Open studio tour in Amesbury

November 9, 2008

Nearly 60 local artists will be featured during the Amesbury Cultural Council's annual Open Studio Tour Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and next Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The free, self-guided tour provides a chance to peer into the creative spaces of a variety of artists ranging from painters to printmakers, and to purchase their works. A list of participating artists and a map showing locations is available at Town Hall and the library, and on the day of the event at the starting point for the tour, the Amesbury Cultural Center, inside the Carriage Lofts in the Upper Millyard. On both days, there will also be special arts activities for children and live music at the center.

- John Laidler

CVS HAS DOWNTOWN PLANS - CVS has proposed razing three downtown buildings to build a new store. One of the structures is the former Elliott Chambers rooming house, the site of a 1984 fire that killed 15 people. CVS's attorney, Mark Glovsky, said CVS still needs a demolition permit and approval from the Planning Board for the project to go forward. If approved, Glovsky said construction would begin next year. Glovsky said the pharmacy would have a drive-through window, and the parking lot would have room for 70 vehicles. - Steven Rosenberg

TOWN MEETING DECISIONS - A recent Special Town Meeting rejected a proposal to spend $100,000 to prepare a preliminary design of a possible new combined library and senior/community center off Spofford Road behind Town Hall. The meeting approved a citizen's petition article asking the town to dedicate a 4.3-acre parcel on Round Top Road for conservation purposes under Chapter 97 of the state constitution. It took no action on a proposal authorizing the town to take by eminent domain 25.8 acres behind the Spofford Pond School and to spend $200,000 to finance the acquisition and related legal expenses. Voters also rejected a proposal designating portions of the Haynes land on Middleton Road for specific uses, but approved funding to prepare initial plans for affordable housing and athletic fields on parts of the site. The meeting cut $104,287 from the current budget to eliminate a projected deficit.

- John Laidler

HOME IMPROVEMENT - The Zoning Board of Appeals tomorrow will hold a public hearing on a request to convert a single-family home at 177 Maple St. into a two-family home. The board also will hear an application to put an addition on a single-family home at 10 Washington St. Ext. The board will meet at 7 p.m. in the Daniel J. Toomey Hearing Room at Town Hall. - Kathy McCabe

HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR - Artisans and crafters are being sought for the annual Holiday Craft Fair at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church. This year's fair is 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the church, 471 Main St. Vendors may rent space that will accommodate an 8-foot table for $25. To reserve a spot, call 978-521-0637. -Brenda J. Buote

REZONING THE FORT - The Planning Board will discuss the proposed rezoning of The Fort neighborhood at 7 p.m. tomorrow at City Hall. The proposal, suggested by Mayor Carolyn Kirk, calls for changing the neighborhood from a Marine Industrial zone to a Neighborhood Business, Central Business, and Harbor District zone. The proposed change would include the south side of Beach Court, southwest and south side of Commercial Street, and both sides of Fort Square. - Steven Rosenberg

WORKING OFF THEIR TAXES - There is a new information desk at Town Hall. The desk is staffed by senior citizens as part of the town's tax mitigation program, which allows seniors to work off a portion of their property tax. - David Rattigan

GETTING BEHIND A FAMILY - More than 80 people turned out at a fund-raiser held by the Manchester Mothers Club to help a local family in need at its annual chili cook-off. The event, at the American Legion Post 113 hall, raised $3,600 to assist Todd and Patty Rogers and their three children, who lost most of their belongings in a fire that heavily damaged their Essex home last June. The Manchester architectural firm Olson, Lewis, Dioli & Doktor was the chief corporate sponsor of the event, which included a raffle with donated items from 30 local businesses. The club continues to welcome donations to the fund it established for the family. Send a check payable to the Rogers Family Fire Fund, First National Bank of Ipswich, Essex Branch, 8-10 Martin St., Essex, MA 01929. - John Laidler

HOLD THE BIG STUFF - The Board of Health is advising residents that the scale at the town transfer station on Woodfin Terrace will be closed for repairs from Nov. 17 through Nov. 24. The scale is used to weigh large trash items that are not picked up curbside, such as furniture and mattresses. During the Nov. 17 week, only regular household trash in small quantities will be accepted at the station. Other transfer station operations will continue as usual. The scale is tentatively set to be returned to service on Nov. 25. - John Laidler

REWARD RAISED - The family of a Middleton man who has been missing since the fall of 2005 has increased its reward offer to $25,000 for information leading to his whereabouts. John Lima, 26, a construction worker, was last seen at his family's River Street home on the evening of Oct. 28, 2005, according to the office of Essex District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett. Middleton Police and State Police assigned to Blodgett's office have questioned numerous people about Lima's disappearance, and have combed the area of his residence with search dogs and a helicopter, but as yet have not solved the case, according to Blodgett's spokesman, Steve O'Connell. Anyone with information is asked to contact Middleton police at 978-774-4424, or State Police at 978-745-8908. Callers may also use an anonymous State Police tip line, 508-820-2121. - John Laidler

ANOTHER HEALTHCARE OPTION - Mayor John Moak has sent a letter to the city's unions asking them when they will cast their ballots and decide whether to join the Blue Cross and Blue Shield tiered health insurance program. If the city joins, the move would save taxpayers roughly $500,000, according to Moak. The city proposed that Newburyport's municipal employees join the program after the unions voted in September against joining the state's Group Insurance Commission. - Brenda J. Buote

MORE OPEN SPACE PURCHASED - A closing was recently held on the city's purchase 11.5-acres of forest and wetlands on Scouting Way from Eastman Gelatine Corp. The city is using its Community Preservation Fund for the $550,000 purchase. According to community and development director Jean Delios, Peabody paid half of the price at closing and will pay the balance in a year. The city bought the parcel for open space and possible use as athletic fields. Delios said the purchase is part of Mayor Michael J. Bonfanti's ongoing effort to secure open space. With the Scouting Way land, Peabody has bought close to 70 acres of undeveloped land during the past three years. - John Laidler

TAX HIKE VOTE SET - The town has selected Nov. 25 to hold a special election for a $894,000 debt exclusion that would cause a temporary property tax increase. The funds would be used to purchase the Granite Savings Bank building on Broadway. The building abuts the Town Hall lot. The town has not decided how it will use the building.

- David Rattigan

PRESERVING NEIGHBORHOODS - The city's Department of Planning and Community Development will present the results of a recent study conducted on Neighborhood Preservation Districts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the City Hall Annex, 120 Washington St. The study focuses on how the districts can preserve the character of neighborhoods while allowing for new development. Included in the study is an assessment of the potential for such preservation districts in Salem; sample design guidelines for Bridge Street and the Point neighborhood; and a draft Neighborhood Preservation District Ordinance.

- Steven Rosenberg

ANTIQUE APPRAISALS - The Friends of the Salisbury Public Library is holding an Antiques Appraisal Day Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hilton Senior Center, 43 Lafayette Road. Paul Royka, owner of Royka's Fine Art and Antiques on Newbury Street in Boston, will offer verbal appraisals of items brought in by the public. Appraisals cost $10 apiece, or three for $25. Participants are asked not to bring coins, jewelry, or weapons. All proceeds will support the library. For more information, call 978-465-5071. - John Laidler

PROPERTY SALES UP FOR VOTE - A proposal to sell four town buildings and redevelop the sites as housing will come before a Special Town Meeting that convenes at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the high school auditorium. The Town Building Oversight Committee is offering articles that would authorize the sale of the former middle School on Greenwood Avenue; the former Temple Israel building on Humphrey Street; the former Phillips Beach fire station on Phillips Avenue; and the former senior center on Burrill Street. Another article would provide for zoning changes needed for the committee's proposed reuses of the site. Under its proposal, the temple site would be redeveloped for up to 42 residential units and the middle school site for up to 41 units. The fire station property would be redeveloped as a single-family home. The former senior center would be converted to two to three units of affordable housing.

- John Laidler

ANNEX PLAN - Selectmen are considering developing a long-term plan for the 1910 Building Annex. The annex is a subsidiary building to town offices, and an occasional site for meetings. Voters at a Special Town Meeting last month held off on a vote that would have allotted $40,000 to install a separate heating/air conditioning system in the annex. Newly elected Selectman chairman Albert Knowles Jr. suggested the space could be used for a community center. - Taryn Plumb

APPLY FOR HABITAT HOME - Habitat for Humanity-North Shore will select a family to purchase an affordable one-family home it plans to construct on Cooper Street in Lynn. Applications from prospective buyers are being accepted through Dec. 1. Applicants must meet income requirements. Preference will be given to people who have resided for more than a year in Beverly, Danvers, Lynn, Lynnfield, Marblehead, Nahant, Peabody, Salem, Saugus, Swampscott, or Topsfield. The three-bedroom home will be sold for $100,000 to $125,000. The family selected is required to contribute 400 hours of "sweat equity" to the project. Anyone interested is invited to an informational meeting Friday from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at St Pius V Parish, 215 Maple St. in Lynn. For more information about the project, go to www.habitatforhumanity-northshore.com, call 781-598-0310, or e-mail homeowner@habitatforhumanity-northshore.com.

- John Laidler

LEANER BUDGET - Town administrator Todd Selig has submitted a budget of $10,406,699 to the Town Council$100,000 less than last year. Selig estimated that the town's tax rate will stay at $7.03, but said it might drop after the current revaluation. - Tom Long

LONGTIME JUDGE RETIRES - Judge Francis Frasier has retired after 28 years on the bench at Hampton District Court. Frasier, who was the court's first full-time judge, was appointed by the late governor Hugh Gallen in 1980. He retired Oct. 26 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. - Tom Long