Homeowner tax hike

The city has adopted a tax rate of $16.53 per $1,000 valuation for fiscal 2009. City officials set the rate after the Municipal Council, with support from Mayor Thatcher W. Kezer III, approved a single tax rate. During the past two years, the city had separate residential and business rates and Kezer was rebuffed twice by the council in his bid to switch to a single rate. The present council does not include any of the councilors who clashed with Kezer on the issue. In opting for a split rate in fiscal 2007 and 2008, businesses paid 15 percent more than residences. The fiscal 2008 rates were $14.60 per $1,000 for residents, and $17.20 per $1,000 for businesses. Under the fiscal 2009 rate, which has been approved by the state, the owner of an average single-family home valued at $332,152 would pay $5,490 in taxes, $461 more than the $5,029 paid by the owner of an average home valued at $344,464 in fiscal 2008, said chief assessor Mary Marino. - John Laidler

CITY SERVICES GUIDE - The city has updated its community resources guide, which lists city services telephone numbers for police, and the Beverly Council on Aging, as well as contact information for social service and health organizations. The guide is available online at www.beverlyma.gov. - Steven Rosenberg

SLIGHT TAX INCREASE - The town's property tax in fiscal 2009 is $11.76 per $1,000, an 81-cent increase over the fiscal 2008 rate of $10.95 per $1,000. The town set the rate after selectmen decided to continue the town's existing policy of having a single tax rate. The rate has since been approved by the Department of Revenue. The owner of an average home valued at $648,000 will pay $7,620 in taxes in fiscal 2009, $197 more than the $7,423 paid by the owner of an average home valued at $677,925 in fiscal 2008, according to finance director Kathleen Benevento. - John Laidler

ONE-MAN HONOR GUARD - On Christmas Eve and Christmas morning, Jim George, a retired Danvers police officer, will stand at the flagpole in Danvers Square to honor the American troops deployed overseas during the holidays. George also will be collecting money to donate to Operation Troop Support, a Danvers group that sends gifts and cards to servicemen and women. George will be at the flagpole from 4 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday. - Kathy McCabe

PALAZZOLA FINED $2,000 - Former School Committee member Olimpia Palazzola has agreed to pay a $2,000 fine after she admitted she violated the state's conflict of interest law. The State Ethics Commission concluded that Palazzola intervened after her son, Keith, a Gloucester High School teacher, had a verbal confrontation with his supervisor on April 9, 2007. According to the state, Palazzola met with her son's supervisor, then asked Superintendent Christopher Farmer and Assistant Superintendent Brian Tarr to investigate the matter. The state concluded that Palazzola violated the law by acting as her son’s agent, both by attending the meeting and by contacting Farmer and Tarr. - Steven Rosenberg

MAINTENANCE PLAN - The Board of Selectmen has planned a discussion of building maintenance issues at its meeting tomorrow. Bob Timpani, a longtime employee charged with building maintenance, retired in July and was not replaced, his duties temporarily filled by members of the Department of Public Works. Among the long-term solutions up for discussion is a joint custodial arrangement with the town of Wenham. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Town Hall. - David Rattigan

BANKS MERGE - Federal and state regulators have approved a merger of the Northeast Community Credit Union and Haverhill Bank. Combined operations are expected to begin in January. Thomas R. Faulkner, who serves as Haverhill Bank’s president, will become chairman and chief executive officer of the new institution, which operate under the Haverhill Bank name while Peter L. Di Benedetto, treasurer and chief executive officer of the credit union, will serve as president and chief operating officer. No layoffs are proposed, and all branches will remain open after the merger. The new institution will have combined assets of roughly $260 million, deposits of $220 million, and $30 million in capital, enabling it to offer larger loans than either of the separate banks now provide, according to a news release. For more information, visit www.haverhillbank.com. - Brenda J. Buote

WIND TURBINE UPDATE - The joint town-schools wind turbine project is moving along on schedule, with officials in the process of selecting the turbines from several vendors, Utilities Department director Tim Henry reported. Ipswich is purchasing its turbine as a member of the Berkshire Wind Project, a group of 14 communities banding together to reduce electricity costs. Ten community turbines will wind up on Brodie Mountain in Hancock. Ipswich's turbine will go at a site on Town Farm Road. - David Rattigan

BUDGET DELIBERATIONS - The Board of Selectmen will hold a special meeting tomorrow to continue discussions of the fiscal 2010 operating and capital budgets. Selectmen last week completed reviews of individual departmental operating and capital spending requests. After selectmen complete their deliberations, the operating and capital budgets will go to the Finance Committee for review. Tomorrow's meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. - John Laidler

MARBLEHEAD

GILLILAND PROMOTED TO CHIEF - The Board of Selectmen recently appointed Captain Jason Gilliland to become the town's new fire chief, effective Jan. 31. Gilliland will succeed Chief Barry Dixey, who is retiring Jan. 30. Gilliland, a Marblehead resident, is a 24-year veteran of the department. Starting as a call firefighter in 1984, he was hired full time in 1986. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2002, and to captain in 2005. From 1999-2002, Gilliland served as assistant medical director for the department, and since 2002 has been its Emergency Medical Service coordinator. He has also been the department’s fire investigator since 2001, according to Captain Michael Porter, the department's information officer. - John Laidler

MORE ATHLETIC FIELDS - The Board of Selectmen and the state receiver for the former Rubchinuk landfill and adjacent property on East Street last Tuesday signed an agreement providing for the transfer of the approximately 37-acre site to the town. The receiver was appointed in Suffolk Superior Court to cap the landfill and to sell or transfer the property. The site is owned by two nonprofit trusts created by the courts. The landfill capping was completed in 2001. The adjacent land includes a soccer field used by the town. Under the agreement, which requires approval by the state attorney general and the courts, the town would acquire the land at no cost. The trusts would pay the town $362,000 for construction of two additional athletic fields adjacent to the landfill. To prepare for those fields, the receiver has agreed to replace a detention pond, fill an existing basin, and seed areas disturbed by the work, said town administrator Ira Singer. If all goes well, a closing could occur in late winter or early spring. - John Laidler

HEAD LIBRARIAN HIRED - The Library Board of Directors has hired Cynthia Diminture as head librarian. Diminture, who serves as the assistant director at the Arlington town library, will begin in her new position in January. She succeeds Dorothy LaFrance, who is retiring after 31 years. "We were grateful to have had an excellent group of candidates and look forward to the level of expertise Cynthia brings to the city of Newburyport in public library administration," Mayor John F. Moak said in a written statement. - Brenda J. Buote

PREDICTING ENROLLMENT- A panel examining cost-cutting options for the city’s schools has decided to undertake a demographics study of the city, with help from the New England School Development Council to undertake the study, according to School Committee member and subcommittee chairman Michael Moutsoulas. The School Committee approved spending $6,250 for the study, which will seek to identify population trends in the city. Moutsoulas said the subcommittee, which includes school officials, parents, and other community members, believes the findings could help in evaluating options, which include possible school closures and redistricting. - John Laidler

HOLIDAY HOURS AT CITY HALL - Salem City Hall has announced hours for Wednesday and Dec. 31. The building will be closed at 11:30 a.m. on both days, and also will be closed on Thursday and Jan. 1. City Hall will be open for business on Friday and on Jan. 2. - Steven Rosenberg

STUDYING LIBRARY - A consultant recently began work on a study of the library's building needs. Design Partnership of Charlestown is undertaking the work, according to library director Terry Kyrios. Funded through a $40,000 state grant and $20,000 in town matching funds, the study is looking into the feasibility of expanding and renovating the current library building or constructing a new library. Part of the work involves assessing the library’s future program needs. - John Laidler

TEEN POETRY CONTEST - The public library is inviting local youth to take part in its annual teen poetry contest. Seventh- to 12th-grade students who attend a Swampscott school and/or reside in the town are eligible to participate. Original poems of up to 40 lines on any topic can be submitted. Contest forms are available on the library's website, www.noblenet.org/swampscott. They also will be distributed at schools and the library starting in January. Submissions are due Feb. 26. A local poetry group, Tin Box Poets, will serve as judges. Cash prizes will be awarded for the winning entries at a ceremony April 30. For more information, call Sandy Moltz at 781-596-8867. - John Laidler

CHURCH APPROVAL - The Zoning Board of Adjustment's approval of special exceptions for the construction of the campus of St Michael's parish on the former site of Fort Rock Farm has been affirmed by the Rockingham Superior Court. In a ruling handed down earlier this month, the court approved special exceptions for the steeple and building heights. - Tom Long

SCHOOL REHAB PROPOSED - A committee has recommended that Hampton Academy be rehabilitated rather than build a new junior high school in town. The Hampton Academy Facilities Committee reported to the school board earlier this month that the 1939 building could be rehabilitated for $15 million, while constructing a new school would cost $22 million. - Tom Long

FIGHTING TOLL HIKES - A public hearing on proposed toll hikes for the Ted Williams and Sumner tunnels drew hundreds to a public hearing held last week at Lynn City Hall. But there's still time for people to sound off on the proposal by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority to double the tolls to $7 from the current $3.50. The authority's board will accept written comments through Jan. 14. Comments should be sent to Office of the General Counsel, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, 10 Park Plaza, Suite 4 160, Boston MA 02116. They can also be submitted by e-mail at www.masspike.com. - Kathy McCabe