger Turner, director of Walpole Emergency Management and a member of the town's Emergency Management Communications Group. Members use shortwave radio technology to interface with tens of thousands of similar groups throughout the world, and make up a civilian communications network able to operate when all else fails, as it did during Hurricane Katrina. For those wishing to learn more about emergency communications, the group is holding a workshop April 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Walpole Senior Center. The workshop is free, with lunch included, although donations will be accepted. To reserve a spot, call Turner at 508-660-7365. - Joan Wilder

SCHOOL COMMITTEE, SELECTMEN HAVE CHALLENGERS - Two selectmen seeking reelection will face opposition in the spring election. Two challengers, Frank X. DeFelice and Patricia A. Rumney, are vying for the seats held by incumbents Brenda Eckstrom and M. Jane Donahue. Another contest to watch will be the School Committee race, in which incumbents Geoffrey Swett and Clifford Sylvia will battle to retain their seats against challenger Kenneth Fontes. The town election is April 1, and the last day to register to vote is Wednesday. - Emily Sweeney

BALLOT TAKES SHAPE - Voters at the April 12 annual town election will not have any decisions to make on filling town positions. There are nine seats on the ballot this year, and the nine incumbents who hold the seats, including Selectman Eldon F. Moreira, are all unopposed. There is one contest to be decided: a ballot question asking if West Bridgewater should accept the Community Preservation Act. The annual Town Meeting last June 11 voted to adopt the act, but that action needs to be ratified by voters. The state law allows cities and towns to impose a property tax surcharge of up to 3 percent to fund open space, recreation, historic preservation, and affordable housing projects. The state provides matching funds. The West Bridgewater proposal calls for a 1 percent surcharge, with exemptions for the first $100,000 of the value of each parcel, and for properties of low to moderate-income seniors and low-income nonseniors. - John Laidler

WATER BOARD APPOINTMENT - Selectmen appointed Joseph Carter, a local attorney, to the Dedham Westwood Water District Commission. He joins two other residents on the board. Westwood and Dedham each have three representatives. The locally controlled public water system, a nonprofit created by the Legislature in 1985, serves parts of both towns. -James Vaznis