Hidden treasures

You may not be as fortunate as Lucy Furlong, but you never know. Furlong, who helped organize last year's antiques appraisal benefit for the Abington Cultural Council, brought in a family-owned, pre-Civil War pistol "just to see what it might be worth." To her delight, an antique expert estimated the weapon's value at $4,000. Could similar finds be made next week? "I hope so," said Furlong, who again will join with the Friends of the Abington Library to host the benefit, scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. next Sunday in the Abington VFW Hall at 30 Central St. Among the items expected to be reviewed by experts are jewelry, furniture, dishware, and paintings. The event will be open to the public. Appraisals will cost $5 for a single item and $10 for three items. - Robert Carroll

APPLICANTS APLENTY - A lot of people are eager to work for the Braintree Town Council. The town has received 107 applications for the job of clerk of the council, which is basically a secretarial job, said Town Clerk Donna J. Fabiano, who is one of three members of the search committee. The job pays in the mid-$40,000s. The other members of the committee are Councilors Charles B. Ryan and Henry N. Joyce. The list has been whittled down to about 17, said Fabiano, and about five or six candidates soon will be picked for the full council to interview, she said. - Matt Carroll

FISCAL RECOVERY - The town received good news this month from Standard & Poor's. The independent agency, which has been rating municipalities' financial health since 1940, upgraded its outlook on Cohasset's long-term debt from negative to stable. The change "reflects the town's rebuilding of reserves to a sound level," said analyst Henry W. Henderson, who also cited the potential positive effects of the new Greenbush commuter rail on property values. The agency had dropped Cohasset's outlook to negative two years ago, after the town lost state funding and voted down a property tax increase to fund the town budget for the second time. "The town had a bit of a rough time financially over the past three or four years, and Standard & Poor's is saying we've turned the corner," said Michael Buckley, the town's director of finance. He said Standard & Poor's decision helped the town get a better rate when it refinanced bonds used to build the Osborn School. -Johanna Seltz

IN WITH THE OLD - Two incumbents were reelected in the only contested races at last week's town election. Elizabeth Sullivan was elected to a third term on the Board of Selectmen, receiving 1,397 votes to 858 for challenger Niamh O'Byrne. Incumbent Anne Ward and newcomer Maureen Connolly both won seats on the School Committee. Connolly received 1,438 votes and Ward 1,346, while School Committee candidate ML Nichols received 1,121 votes and lost. - Robert Knox

RECYCLE WITH A SMILE - For one day next month, the Hanover Mall will become the epicenter of local environmentalism. On April 26, the South Shore Recycling Committee, in tandem with mall officials, will mark Earth Day at the Route 53 shopping center with contests, special recycling opportunuties, and appearances by endangered animals. "The thinking was to show people that recycling really is easy and it's not a chore," said South Shore Recycling Committee executive director Claire Sullivan. "We thought we'd approach Earth Day a little differently. This is very involved. We're excited." Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., visitors to the mall can take in a magic act, turn in used cellphones, and donate old sneakers so the rubber soles can be used to make playgrounds. "We figured if we made it fun people would be more willing to learn about the need to keep recycling," said Sullivan. "The world is starting to feel the effects of using fossil fuels." - Robert Carroll

OFF AND RUNNING - Voters have several choices in this May's election, with four contested races. Three people are running for the open selectman's seat created when Melissa Tully decided not to seek reelection. The candidates are Grant Hansel, Lawrence Bruce Rabuffo, and Russell Reeves. Roger Freeman is challenging incumbent Kevin Bulman for a seat on the Municipal Light Board. And Andrew Spath is challenging incumbent John Brandt for a spot on the Sewer Commission. The five-year slot on the Recreation Commission has two candidates: Victoria Dolan and Scott Bosworth, who was appointed this winter to fill a vacancy there. Voters have until April 8 to register for the May 3 election. Earlier this month, voters overwhelmingly approved a property tax increase to build a new elementary school, buy temporary classrooms for Hingham Middle School, and make improvements and repairs to Foster and Plymouth River elementary schools. - Johanna Seltz

COMCAST WILL SUPPORT TOWN-RUN STUDIO - The Board of Selectmen approved a 10-year contract with Comcast that includes provisions to help support the town's new Holbrook Access and Media Corporation, Town Administrator Michael Yunits said. For $1, Comcast will transfer ownership of its studio equipment to the town's newly formed corporation and make quarterly payments to support the studio, which will be in charge of local cable television programming. Comcast, using a sliding scale, will donate between 4.05 percent and 4.8 percent of its gross annual revenue to the corporation, Yunits said. The new terms are a result of Comcast getting out of the business of running local studios for towns. - Franci Richardson Ellement

RESTORING ACCESS AT NANTASKET - People with physical handicaps will have an easier time getting to Nantasket Beach this summer. The state is rebuilding two ramps to the beach for the handicapped and promises they will be finished before summer, according to Town Manager Philip Lemnios. A third ramp will be built after Labor Day. The original ramps were removed last year while repairs were made to the seawall. The town and state have been debating for years what other work is needed to protect the beach from erosion, and are getting closer to a decision, Lemnios said. This month, a consultant for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation presented eight options, ranging from doing nothing to constructing a major sand dune and revetment. A town committee plans to review the choices and make a recommendation to the state next month, although Lemnios said he doesn't expect any definitive action for quite a while. - Johanna Seltz

WOMEN TO BUILD HABITAT HOUSE - Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth will break ground for a new home at 138 Grove St. at 2 p.m. April 13 on land donated by the town. The public has been invited to join in a celebration with community leaders, Habitat board members, and the family chosen to live in the house. The Grove Street home is a Women Build project by Habitat, meaning it will be built largely by women with men acting as mentors. Skill workshops for women are being offered at the Lowe's in Kingston. To find out more about the workshops, visit hfhplymouth.org. Volunteers and materials are needed. - Robert Knox

TOWN MEETING AGENDA - Voters at the Annual Town Meeting and Special Town Meeting will decide whether to fund the library renovation project, adopt a comprehensive dangerous-dog bylaw, and use Community Preservation Act funds to pay for the Seth Ventress Building restoration project. The meetings will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Marshfield High School. Copies of both warrants are available on the town's website, townofmarshfield.org. - Emily Sweeney

HONORING TEACHERS - The Milton Foundation for Education wants to honor the best teachers in the town's school system. The organization is sponsoring the Outstanding Teacher Awards. Parents may nominate teachers, teacher's aides, specialists, or staff people in grades K-8, while senior-year students may nominate teachers at the high school. The deadline for nominations is Friday. Winners will be given awards on May 15. Forms are on the organization's home page: charityadvantage.com/miltonfoundationforeducation. - Matt Carroll

DEVELOPER CHANGES TACK - A Braintree firm has switched gears in its bid to build a 198-unit apartment development on South Street under the state's affordable-housing law, Chapter 40B. John M. Corcoran & Co. had proposed pursuing the project, Norwell Commons, with the backing of the Board of Selectmen and the Affordable Housing Partnership through the Local Initiative Program, a Chapter 40B provision that allows such collaboration. But in a March 21 letter to selectmen, the company said it had withdrawn that proposal and instead filed an application under the conventional Chapter 40B process. In the letter, company official Jon Flood said the move was necessary to ensure its proposal "continues to receive a full and fair hearing" at a time when "other 40B proposals are proceeding directly with the Norwell Zoning Board of Appeals." The development proposal has drawn opposition from some residents, who have cited concerns about its size and impacts on traffic and town services. Richard Merritt, chairman of the selectmen, said that Corcoran's decision means "the entire process changes, and the Zoning Board of Appeals now becomes the board that will handle the hearing. " - John Laidler

BALLOT SNAG - The Board of Selectmen last Monday voted to seek special legislation to address a glitch that resulted in eight incumbents not obtaining the number of signatures required to make the April 28 annual town election ballot. In Pembroke, incumbents may earn a spot on the ballot by signing a common nomination sheet that requires 50 signatures. Nonincumbents must collect their own 50 signatures. Town Administrator Edwin Thorne said that due to a lapse in communication between the clerk's office and the Board of Registrars, this year's incumbent sheet received only 41 signatures by the March 10 deadline. If the special act is signed by April 7, the incumbents would have a 48-hour window to collect the nine signatures needed. Nonincumbents also could file papers during that period. Should the act be signed after April 7, the legislation provides simply that all eight incumbents be included on the ballot. Meanwhile, selectmen voted to name Thorne temporary town clerk through April 26 to oversee the town election. The town has been without a clerk since the retirement last July of Donna M. Pratt. Assistant Town Clerk Maureen Robinson, who is a candidate for clerk in this year's election, had been overseeing the office since then. - John Laidler

PUBLIC SAFETY MEETINGS - The town manager, police chief, fire chief, and emergency management director will hold a series of public safety meetings over the next couple of weeks. "These forums are intended to share information on how public safety services are provided in Plymouth, and to allow the public to ask questions and share their thoughts with public safety officials," said Town Manager Mark Sylvia. A forum for residents of Cedarville and South Plymouth is scheduled for 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Cedarville Community Room. A meeting focusing on downtown and North Plymouth will take place at 7 p.m. April 10 at the Senior Center in Cordage Park, and a forum for residents of West Plymouth and Chiltonville will take place at 7 p.m. April 17 in the Otto Fellow Room at the Plymouth Public Library at 132 South St. - Emily Sweeney

CONTRACT SETTLEMENT - The city of Quincy has settled its contract with another union after hammering out details on healthcare issues. The Quincy Public Employees Association, which covers clerks, information technology workers, and support staff at City Hall, agreed to a 13 percent raise over four years, retroactive to last July 1. Beginning this July 1, workers will see their share of healthcare premiums climb from 10 to 15 percent, and then to 20 percent next year and for the rest of the contract. The city expects to pay $41 million in healthcare costs this year, compared with $38 million last year. -Matt Carroll

TAX HIKES, MUNICIPAL RACES ON TUESDAY BALLOT - Polls will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for Randolph voters to cast ballots on three tax override ballot questions, and in races for the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, Planning Board, and Stetson Trustees. Six candidates are running for selectmen: incumbents William Alexopoulos and Richard Wells; challengers Andrew Azer, Judith Gangel, Mark Kittredge, and former selectman Paul Fernandes. Paul Meoni and Marybeth Nearen are both running unopposed in bids for reelection to the School Committee, but three candidates are seeking a one-year open seat: Ronald DiGuilio, James Fallon, and Sharon Swain. George Berdos is challenging Planning Board member Donald LaLiberte, and James Buiel and Ira Greene are vying for Stetson Trustee positions. The Proposition 2 1/2 overrides are divided into three questions, with money raised from each proposed property tax increase set for certain departments: $5,480,738 for the schools, $411,322 for the Police Department and $200,000 for the Fire Department. - David Connolly

EMERGENCY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - The Rockland Board of Health is looking for residents to serve as volunteers during public health emergencies, such as an infectious disease or flu pandemic. The request is part of a plan the board has developed with state and local agencies to prepare for an emergency. Volunteers would help by serving as greeters and assistants at emergency housing sites, and by preparing foods. The board also is asking medical professionals to volunteer their services in the case of an emergency. Volunteers would be placed on a list and contacted if an emergency occurs. For more information, call 781-871-0154, ext. 6. - Milton Valencia

STREET FAIR - Residents can celebrate the arrival of spring while helping support a town restoration project at a May Day event being organized by the Scituate Visitors Center, along with North Scituate merchants. The street fair, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 3, will feature activities throughout the North Scituate village, including a chowder fest, a juried craft fair, a silent auction of sports memorabilia, sidewalk sales, and a raffle. Proceeds will benefit the ongoing restoration of the stone WPA building on Henry Turner Bailey Road. Built in 1937 and '38 by Work Progress Administration crews, the town-owned building has been vacant for about 30 years. Once it is restored, plans call for its use as an information center for visitors and residents. To purchase a raffle ticket for the street fair, or for more information, call 781-545-2788. - John Laidler

TOWN IS A WEB STANDOUT - Common Cause named Weymouth a "superstar" this month for providing lots of information on the town Web page at www.weymouth.ma.us. Ninety one of the state's 351 communities were recognized as "stars" for having at least six key pieces of government information available online, including the agenda and minutes of the governing board, budget information, and general bylaws. Weymouth was one of 24 that went beyond those essentials and included information such as zoning bylaws, community calendars, and School Committee agenda and minutes. The nonpartisan Common Cause has been evaluating community Web pages since 2006. - Johanna Seltz

JOB FAIR - The 15th annual Job Fair sponsored by Bridgewater State College's Career Services office is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. April 9 in the Rondileau Campus Center ballroom. Employers from more than 60 companies representing a broad range of careers plan to attend. For more information, along with a few tips on "working" a job fair, check out the Career Services' website at bridgew.edu/careerservices. - Christine Legere