Major spending requests before voters

The Board of Selectmen and representatives of the school department will hold a public hearing on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall to discuss the three capital projects going before voters, said Town Administrator Michael McCue. The projects were approved by Town Meeting in May and require Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion overrides, or temporary property tax increases, that need townwide approval at the special election on Aug. 26. Each item will be voted on individually. The projects include the replacement of water mains on East Spring, East High, and Glendon streets ($3,282,492; drainage and road work on Pond Street ($2,890,671); and a new boiler and ventilation system at Ralph D. Butler School ($1,080,000).

- Joan Wilder

RECEPTION FOR ARTIST - Local artist Karen Callan will display a collection of her recent photography, "Window Treatments," in the Better Bean Coffee Co. in Central Square throughout July. A reception for Callan will be held at the coffee shop from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday. The exhibit features Callan's ongoing series of images captured through or on windows.

- Christine Legere

NEW TREATMENT CENTER FOR TEENS - The High Point Treatment Center launches a residential substance abuse treatment program for 13- to 17-year-olds on July 14. Children in the 26-bed program, dubbed Clean and Sober Teens Living Empowered, will stay an average of two weeks and receive follow-up outpatient care, said Joseph Shrand, medical director. There will be 50 full- and part-time staff, said Daniel Mumbauer, project CEO. The state Department of Public Health is funding the program, which will be quartered in renovated space on Meadowbrook Road. - Steve Hatch

SHIFT ENDS WITH A NEW LIFE - Firefighters helped a woman give birth to a healthy baby girl in her living room during the last hours of an exhausting, busy 24-hour shift recently. Canton Fire Captain Daniel Beal said the team of five delivered the baby after a call came in regarding a woman in labor at the Waterfall Hills apartment complex on Bolivar Street at about 5:45 a.m. on June 26. "It turned into a delivery room really quickly," said Beal, adding that the entire delivery took only about 10 to 15 minutes. Citing privacy laws, the family was not identified. Firefighter Doug King, whose new nickname is "doctor," said: "It was one thing I didn't want to fumble. It went very well." The baby and her mother were transported to Norwood Hospital and were reportedly doing well. The firefighters joining Beal and King on the call were Peter Grant, Bob Collins, and Michael Moriarty. - Elaine Cushman Carroll

GRANITE BUSINESS SEEKS TO OPEN SHOP - A company that processes granite and customizes it for kitchen counters and other uses is seeking to open a production facility and showroom in South Carver. Granites of America, based in Rhode Island, plans to do business in Carver by renovating an existing structure on Tremont Street and building an addition. Planning Board members, seeking more time to study the proposal, continued a public hearing on the plan to their July 15 meeting at Town Hall.

- Robert Knox

WORK BEGINS ON CEDAR STREET - The Department of Public Works will begin repaving Cedar Street tomorrow at 7 a.m. Work also will include sidewalk improvements. Vehicles must be cleared from the street prior to 7 a.m., and detours and police details will be posted as necessary. Questions can be addressed to public works director Joseph Flanagan at 781-751-9377 or jflanagan@dedham-ma.gov.

- Michele Morgan Bolton

SECOND TRY FOR CAPITAL SPENDING FUND - Voters will consider a $1.25 million permanent property tax increase, or override, when they cast their ballots during this November's presidential election. At last week's meeting, selectmen voted to make the request. If it passes, a capital stabilization fund would be established and used to cover the cost of capital projects. Selectmen say voters will pay less under such an arrangement, in the long run, than they will if they approve separate debt exclusions, or temporary tax increases, for each big project. The voters would ultimately control use of the capital stabilization money, since no project would be paid for through that account unless it was first approved by Town Meeting. Last year, voters considered this same question and defeated it. - Christine Legere

LIONS ARE ON TOP OF THE WORLD - They're rip-roaring proud at the Easton Lions Club. The club has been designated the top Lions chapter in the world. President Nancy Sullivan learned of the honor in an e-mail from the international Lions Club convention in Thailand last week. The club earned the designation in a "Challenge to Change" that measured such things as community impact, public relations, public participation and support, and membership participation. Efforts of the club, which has 173 members, include helping to start a Lions Club in Brockton.

- Steve Hatch

CHIEF GETS OK TO DECIDE ON DETAILS - The state has approved a new town bylaw passed at Foxborough's Special Town Meeting last December giving Police Chief Edward O'Leary the authority to assess traffic hazards and assign police details (at the expense of the businesses generating the hazard), when needed, said O'Leary. The bylaw was introduced to respond to the impact the Patriot Place complex will have on town roadways. In the coming week, O'Leary expects to release guidelines outlining situations, locations, and events that require special police details as well as procedures for businesses holding special events that generate extra traffic and require police-designed mitigation plans. - Joan Wilder

OVERRIDE VOTE NEARS - As a vote on a proposed $720,000 property tax increase nears, a grass-roots group has been working to convince residents that it is worth permanently adding about $178 to the average tax bill in order to prevent major cuts in town services. The July 21 menu-style ballot seeks additional funds for eight departments, including schools, public safety, Council on Aging, libraries, and highway. "This is a townwide issue. We are not just in support of one organization, we are in favor of the entire ballot," said Pauline McGrath, a spokeswoman for Freetown Action Committee for Tomorrow. The Board of Selectmen will not take a position on the Proposition 2 1/2 override, said chairwoman Lisa Pacheco. Town Meeting approved itemized budget increases for the eight departments and voters can decide on each increase separately, Pacheco said. Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m.

- Elaine Cushman Carroll

TOWN WINS LAWSUIT OVER FIRING - A Brockton Superior Court jury found in favor of the town last week in a wrongful termination suit brought by former firefighter and emergency medical technician Salvatore DiMare. The Kingston resident was fired from the Halifax Fire Department by the Board of Selectmen in 2002, after three days of disciplinary hearings. According to then-fire chief Robert Heath, DiMare had called him in to the station to settle two separate disputes with fellow firefighter-EMT Margret Logan. The second time the chief called him back to work, DiMare said he didn't feel safe working with Logan, and he wanted to leave. The chief had to finish DiMare's shift. Heath later told selectmen he warned DiMare that night that if he left, he was finished with the department. After the hearings, selectmen agreed with the chief and fired DiMare. The town's attorney, Leonard Kesten, said the jury deliberated 18 minutes, following the four-day trial, before finding in favor of the town. - Christine Legere

SMOOTHER PATH FOR SENIORS - The grounds of the Maquan Street building housing the town library and the senior center has a new pathway thanks to the efforts of a local teen. As his Eagle Scout project, Derek McCormack, 15, built the 35-foot concrete path connecting a deck used by seniors with the building's parking lot. McCormack, who was aided by fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 34, said the path will ease the challenge faced by the building's custodian each winter in trying to move the snow blower from a maintenance shed to the parking lot. He said seniors also can use the path to walk from the deck to the shed they use as a thrift shop. - John Laidler

WATER CUSTOMERS CAN GET E-MAIL ALERTS - Customers on the town's municipal water line can keep abreast of changes to the system that could impact the quality of their water by joining the Water Division's e-mail list. They will then be notified of water-related incidents and repairs, such as hydrant flushing, broken mains, and other water emergencies. To be placed on the distribution list, e-mail emccarter@mansfieldma.com. - Christine Legere

AMBULANCE CONTRACT ON THE TABLE - Selectmen may vote on a contract for third-party billing for ambulance services in town at its meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Marion Town House. In February, the board voted to go to a third-party billing system; there is currently no charge to residents for ambulance service; the town appropriates approximately $100,000 a year to cover those costs. Selectmen said if people are billed, most will be covered by their health insurance, or motor vehicle insurance if the ambulance is used in response to an accident.

- Paul E. Kandarian

SINGLE DAY FOR TRASH, RECYCLING PICKUP - Residents have a new and, officials said, easier schedule for trash and recycling pickup - the same day. The former schedule had trash picked up on one day, recycling on another. Health officials said having both on the same day will make it easier for people to recycle. - Paul E. Kandarian

FROM PUMPING GAS TO MAKING DOUGHNUTS - The long-closed gas station across the street from the Middleborough Public Library should soon be gone, making way for a new Dunkin' Donuts. The Zoning Board of Appeals has given owner Fernando Sardinha the go-ahead for the new store in the center of town. - Christine Legere

NSTAR CHECK ARRIVES - The first in a series of payments from NStar in exchange for allowing the utility to use the Ellis Avenue substation to serve clients in Westwood arrived at Town Hall last week. A check for $2 million will be available for use in the fiscal 2009 budget following approval last week by Town Meeting voters. NStar will also pay the town's Electric Light Department $2 million next year and then $1.8 million annually over the life of the anticipated 20-year agreement. - Michele Morgan Bolton

SECOND TRY ON OUTDOOR SEATING - Owners Christopher and Theodore Kesaris are returning to the selectmen Tuesday to request approval for outdoor seating at Christopher's Restaurant on Broadway. The pair last summer had submitted the same plan, which called for outdoor seating for up to 34 people and requires modification of their liquor license. According to Town Administrator Randall Buckner, selectmen denied that past application because of noise concerns expressed by neighbors. Tuesday's hearing on this latest request will open at 7:15 p.m. in the Town Hall. - Christine Legere

BOARD VETOES HOUSING PROJECT - The Zoning Board of Appeals shot down a proposed 144-unit housing development off Featherbed Lane, a portion of which would have been under Chapter 40B, the state's affordable-housing law. The board said safety, infrastructure, and wetlands were key concerns in turning down the proposal from developer Charles Tringale of Plymouth. - Paul E. Kandarian

LIBRARY DONATIONS SOUGHT - The parent-teacher organization at Sharon Middle School has offered parents and their children a way to show their appreciation to teachers and support the school library. The organization has invited parents and students to make an $18 donation to the school library. With that donation, librarians will purchase the parent and student's book of choice in honor of a teacher.

- Franci Richardson Ellement

INJURED BOY'S COURAGE REWARDED - Tumbling off his bicycle and having a brake lever pierce his thigh was bad enough for Walter Hansen, but when responding firefighters last month were forced to cut the bicycle's handlebars in order to transport him to a hospital, the 13-year-old's day went from bad to worse. Last week, firefighters returned the smile to the boy's face, giving him a new bicycle and helmet. "The kid just really impressed us," said Stoughton firefighter and local union president Peter Denneno. "He never cried. The guys felt bad for him. It was the least we could do." Denneno credited BJ's wholesale club for reducing the price on the bicycle.

- Robert Carroll

EDUCATOR WINS TOP NOD FROM STATE - Walpole High School teacher George Watson has been named Massachusetts Teacher of the Year by the Massachusetts Department of Education, and is automatically the state's candidate for National Teacher of the Year. Watson has taught Spanish at the high school for 36 years and been head of its foreign language department since 1980. "He's a man of integrity, endless energy, and at the forefront of innovation," said Superintendent Lincoln Lynch. Watson is known for integrating music into language learning and founding a foreign language awards night at the school. The National Teacher of the Year, an initiative of the Washington, D.C.-based Council of Chief State School Officers, will be chosen early next year.

- Joan Wilder

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR HEARING - The Board of Selectmen has tentatively scheduled a hearing for July 16 regarding its removal of John F. McAuliffe as town administrator. McAuliffe has been out of the job since June 17, when the selectmen voted, 4 to 1, to place him on administrative leave for "failure to support the stated agenda of the Board of Selectmen," not becoming a resident of the town, and several other reasons that were outlined in a three-page resolution. McAuliffe assumed the post of town administrator in August 2007. - Emily Sweeney

PRESERVATION BOARD SEEKS CITIZENS - The town is seeking residents interested in filling the four citizen-at-large positions on the new Community Preservation Committee. The nine-member panel will recommend to Town Meeting how to spend the revenues generated through the Community Preservation Act, which West Bridgewater adopted in May. The state law allows communities to impose a property tax surcharge to support affordable housing, open space, historic preservation, and recreation projects, with the state providing matching funds. To apply for the committee, send a letter of interest to the Board of Selectmen. - John Laidler

TAX BILLS COMING DUE - First-quarter real estate tax bills have been issued with payment due Aug. 1. Residents are asked to mail checks to the Collector's Office, 580 High St., Westwood 02090. Payments also may be made in person at Town Hall or online.

- Michele Morgan Bolton