Summer at Town Hall

Officials have announced the summer hours for Town Hall, to be in effect through Aug. 29. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the offices in Town Hall will keep their regular hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Tuesdays, Town Hall will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Fridays the office hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

- Laura Colarusso

PRICE PROPOSED FOR NEWTON NORTH - The construction management firm for the new Newton North High School last week proposed a guaranteed maximum construction price for the project of $164,900,132. In a letter, Mayor David Cohen told aldermen, the School Committee, and the Design Review Committee for the project that the price offered by Dimeo Construction Co. will allow him to keep his pledge to hold the total cost of the project under $197.5 million. Cohen had previously said other costs for the project will total about $32 million. The guaranteed maximum price, or the most that the city would have to pay for construction on the project, is expected to be finalized between the city and Dimeo during the next two to four weeks, Cohen's spokesman, Jeremy Solomon, said. The city is building the project using a state statute that allows it to hire a "construction manager at risk." The statute permits the city to hire and negotiate with Dimeo without a competitive bidding process, but once the negotiation is complete, Dimeo will have to pay any costs over the negotiated amount. - Rachana Rathi

FARMERS MARKET BEGINS - The Waltham Farmers Market has begun its 18th season. It runs every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in the Sovereign Bank parking lot near the intersection of Main and Moody streets. According to Scott Shurr, one of the organizers, the weekly event is off to a good start, with more vendors and more customers than usual. Vendors include Smith's Country Cheese, Zachary Dean's Coffee Bean Co., Watch City Candles, and Great Oak Farm, which sells organic produce. The market runs through Nov. 1. - Lisa Kocian

PLENTY OF WORK PLANNED - The town will get cracking on a lengthy "to do" list this summer with six school buildings and 23 streets in line for upgrades. On June 24, the Town Council approved borrowing $5.3 million to redo 6 miles of roads, as well as sidewalks and curbs. Nearly half will be fully reconstructed, said Gerald Mee, the Department of Public Works superintendent. Hoping to move "aggressively" to take advantage of summer weather, Mee said he wants work to get underway in the next 30 to 45 days. The council also approved a $313,000 loan to complete more than a dozen repairs and upgrades to all three elementary schools, the middle school, the high school, and the former Phillips School administration building. Among the tasks: fixing roof leaks in all six buildings, replacing and repairing windows at the Phillips and middle schools, replacing the lighting in the high school gymnasium and resurfacing and painting its floor, replacing partitions in six bathrooms at the middle school, and fixing and relocating air-conditioning units at the Hosmer Elementary School and in the nurse's office at the middle school. Several other projects left over from last year's budget will also be done this summer, said Jay Francione, the school facilities director. These include installing security cameras at the high school and a new security system at Phillips, updating accessibility signs at the Cunniff and Lowell elementary schools, and painting the exterior of Lowell Elementary.

- Christina Pazzanese

LIBRARY TRUSTEE NEEDED - Would-be library trustee candidates have until Thursday to apply for consideration by the library board. The board, which meets that evening, is working to fill a vacancy created by the Feb. 8 death of Lucia Mastrangelo. Applicants must be town residents and should submit a cover letter and resume that includes an explanation of why they'd like to serve on the board. Applications can be sent by e-mail to lcole@watertown-ma.gov or mailed to the library's director, Leone Cole, Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St., Watertown, MA 02472. Once interviews are completed, the remaining board members and Town Council president Clyde L. Younger will vote on the appointment. The new trustee's term will expire at the November 2009 town election. - Christina Pazzanese

YOUTH BAND WORKSHOP - Berlin's 1870 Town Hall will host three music teachers to conduct workshops for young woodwind and brass players and percussionists this week. The workshops will take place tomorrow through Friday from 9 a.m. until noon, and are open to students entering grades 5 through 8 who have at least one year of experience with their instruments. Workshops will include individual instruction as well as full band practice. All students will perform in a concert at the 1870 Town Hall on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The fee for the workshop is $100. For more information, call Mary Redington at 978-838-0322. - John Dyer

SUSPICIOUS FIRE AT DPW - Police and fire authorities are continuing to investigate a fire that they believe was intentionally set in the Department of Public Works office building on Monday, Police Chief Vincent Alfano said. A police officer noticed the fire early in the morning as she was driving by, said Alfano. The building, which is separate from the highway garage area, sustained heavy damage, he said. The town's insurance company is determining the cost to repair the damage, said Shelly O'Toole, administrative assistant in the DPW. The department's office staff members are temporarily working out of a space in the back of the DPW garage, she said.

- Matt Gunderson

PARKING STUDY - The town has chosen the Beta Group to do a $50,000 study on the town's parking policies and enforcement. The study's major focus is on parking policies related to on-street and overnight parking restrictions and a winter parking ban, said Alison Steinfeld, the town's director of community and economic development. The study will also consider parking encroachment in residential neighborhoods during school and community events, as well as the supply and demand for parking downtown, she said. The study should be complete by the end of the year, at which point the Board of Selectmen will review the consultant's recommendations and make any needed policy changes.

- Tanya Perez Brennan

CONCERTS ON THE COMMON - This year's Concerts on the Common series kicks off Wednesday and continues every Wednesday in July, as well as on select dates in August. Children's programs will be at 6 p.m.; concerts run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The series begins with the Quintessential Brass band and continues the following week with sets by the Franklin School for the Performing Arts. Other series performers will include the Frank Padula Band, "American Idol" contestant Ayla Brown, and a visit by Boston Red Sox mascot Wally the Green Monster. In the event of rain, concerts will be held at the Ben Franklin Charter School across from the common. More information is available on the town website, franklin.ma.us. - Rachel Lebeaux

POLICE STATION CUPOLA FOR SALE - The Salisbury contractor who tore down Holliston's old police station is selling the building's cupola online. In an ad posted on craigslist.org, D.L. Hutchinson Heavy Equipment Co. is offering the 15-foot-tall dome-like structure for $7,500. In an auction held by the town before the station was demolished, the cupola failed to garner any bids. Town officials hope to have the new station completed by the fall. - Calvin Hennick

GEOTHERMAL HEAT FOR SENIORS - Hudson is conducting a feasibility study to determine whether geothermal heat is good idea for the town's proposed new $4.4 million senior center. The $4,500 study will examine the costs and benefits of geothermal heating, which uses the ground's constant temperature to cool water in the summer and heat it in the winter, said Hudson's community development director, Michelle Ciccolo. The cost of the system would be around $115,000, but Ciccolo estimated it could save $50,000 in heating and air conditioning equipment that wouldn't be needed if it is installed. The system could also pay itself off in the form of reduced energy bills in four or five years, she said. - John Dyer

BID TO EXPAND HANSCOM JOBS - Governor Deval Patrick announced Tuesday an effort to bring the headquarters of Air Force Cyber Command to Hanscom Air Force Base. If successful, it would bring 500 jobs to the area and spur further job and economic growth, officials said. Cyber Command is a new Air Force program to defend technical assets, such as air-traffic control and the Internet, from outside attack. Attacks on American technological infrastructure could lead to widespread safety and economic problems, officials said. - John M. Guilfoil

RESERVATIONS ABOUT HOSPITAL BILL - In a formal vote last week, selectmen said they would support a bill authorizing a 440-unit housing development at the site of the former Medfield State Hospital only if language in the bill is changed. Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said selectmen want to remove language that would allow the state to unilaterally alter plans for the site. The legislation would authorize the state to sell the property to a private developer that would build the complex. If it passes, the town would have to rezone the land to allow for the project. If the bill does not become law by July 31, when the current legislative session ends, Sullivan said, it would have to be filed again. - Calvin Hennick

NEW SUPERINTENDENT ON JOB - Nancy Gustafson took over the school district's reins as its new superintendent last week, after the School Committee announced June 25 that she had signed a three-year contract. Her predecessor, Peter Sanchioni, left to become superintendent of Natick's schools.

- Calvin Hennick

LIBRARY LOOKING FOR BOOK GROUPS - Do you belong to a book group? The Wayland Public Library would like to develop a database of contacts for book groups in the area. They're planning literary programs, including a "Community Reads" event in which everyone in town reads the same book. The library is looking to get as many book groups as possible on its contact list. Please e-mail information to Ann Knight at wayland@waylandlibrary.org or call 508-358-2311. - John M. Guilfoil

CHINESE TO JOIN CURRICULUM - Westborough High School will offer a single Chinese-language class in the fall, after 30 students expressed an interest in the course, according to the district's assistant superintendent, Marianne O'Connor. The school is searching for an instructor, she said. The district was disappointed that an insufficient number of middle school students expressed interest in the course. But O'Connor said she expects parents of children in the lower grades to become more interested as the program develops. - John Dyer