GLOBE NORTHWEST COMMUNITY BRIEFING
Going green
ACTON
The new group Green Acton is focusing on townwide approaches to saving energy and being environmentally responsible. According to Jim Snyder-Grant, a spokesman for Green Acton, the Board of Selectmen has indicated that working on green issues and sustainability was a top priority, but has lacked time and resources. Snyder-Grant said Green Acton will fill that need, by making suggestions for municipal government, residences, businesses, and schools throughout the town.
- Julia Quinn-Szcesuil
ARLINGTON
BAZAAR ON DECK - St. Agnes School's 35th annual Christmas Bazaar will be open for business in two weeks, beginning on Friday, Nov. 14. The Christmas Bazaar will take place in the gymnasium at Arlington Catholic High School on 16 Medford St., on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Erin Cahill
AYER
DEFENSE CONTRACTOR SETS UP SHOP - L-3 Communications ESSCO Inc. has moved into renovated, 216,000-square-foot space at 90 Nemco Way. The new office and manufacturing space consolidates work previously done in Concord and Auburn and includes manufacturing projects of L-3 Wolf BEDFORD
CHILD-REARING ADVICE - Developmental psychologist Richard Lerner will speak to parents and other interested adults on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Auditorium on "How to Build Resilient and Successful Children." Lerner, who is director of the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development at Tufts University, emphasizes family support as a key factor in positive youth development. The talk is sponsored by Bedford Youth & Family Services. - Nancy Shohet West
BELMONT
HOUSE TOUR - Tickets are available for the Belmont Garden Club's house tour today. Six private homes will be decorated for six celebrations, centering on the dining room table for this year's Festive Occasions tour. The celebrations represented include Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, an Easter egg hunt, and bridesmaids' luncheon. Proceeds from the event will be used to fund community plantings and scholarships. Tickets are $30 each and will be available at the Belmont Public Library. The tours run from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Jennifer Fenn Lefferts
BILLERICA
EMERGENCY KITS AVAILABLE - Residents will have the opportunity to purchase and assemble 72-hour emergency kits provided by the town's Health Department and the Upper Merrimack Valley Medical Reserve Corps. Kits include a backpack, emergency disaster guide, crank flashlight and radio, tarp, tent, and various first aid and emergency supplies. The event begins at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. A $50 pre-payment fee is due tomorrow. A free session will take place Nov. 10 at at the Town Hall Auditorium, 365 Boston Road, where you learn to assemble the kits at 6 p.m. and can learn more about the national Medical Reserve Corps program at 6:30 p.m. For information. call the Health Department at 978-671-0931.
- Joyce Pellino Crane
BOXBOROUGH
PARTNERSHIP UPDATE - Jessica Strunkin, manager of public policy and public affairs for the 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership Inc., went before the Board of Selectmen Oct. 20 to provide an update on the organization's efforts. The 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership is an alliance of public and private groups - including towns, planning agencies, and legislators - that works to prepare its 32 member communities for sustainable growth. The group's current focus is transportation needs, especially along Interstate 495 and the I-495 and Route 290 interchange, Strunkin said. - Julia Quinn-Szcesuil
BURLINGTON
CAUTION IN CRAFTING BUDGET - Several town officials and boards gathered last week to start planning next year's budget. The School Committee, Board of Selectmen, Ways and Means Committee, and schools and town administrators met to lay the groundwork for a budget season that will be unlike those in recent years. Sonia Rollins, the Board of Selectmen's chairwoman, said Burlington's finances have been strong, allowing the town to propose budget increases of about 5 percent each year without increasing property taxes up to the maximum allowed. But given the uncertainty of the national and local economy, the budget will be tighter this year, Rollins said. - Jennifer Fenn Lefferts
CARLISLE
SCHOOL DESIGN FUNDS - The School Building Committee has requested that a Special Town Meeting be scheduled in January to vote on funding for schematic design work for a new grade-school building. The committee is charged with coming up with a proposal for how best to replace the 50-year-old Spalding Building, which is on the Carlisle Public School campus and houses kindergarten and first-grade classes. The building suffers from water damage, mold and termite infestation, and offers insufficient space for emerging curricular needs.
- Nancy Shohet West
CONCORD
FORUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE - A public forum will be held in Concord to address issues related to climate change. The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Alcott School. Several speakers will look at ways to address climate change and energy efficiency in times of economic uncertainty. Topics include the energy challenges facing communities, how residents and businesses can reduce energy costs and promote local agriculture, and pending environmental initiatives in the Legislature. For more information, check the League of Women Voters of Concord-Carlisle website at lwvcc.com.
- Jennifer Fenn Lefferts
HARVARD
HEALING GARDEN OPENS NEW CENTER - The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, a nonprofit educational group serving women with breast cancer and their families, recently opened a center at 145 Bolton Road. The center is named for a late Harvard selectwoman. For more information on services and programs, call Lana Heino Roman, executive assistant to the center, at 978-456-3532. - Davis Bushnell
DISCUSSION ON QUESTION 1 - The League of Women Voters this week is scheduled to discuss the potential impact of Question 1 - the state ballot question that seeks to eliminate the state personal income tax - on local seniors. According to the League, seniors could lose Circuit Breaker tax credits and home healthcare services, and a reduction in state-supported nursing home care, should voters approve the the ballot measure. The discussion will be held Wednesday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Lexington Senior Center, 1475 Massachusetts Ave.
- Brenda J. Buote
LITTLETON
BORROWING FOR POLICE STATION - Voters faced a range of funding questions at last week's Special Town Meeting. The biggest-ticket item on the agenda was the borrowing of $6.28 million for construction of a new police station. Citizens approved the article, by a vote of 398 to 69.
- Nancy Shohet West
MEDFORD
SQUARE DEDICATED - The City of Medford dedicated the square at Boston Avenue and Quincy Street in honor of Corporal Raymond Gordon O'Neal, who was killed in a clash with Chinese troops during the Korean War. The square dedication and sign unveiling, held Oct. 15, was attended by neighborhood residents and O'Neal's friends and family, including Frank Aronno, who led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Warren Ramirez, who recalled O'Neal from the days they grew up in the neighborhood.
- Brad Kane
NORTH READING
BUDGET SHORTFALL - Facing an estimated budget shortfall of $730,000 for the upcoming fiscal year, the Board of Selectmen will hold a public hearing with the Finance Committee and the School Committee after the Nov. 4 elections to discuss proposals for tackling the deficit. The deficit includes a projected $128,000 drop in revenue from building permits as a result of the slowdown in the housing economy. To help cope with the financial crisis, Town Administrator Greg Balukonis recommended that North Reading officials wait until after the hearing to borrow the $1.2 million for capital improvement projects that were approved at Town Meeting earlier this month.
- Richard Thompson
READING
DOWNTOWN PARKING CRUNCH - Town officials have hired a Boston consulting firm to help develop a solution for the parking squeeze in downtown Reading and evaluate the feasibility of constructing a parking garage. Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner will be on hand with a representative from Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates at the Senior Center on Thursday at 7 p.m. to hear feedback from Reading residents. - Richard Thompson
SHIRLEY
POLL WORKERS NEEDED - The town clerk is looking for registered voters to work at the polls on Election Day. The town needs extra people to help out this year because in addition to the presidential race, there will be a ballot on the town's second Proposition 2 1/2 tax override. To help out, call clerk Amy McDougall at 978 425 2600 ext. 205. - Julie Masis
STONEHAM
DEBATE ON QUESTION 1 - Stoneham is hosting a debate tomorrow night at Stoneham High School on the state income tax repeal, Question 1 on the ballot, in the upcoming Nov. 4 election, said John Warren, chairman of Stoneham's Finance and Advisory Board. Warren is moderating the debate, which will begin at 7:15 p.m. in the high school auditorium. The event will be broadcast live on Stoneham public access channels 3, 9 and 34 and will be replayed at various times leading up to the election. - Bella Travaglini
WILMINGTON
MENTAL HEALTH AGENCY FUND-RAISER - The largest fund-raiser of the year for the Wilmington Family Counseling Service is scheduled for next Sunday The Nov. 2 fund-raiser, a gourmet food festival featuring cuisine from area restaurants, costs $25 and will take place 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Casa Di Fior in Wilmington. The benefit includes a raffle and silent auction. Tickets can be purchased by calling 978-658-9889. - James O'Brien
WINCHESTER
TIGHTENING SPENDING - Town Manager Melvin Kleckner told selectmen last week he is preparing to implement a hiring freeze and tighten discretionary spending in response to Governor Deval Patrick's recently announced $1 billion in cuts in the state budget. Kleckner expects that as the budget situation worsens in this weak economy, the town must prepare for a future round of municipal aid cuts.
- Bella Travaglini
WOBURN
HEALTHY MARKET FOR OFFICE SPACE - Even with its reputation as an industrial center, the business office space market in Woburn is drawing notice. As Cummings Properties fills up its 530,000-square-foot TradeCenter 128 off Route 128, VinCo Properties Inc. has finalized a financing deal for a building it owns in Woburn worth more than three times the original purchase price. The Boston-based company, which specializes in improving underused buildings and land, bought the 74,000-square-foot office building near the intersection of Route 128 and I-93 for $4.15 million in 2006. The financing deal with Berkshire Bank is worth $12.56 million. - Brad Kane 