Town hall available

Officials are accepting applications from Berlin residents and town-based groups who want to rent the 1870 Town Hall on Woodward Avenue. Fees for using different venues in the hall vary, with the highest fee, $100, charged for private events on the second floor. Applications can be found at the municipal website, townofberlin.com. For more details, contact Evy Dueck at 978-838-2738. - John Dyer

CELL TOWER AT TRANSFER STATION - Selectmen have tentatively given the go-ahead to Verizon Wireless to build a cell tower on the town's transfer station property, said Town Administrator Jodi Ross. Details need to be worked out, such as setback requirements and public safety issues, but the cell tower should move forward as planned if those issues can be resolved, said Ross. The tower is expected to generate about $25,000 annually for the town, she said. - Matt Gunderson

SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH - School officials in the Berlin-Boylston Regional district hope to have a new superintendent selected by March, said Christine Keefe, chairwoman of the Tahanto Regional School Committee. The New England School Development Council is putting together a list of applicants for the position, and the deadline for submitting an application is Saturday, said Keefe. Meanwhile, school officials are compiling comments from a recent survey to gauge public opinion about the traits of a new superintendent, she said. "Communication was a big one, as well as dealing with the budget," said Keefe. - Matt Gunderson

OPEN STUDIOS - The 10 artists who work in the new BlueSkies Studios at 43 Broad St. are opening their doors next Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. The open studios event will allow the public to view and discuss works by the photographers, painters and textile artists. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Doreen Moscillo-Howes at 508-335-5271. - John Dyer

RECREATION PLANS FOR WINTER - The town's Recreation Department is offering a variety of programs and classes for adults, children and families this winter. Programs include ballroom dancing, yoga, snowboarding lessons, strength training, tennis lessons, snow tubing and a trip to the Sunday River ski area in Maine in January. All programs are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, call the department at 781-259-0784. - John M. Guilfoil

HANDING OUT REUSABLE BAGS - Green Marlborough, a local environmental group, will give away reusable shopping bags at the Post Office on Saturdays through Dec. 22. According to an announcement by the organization, about 380 billion disposable plastic bags are given out annually around the country, costing retailers - and therefore consumers - about $1 billion a year. In addition, millions of barrels of petroleum products are used to produce the bags, according to Green Marlborough, depleting natural resources and producing pollution during the manufacturing process. Hannaford's Market in Marlborough has donated 200 of the bags to be distributed, according to the release. - Lisa Kocian

WASTE-WATER DECISION - Selectmen meet Tuesday to choose an engineering firm and a project manager to begin work on a $10 million upgrade of the town's waste-water treatment plant, said Town Administrator John Curran. The upgrade has been mandated by the Department of Environmental Protection in an effort to reduce the flow of phosphorus into the nearby Assabet River by 2010, said Curran. Voters signed off on a $10 million bond in the spring to pay for the renovation, he said. The work is expected to get going shortly, Curran added. - Matt Gunderson

MINGLING BUSINESS, PLEASURE - The Corridor Nine Area Chamber of Commerce is holding a "Holiday Business After Hours" mingling event at the White Cliffs restaurant on Main Street in Northborough on Dec. 6. The 5:15 to 8 p.m. event will allow local business people to meet and network over cocktails and a buffet. Around 300 people have attended in the past, chamber officials said. - John Dyer

SANTA'S BREAKFAST - The Northborough Newcomers' Club is sponsoring a breakfast featuring Santa Claus on Dec. 8. The event will take place at Lincoln Street Elementary School from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Tickets for the event must be purchased in advance from O'Driscoll's Fresh Butchery on West Main Street for $5 for adults and $4 for children under 12. For details, call Donna O'Driscoll at 508-393-2829. - John Dyer

SEEKING SUPPORT FOR LOTTERY BILL - State Representative Karyn Polito went before the Board of Selectmen last week to urge them to lobby for her measure to return more money to cities and towns. Polito, a Shrewsbury Republican, told selectmen that her late-filed bill to return $450 million in lottery money to municipalities needs a lot of help to get out of the Rules Committee. In the House, bills filed late always have to be released from the Rules Committee before going on to another committee for approval and then potentially to the House floor for debate, she said. Lottery money is supposed to go to cities and towns but the state skims off some, she said, which she described as unfair, particularly when the state has a stabilization fund of $2.2 billion. For Shrewsbury, the measure would mean a windfall of roughly $1.5 million. - Lisa Kocian

LeDUC OFFICE HOURS - State Representative Stephen LeDuc will hold office hours for Southborough residents on Thursday from 11 a.m. to noon at Mauro's Village Café at 2 Main Street. Residents can share their concerns or questions about community issues, or simply introduce themselves, according to an announcement by the Marlborough Democrat. For more information, contact LeDuc's district office in Marlborough at 508-481-2141. - John Dyer

APARTMENT ZONE CHANGE - Voters at the Special Town Meeting on Dec. 3 are to decide whether to make it easier to gain approval for accessory apartments. Currently, homeowners and developers need to seek Planning Board approval in order to construct the supplemental living spaces, which are also known as in-law apartments. The zoning change would give the approval authority to the building inspector. The Finance Committee is recommending the zoning amendment, saying it would "reduce time and expense for the town and homeowners in approving accessory apartments," according the Special Town Meeting warrant. - Matt Gunderson

FIRST PARISH HOLIDAY FAIR - The First Parish of Sudbury will hold its annual Holly Fair on Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The church looks to open the holiday season with a day of festive shopping, table arrangements, wreaths, homemade crafts and plenty of treats, including 12 homemade soups. There will also be cookies and children's activities all day. For more information, call the church at 978-443-2043. - John M. Guilfoil

WHALING AUTHOR TO SPEAK - The Wayland Free Public Library will host author and historian Eric Jay Dolin on Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the library's Raytheon Room. Dolin will discuss his book "Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America," recently chosen by Amazon.com's editors as one of the Best Books of 2007, the library said in a statement. "The vivid story of whaling is one of the mightiest themes in American history," the library said. Dolin studied environmental policy and biology at Brown, Yale, and MIT, where he received his doctorate. He has written extensively about wildlife and the marine world. - John M. Guilfoil

MADRIGAL DINNER - The Westborough Music Parents Association is sponsoring a madrigal dinner on Thursday at Westborough High School. The dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. and feature chamber singers and string chamber groups playing Renaissance music and dressed in period costumes. Tickets are $17. For more information or to make a reservation, call Joseph Stillitano at 508-836-7720, ext. 5192. - John Dyer

NOISE COMMENT, PLEASE - The Board of Selectmen is asking residents to comment on the board's draft of a noise-limiting ordinance. The bylaw would prohibit excessive noise and impose fines up to $300 for violations. Sirens on emergency vehicles are among the sources of noise that would be exempted. To comment on the draft, go to www.town.westborough.ma.us, where there is a link to the proposed bylaw and an e-mail address. Comments can also be sent to the Town Hall, Board of Selectmen, 34 West Main St., Westborough, MA 01581. Comments should be sent before Jan. 3. - John Dyer

AROUND THE REGION

GRIEVANCE FILED OVER SHORTER PAY - The union that represents Milford Town Library employees has filed a grievance over a decision by the town's Board of Library Trustees to pay employees for only three hours of work on the days before Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day, when the library closes at noon. In the past the employees had been paid for a full seven-hour day. Librarian Mary Frances Best, who is the local American Federation of Teachers union representative, said an initial grievance filed with library director Jennifer Perry was denied but an appeal was filed Nov. 14. The library board has 21 days to respond. William Buckley, chairman of the Board of Selectman, said the move was an example of local officials spending the taxpayers' money wisely. "Sometimes you'll be the ogre and unpopular at the same time," said Buckley. But Best observed: "We really work hard here. We do a good job. We don't get paid much and we don't like being treated this way." - Nadia Salomon

WEAR ORANGE IN THE FOREST - The Friends of Upton State Forest are encouraging those who walk in the forest to wear bright orange during the shotgun hunting season for deer, which starts tomorrow and runs until Dec. 8. Dogs should also be outfitted in orange and kept leashed, according to the group. - Calvin Hennick

CHARGES DROPPED - Police have dropped charges against a 16-year-old Wrentham boy arrested Nov. 14 after another teen accused him of threatening to shoot students at King Philip Regional High. Police spokesman William McGrath said there was not enough evidence against him. - Calvin Hennick