Interest is cooking up

Tickets are available for the Acton-Boxborough Rotary Club's kitchen tour. The club has selected eight unique private kitchens in Acton and Boxborough that will be open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. May 31. In addition to viewing a variety of kitchens, guests will have an opportunity to speak with kitchen designers. The cost is $20 per ticket if purchased in advance, $25 the day of the tour. Tickets are available at local businesses or by contacting a member of the Rotary. For more information, go to actonboxboroughrotary.org.

- Jennifer Fenn Lefferts

ROLL OUT THE BARRELS - The town is offering residents the opportunity to purchase a New England rain barrel for $66.50, a discount of $22.50 from the retail price, in hopes that homeowners will embrace conservation efforts. Rain barrels are 55-gallon plastic recycled containers that can store rain water for outdoor use and help decrease demand on the municipal water system during the summer months. Orders may be placed through June 12; the barrels may be picked up on June 19 at the Department of Public Works Yard, 51 Grove St. Order online at nerainbarrel.com or call the New England Rain Barrel Co. at 877-977-3135. - Brenda J. Buote

BUDGET, DEVENS TOP MEETING - The annual Town Meeting starts at 7 p.m. tomorrow in the Ayer High School auditorium. Selectmen will present a $22.1 million operating budget, up $1.6 million over this fiscal year. Articles on the warrant will ask selectmen to petition the Legislature to create the Town of Devens within the Devens Regional Enterprise Zone, authorize selectmen to accept a deeded gift of land on Fox Run Drive, ask for the allocation of $20,000 for the regional school district planning committee to draft a regional school district agreement, and ask for the transfer of $150,000 from the stabilization fund to cover ongoing litigation fees. - Taryn Plumb

FORUM ON VAN SERVICE - Officials are seeking feedback on Bedford's public transportation service, Bedford Local Transit. The 25-year-old van service shuttles residents door-to-door within town or runs fixed trips to the Burlington Mall. Fares range from 25 cents to 75 cents, with elderly or handicapped riders paying the lowest rates. The service averages about 30 rides a day, said Assistant Town Manager Joanna Nickerson, and town officials would like to maximize use of the van. Town officials will hold a public forum at 1 p.m. Thursday in the Town Hall multipurpose room to hear ideas on ways to improve it. Residents may also call or send suggestions by May 23 to the Council On Aging, 781-275-6825, or COA@town.bedford.ma.us. - Kytja Weir

UNRESTRICTED BANKING - Town Meeting rejected a proposed bylaw change that would have made it more difficult for banks to move to town. The proposal, which needed two-thirds approval, fell short, with 91 in favor to 89 against. The Planning Board, concerned about the number of banks in the town's commercial districts, proposed a change that would have required new banks to apply for a special permit before moving to town. - Jennifer Fenn Lefferts

WATER RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT - Mandatory water conservation went into effect May 1 and will continue until Sept. 30. Homeowners will be allowed to sprinkle lawns and gardens every other day. Those with odd-numbered street addresses can water on odd-numbered days, and their neighbors across the road on even-numbered days. A town bylaw allows officials to enforce the measure by fining violators. First-time violators will receive a $50 citation, and subsequent scofflaws will be fined $100. Commercial and industrial businesses will be fined double the residential amounts. - Joyce Pellino Crane

TWO CONTESTED RACES - There are two contested races in the May 19 town election. Three candidates are seeking two seats on the Board of Selectmen. They are Karim M. Raad, Raid M. Suleiman, and incumbent Leslie Fox. There are four candidates for two positions on the Planning Board: Julie A. Carroll, Nancy E. Fillmore, Norman A. Hanover, and incumbent Karen B. Metheny. The terms for the Planning Board and Board of Selectmen are three years. Voting is at Town Hall. - Jennifer Fenn Lefferts

SIGNIFICANT SERVICE - Six Burlington teens were honored last weekend by Girls Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts and by local and state officials for earning the Gold Award, the highest honor that Girl Scouts ages 14 to 18 can earn. Christina Strezo, Tanya Merkel, Danica Burt, Katherine Teebagy, Mary Donhoffer, and Hemali Patel were honored at a ceremony at the Fox Hill School for completing significant service projects. Strezo led a traffic-safety program for eighth-graders; Merkel organized volunteers to make 26 quilts for abused children living in shelters; Burt developed an environmental-awareness program for fifth-graders; Teebagy organized a speakers program on politics for high school seniors; Donhoffer helped pair high school volunteers with special-needs individuals; and Patel created a biology teaching video with the help of high school science and drama students. - Eric Moskowitz

FRIDAY DEADLINE FOR WELL TESTS - The Board of Health is sponsoring well testing for residents May 31. A variety of tests is available, including a complete water-quality scan that looks for E. coli bacteria, arsenic, copper, lead, ammonia, chloride, and more; a test for volatile organic compounds such as petroleum products; and a test for radon. Costs range from $30 to $125, plus a $20 testing fee. The deadline to sign up is Friday. Contact the board for details at 978-369-0283, or go to carlislema.gov and click on the Board of Health tab. - Nancy Shohet West

DETOURS AHEAD - Detours will be set up for Monument Street as repair work on Flint's Bridge is set to begin. Construction is expected to be completed in April 2010. During construction, Monument Street will be closed to through traffic from Liberty Street to the Old North Bridge parking lot. The bridge visitor lot will remain open during construction. The detour will route traffic from Monument Street to Liberty Street and then to Lowell Street.

- Jennifer Fenn Lefferts

$28,000 APPROVED FOR PRESERVATION - Residents have approved the allocation of $28,000 in Community Preservation Act funds for three historic projects in town. The Council on Aging was allotted $20,000 to perform scraping and painting of the Hildreth House's trim; the Historical Commission was allotted $3,000 to restore doors on the Shaker Herb Drying House; and selectmen were allotted $5,000 to restore three areas of the Massachusetts Avenue stone wall. Roughly $230,000 more in fiscal year 2009 community preservation funds was placed with resident approval into various reserves and trusts. According to the community preservation committee, the town has earmarked $1.8 million for community preservation in seven years.

- Taryn Plumb

A MOTHERS' MAZE - Come celebrate Mother's Day in the new labyrinth and garden at the Church of Our Redeemer, 6 Meriam St. The landscape and accompanying low-walled memorial garden was recently finished, a culmination of several years of work. In 2005, the Labyrinth/Memorial Garden Committee held a juried competition for the design and selected a student at the Boston Architectural Center for the project. The labyrinth was installed last June, but work on the surrounding landscape took several more months to complete. The Mother's Day celebration is slated to take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Cookies and lemonade will be served. - Brenda J. Buote

THE TRIALS OF PARENTING III - Littleton High School will host the third of its parenting series at 6:30 p.m. May 20 in the high school auditorium. The topic is "Planning Ahead for College Expenses," and will feature speaker Joanne Dashiell, a financial planning specialist from the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority who specializes in college financing and financial aid. Parents of high school freshmen and sophomores are encouraged to attend and learn how they can make the most of the next few years in terms of saving for their children's college tuition. - Nancy Shohet West

FOCUS ON PARKING - Mayor Michael J. McGlynn last week unveiled a task force to study parking and traffic issues in Medford and recommend improvements. The committee will be chaired by Police Chief Leo A. Sacco Jr. and include Marguerite Lynch, Anthony Santoro, Gwen Blackburn, and City Councilor Michael J. Marks. "Anyone who's lived in the city for any length of time, whether it's been a month or 25 or 50 years, knows one of the biggest problems we have in the city is traffic and parking," Sacco said at a press conference, saying that his department lacks the staff for regular enforcement of parking regulations.

- Eric Moskowitz

NEW SELECTMAN ELECTED - Selectman Philip Dardeno has lost his seat on the board to Sean T. Delaney by a vote of 1,868 to 1,256 in the recent town elections, according to the town clerk's office. A third candidate, Lori Jean Mitchener, garnered 520 votes. Dardeno served a three-year term, officials said. Residents also elected John Murphy to a one-year term as moderator and Clifford Bowers to a three-year term on the School Committee.

- Laura M. Colarusso

THOUGHTS ON EDUCATION - The Reading Cultural Council is asking residents to take a survey about what types of educational activities the town should have. The nine-question survey will help the council, which disburses state-funded grants to local groups for public programs in the arts, sciences, and humanities, set its priorities for the next three years. The survey is available on the town's website, readingma.gov. - Laura M. Colarusso

HEALTH INSURANCE SAVINGS - Officials are considering changes to the town's health insurance program, including increasing copayments and monthly premiums. The proposal would double emergency room copayments to $100; raise doctors' office copayments to $20 from $15; and increase the copays for pharmaceuticals, said Kevin Johnston, town treasurer. In addition, employees would pay 25 percent of insurance costs, up from 10 percent, said Leonard "Chip" Guercio, chairman of the Board of Selectmen. The town is looking at whether to eliminate health insurance for elected officials, Guercio said. It costs about $12,000 a year to provide health insurance to a selectman, whose annual stipend is $3,000, Guercio said. The decision concerning health insurance cuts will be made this month, Johnston said.

- Julie Masis

CHANGES AT SENIOR CENTER - The town will be handing over management of its Senior Center to a nonprofit. In the first night of Town Meeting, voters approved leasing the Elm Street facility for up to 10 years, and having Community Service Network Inc. take over management. The nonprofit has offices in the center and helps low-income residents of Burlington, Lexington, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn. The town sought the switch to help save money during what town officials called another tight budget year. The town would continue to own the building and lease it to the nonprofit for a nominal fee. - Kytja Weir

BUDGET GROWS 6 PERCENT - Town Meeting approved the fiscal 2009 budget of more than $75.7 million, a 6 percent increase over this year's spending, according to town officials. Roughly $22 million is earmarked for municipal government costs, while more than $29 million is allocated for the School Department. The schools' budget, which does not include maintenance, health insurance for employees, or energy costs, will rise 8.25 percent from the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

- Laura M. Colarusso

POWER BOOST - More Winchester residents than expected have contributed to a solar energy challenge, so the town may become eligible for two new solar panels. The challenge initially sought 150 households to pledge a tax-deductible donation of $5 or more each month for a year, or a one-time $100 donation to the New England Wind Fund. If the goal was reached by the end of April, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative planned to install a 2-kilowatt photovoltaic system at Winchester High School. The system, worth an estimated $25,000, would produce energy and serve as a teaching tool in the schools. But preliminary numbers showed that 224 had signed up as of last week, said Adam Briggs, an energy program associate with the Mass. Energy Consumers Alliance. The organizers extended the challenge until the end of June, Briggs said, so that if 300 households in total sign up, the town could earn a second panel. For more information, visit newenglandwind.org/wind. - Kytja Weir

BUDGET SESSIONS - Mayor Thomas L. McLaughlin presented the City Council last week with his proposed budget for fiscal year 2009, submitting a $113.2 million proposal that includes $96.2 million for operations and maintenance for city and school departments and $16.9 million for water and sewer, according to the city clerk's office. The mayor also submitted a separate $1.7 million capital budget. The budget represents a 4.4 percent increase over the current fiscal year and would keep the city nearly $1 million below its Proposition 2 1/2 tax-levy limit, according to the mayor's office. The City Council, which can approve or reduce the budget but not make additions, will hold meetings to review individual departments and line items starting tomorrow. The council will hold additional sessions Wednesday, which will include the library, fire, and public health budgets, and again on May 19, May 27, and June 2. The new fiscal year starts July 1. - Eric Moskowitz