Bond rating upgraded

The city has received an upgrade in its bond rating from a credit rating firm. Since 2001, Amesbury had an "A-" rating from Standard & Poor's. But recently the firm increased the rating to "A," according to Mayor Thatcher W. Kezer III. "An increase in bond rating is an indication from the experts that Amesbury is improving its financial position and taking positive steps in managing its money," Kezer said, adding that it would lower costs to repay debt for high school construction and water and sewer projects. - John Laidler

BACK TO SCHOOL - Students will return to school the week after Labor Day. On Sept. 3, children in grades K-6, and grade 9, will return. On Sept. 4, the remaining grades will return, with grades 7 and 8 at the middle school, and grades 10-12 at the high school. - Steven Rosenberg

SALT SHED AT ISSUE - Meeting with state Representative Brad Hill and state Senator Bruce E. Tarr last Monday, selectmen expressed support for having the lawmakers renew efforts to get the state Highway Department to remove the salt shed it maintains in Boxford. Selectmen would like to revive the effort due to what it contends is the state's failure to address contamination of nearby private wells resulting from the migration of salt from the shed, just off the Topsfield Road exit of Interstate 95, according to Town Administrator Alan Benson. - John Laidler

NEW SIGN - The Zoning Board of Appeals tomorrow will hold a public hearing on a request for a variance to install a sign for Texas Roadhouse, a barbecue restaurant, being built at Danvers Plaza on Route 1 north. Other hearings include a request to allow used cars to be sold at 35 Wadsworth St. The board will meet at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. - Kathy McCabe

SCHOOL ADVOCATE - The School Committee is seeking a resident to advocate for Georgetown public schools on the town's Capital Improvement Committee. The committee identifies projects connected with various town departments and makes recommendations to Town Meeting. The representative will be appointed by the School Committee and must be able to commit up to 10 hours per week. He or she will work with school administrators to develop a list of funding priorities. Applicants should send a letter by Sept. 15 to George E. Moker, c/o the Superintendent's Office, 51 North St. - David Cogger

NEW LEADER AT EASTERN POINT - Eastern Point Day School has named Steve Silvestri its new headmaster. The prekindergarten to grade 8 school, which has 50 students, formerly was known as St. Mel Independent Day School. Silvestri is a former 23-year principal in Chelmsford and Westford public schools. In 1997 was named Massachusetts Principal of the Year by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. - Kathy McCabe

PERSONNEL HEARING SET - Selectmen will hold a public hearing Monday to discuss changes to personnel policies. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, Bay Road. - David Rattigan

POLISHING THE ARCHES - The McDonald's restaurant in the Bradford neighborhood has closed for renovations. The restaurant, which has been serving up burgers and fries since the 1970s, is expected to reopen late this fall, according to a placard posted in front of the restaurant. - Brenda J. Buote

OLD TOWN HALL GIVEN LIQUOR LICENSE - Selectmen have voted to grant a special liquor license, approved by the Legislature because Ipswich's quota of liquor licenses was full, to the owners of the former town hall on Monday. The building is being renovated into a retail-theater-restaurant facility by a group led by local architect Tom Mayo, who is purchasing it. According to the plan, the board will vote on the license transfer when the sale goes through. It is scheduled to be completed in October. - David Rattigan

UNION SCHOLARSHIPS - The union for Marblehead firefighters has given a $500 check to each of two recipients of its 2008 scholarships. Since 1993, Local 2043 of the International Association of Firefighters has awarded two needs-based scholarships to high school seniors from Marblehead. The recipients, both from Marblehead High, were Chelsey Reardon and Eric Fader, according to Fire Captain Richard Bartlett. Reardon will attend Belmont University in Tennessee; Fader Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. - John Laidler

PLANNER SOUGHT - Officials have posted the town planner position, vacant since Judy Tymon's dismissal on July 1. The job description states that the planner, in addition to overseeing Planning Board functions, will assist the board with amending existing bylaws or writing new ones, as well as implementing the town's master plan. The town is looking for someone with at least two years' related planning experience. - Taryn Plumb

NEW LIBRARY SITE - The Newburyport Public Library has launched a revamped website. The site, www.newburyportpl.org, features pictures, an element the old site lacked, and offers online visitors a more intuitive navigation system. - Brenda J. Buote

BURKE PRINCIPAL - School Superintendent C. Milton Burnett recently named Judith McNiff principal of Burke Elementary. She succeeds Brian Fay, who left for a principal's job in Lynn. McNiff, of Peabody, is an 18-year veteran of city schools. The past four years she was assistant principal and a fourth-grade teacher at South School. - John Laidler

VOTE ON FINANCE POST SET - At its Tuesday meeting, the Board of Selectmen is scheduled to vote on the appointment of Michael Lamoureau to the Finance Committee. Lamoureau, a financial planner, has no previous experience with Rockport boards or committees. In addition to that vote, the board has scheduled interviews with two Conservation Commission candidates, and plans to sign the warrant for the Sept. 8 Town Meeting. The meeting is set for Town Hall, Broadway, at 7:30 p.m. - David Rattigan

INSURANCE CREDIT - The city has earned a $21,510 insurance credit from the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association for proactive loss prevention and risk management, according to Jason Silva, a spokesman for Mayor Kim Driscoll. According to Silva, the credits were earned by participating in training activities, implementing loss prevention measures, and instituting key management policies, practices, and procedures to reduce injuries, accidents, property damage, and lawsuits. - Steven Rosenberg

FUNDS FOR FLOODING STUDY - The state recently provided the town with $75,000 to cover its share of costs of a US Army Corps of Engineers study to alleviate flooding at Blackwater Creek. The money, combined with $12,500 appropriated by Town Meeting, meets the required 35 percent nonfederal match for the $250,000 completed study, which identified construction of a low retaining wall as the preferred fix. Town Manager Neil J. Harrington said the match will enable the project to move into final design and construction. The state and town must cover a little more than $700,000 of those costs. But more than $500,000 of that should be covered by the value of easements the town will be taking as part of the project. - John Laidler

LIBRARY FUND-RAISER - The Friends of the Swampscott Public Library on Aug. 25 will begin selling tickets for a Sept. 19 preview night and reception to kick off its annual book sale. At the Sept. 19 event, 6:30 p.m. at the library, those attending can view books for sale and purchase up to 10. Wine, light appetizers, and desserts will be served. The sale will be Sept. 20-27 at the library, 61 Burrill St., during regular library hours. Proceeds from the Sept. 19 event, and from the book sale, will benefit programming and materials at the library. - John Laidler

PATH GOING NOWHERE - Border to Boston bike trail supporters are scrambling to fill a $700,000 gap left following cuts made by the Federal Highway Administration. Last week, the administration pulled funding without explanation. Topsfield Rail Trail Committee chairman Joseph Geller speculates the action might be related to decreased gasoline tax revenues. "The irony is that we're being encouraged to drive less and we're having to shut down a project that will provide links to public transportation," Geller said. He and others on the committee plan a letter-writing campaign to federal officials to reinstate funding. The 26-mile bike path was to be along an abandoned rail bed from Danvers to Salisbury. - David Cogger

NEW BREWERY - The planning board approved Smuttynose Brewery's plans for a new facility on a 14-acre property on Towle Farm Road. The 42,000-square-foot facility will nearly double the size of the brewery in Portsmouth and include a restaurant converted from a barn. - Tom Long

NEW COUNCILOR - Jerry Hejtmanek, a retired businessman, has been sworn in as a city councilor. He replaces Ned Raynolds, who moved to Massachusetts. Hejtmanek missed the ninth and final spot on the council by 12 votes in the last election. - Tom Long