Treasurer-collector appointed

The city's next treasurer-collector will be James G. Reardon, who has been the acting chief of the department for the past five months, Mayor David Cohen announced Monday. "I am very pleased we found someone of Jim's qualifications, character and caliber to lead our Treasury Department," the mayor said. "His understanding of the city of Newton, its inner workings, its processes and its people, enable him to hit the ground running as our treasurer-collector. I am confident in Jim Reardon we have found someone who is well-suited to play this important role." Before taking on the acting title, Reardon served for seven years as Newton's deputy treasurer-collector. He had also been treasurer-collector for Canton. "Between his work in Newton and Canton, Jim has more than a decade experience in municipal finance," Cohen said. "Prior to his work in Canton, Jim spent more than 25 years among four different financial institutions." Reardon, a resident of Marshfield, is replacing Edward Spellman Jr., who left the city position in July to become Braintree's director of municipal finances. - Rachana Rathi

SUPERINTENDENT IN LINE FOR NEW JOB - The School Committee is taking a wait-and-see attitude after Superintendent Steven A. Hiersche was named a semifinalist for the top job in the Framingham school system. "We're holding out hope he doesn't get the job," said the committee's chairman, Anthony Paolillo. Earlier this month, Framingham's School Committee announced it had selected Hiersche as one of four semifinalists for the superintendent's position. The opening was created when Christopher Martes resigned from the post last year to take the superintendent's job in Foxborough. Paolillo said the School Committee believes it's premature to talk about filling Hiersche's shoes now, but notes the district has a number of qualified administrators who would keep things running smoothly should a search for a replacement become necessary. Hiersche said he was recruited for the Framingham position and is not fielding any other offers. "Things are going very well in Watertown," he said. With more than 8,000 students, the Framingham school system would present the challenge of running a much larger district with an ethnic diversity similar to Watertown, and would be a "good match" for his skills, he said. Hiersche took the reins in Watertown in 2004, moving from the Plymouth public school system after a lengthy and costly national search. - Christina Pazzanese

VACANCIES ON TOWN BOARDS - The town needs to fill a number of vacancies on several key boards and commissions. The Board of Health has one opening for a three-year term; the Zoning Board of Appeals needs one member to serve a five-year term and one alternate member to serve for two years; the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission each have three vacancies, two with three-year terms and one to fill an unexpired term; and the Licensing Board has one seat open for a three-year term. Applicants are asked to submit a letter of interest along with a resum?? or other information outlining their qualifications by e-mail to townmgr@watertown-ma.gov or by mail to the Town Manager's Office, 149 Main St., Watertown, MA 02472. Appointees will be chosen by the town manager, subject to approval by the Town Council in February. - Christina Pazzanese

REHABBING WATCH FACTORY - The Waltham Historical Society is hoping a local institution can be returned to "its former glory," according to an announcement by the organization. The society is hosting a lecture, "Rehabilitation of the Historic Waltham Watch Factory," on Jan. 13, at 7 p.m., at the RTN Federal Credit Union, 600 Main St. A representative from Boston-based Berkeley Investments will explain how his company plans to rehabilitate the 400,000-square-foot Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival style complex along the Charles River into a mix of office, residential, and retail spaces. - Lisa Kocian

FIRST NIGHT NEEDHAM - You don't have to leave Needham to enjoy dance performances, ice sculptures, and live music on New Year's Eve. The Needham Cultural Council is once again sponsoring New Year's Needham, which includes dozens of events and exhibitions from noon to midnight at several venues, including the Town Common, Town Hall, and several local churches, for the price of a $5 button. A complete schedule is available online at needarts.org. - Lisa Kocian

MORE COYOTE CALLS - The wild turkey population in town is up this year and with the increase has come a jump in coyote sightings. "The coyotes are chasing the turkeys around," Police Chief Otto Rhode Jr. said recently. His department has responded to an increased number of calls about coyotes this year, but many of the calls turn out to be false alarms. The Berlin Memorial School puts out fake coyotes to scare away the geese, Rhode explained. So far this season, roughly five of the calls have turned out to be real coyotes. Even so, Rhode asked residents, especially those with small pets, to be alert. "As the snow gets deeper and there's less and less food, you have to be careful," he said. - Julia Rappaport

HELP WITH ICE DAMAGE - With farms across the region hit hard by the recent ice storms, Governor Deval Patrick has asked the White House to issue a presidential emergency declaration that would provide assistance for them. Among local properties, Bolton Orchards sustained damage to a number of its fruit trees, with several peach trees splitting in two due to ice on the limbs. Farms can access the potential assistance by reporting their losses to the County Farm Service Agency. - Matt Gunderson

TALK OF FIRE DEPARTMENT CUTS - Brookline's Efficiency Initiative Committee may recommend that the Fire Department trim 20 to 36 firefighters, while leaving the Police Department unscathed. "We have more firefighters than we need," member Sandy Batchelder said at a recent meeting of its public safety subcommittee. "It's up to the fire chief to decide what to do." Six members of the subcommittee determined that the smaller reduction, which would mean cutting a company, could be done in the short term - saving the town $1.4 million in next fiscal year's budget. But while deferring to Chief Peter Skerry, they cited extensive research by member Peg Senturia that the number of firefighters per truck does not correlate with either public or firefighter safety. Brookline's force deploys four firefighters per piece of apparatus; many surrounding communities have three. If the staffing policy could be reduced, which would require the union's OK, then Skerry could trim 36 positions in fire suppression. - Andreae Downs

SCHOOLS ALSO FACE UNCERTAINTY - Budget gloom isn't reserved for the Fire Department. At a recent School Committee meeting, its finance subcommittee distributed draft budget guidelines for "this unusual year of uncertainty." Asking Superintendent Bill Lupini to create 2010 fiscal year budgets reflecting different levels of revenues, much like the override scenario budgets prepared last year, the subcommittee said that merely maintaining current services is not "something to celebrate," but under the circumstances "we could be lucky to end up there." Besides cuts in state aid and growing health and labor costs, the schools are also facing rocketing elementary school enrollments and possibly much higher special-education costs next year. - Andreae Downs

PARKING ENFORCEMENT - Free parking in Brookline has come to a screeching halt, at least in those areas near the MBTA tracks and the Longwood Medical Area. Those overstaying the two-hour unmetered parking limit are finding more orange "holiday cards" (that is, tickets) from Brookline police and parking control officers. "The public was adamant about increasing enforcement" of the two-hour limit, said Police Captain John O'Leary. The department has stepped up enforcement, and those still parking over the limit are paying more for the privilege - the ticket now costs $30 instead of $15. Meanwhile, appeals of the tickets are way up as well. The parking crackdown is popular not only with residents - budget bean-counters are also smiling. The extra revenue from the tickets may just make up for lost bank interest and building permit income this year, according to Deputy Town Administrator Sean Cronin. That's roughly $250,000. - Andreae Downs

PROM DRESS EXTRAVAGANZA - The Hopkinton PTA will host its third annual prom-gown recycling event, "The Perfect Dress," Jan. 10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hopkinton High School. Cochairwoman Sue O'Keefe likened the event, which features hundreds of donated dresses priced from $20 to $40, to the storied bridal dress extravaganza that was held at Filene's Basement in Boston, although she said the scene isn't quite as crazy. The day kicks off with a fashion show at 10 a.m., and its participants are allowed first dibs on the selection of prom dresses. There will be an alterations consultant on hand to advise shoppers about the chances of adjusting a particular dress, and there will be a dressing room with mirrors. Also, jewelry will be sold by local vendors. Admission is $5, and the cost will be credited toward the price of a dress. O'Keefe said that last year she paid $40 for a dress with a $450 price tag still attached. - Megan McKee

CLEAR BRUSH FOR AUDUBON - Winter doesn't have to spell the end of outdoor exercise, especially at the Massachusetts Audubon Society's Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, where the nature preserve is looking for volunteers to help clear brush and invasive plants. On most winter Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, volunteers use hand tools to clear out unwanted vegetation to restore meadow habitat for birds, butterflies, and other creatures. Students are welcome, and school credit for volunteer contributions is available. Contact broadmoorprograms@ massaudubon.org for more information. - Megan McKee

HOLIDAY LIGHTS ON THE WEB - Festive lights not only adorn the highways and byways of Plainville, but also the website of the town's police association. A 10-minute video, backed by holiday music, features an abundance of displays recorded from the cruiser camera of Patrolman Greg Kiff as he drove the night shift. Is one of them yours? Check out www.plainvillecops.us. "It's something new we did this year," said Patrolman William McEvoy. He and Kiff are the town's technology officers. - Michele Morgan Bolton

QUESTIONING CPA'S FUTURE - Selectmen and other town officials are reexamining whether the Community Preservation Act still makes sense for the town in light of the economic downturn, said Selectman Stephen Dungan. The program has been doling out dramatically less funding in the downturn. Officials in Stow are considering repealing the town's enrollment in the program, but no consensus has been reached, said Dungan. - Matt Gunderson

POOL REOPENS - The Atkinson Lap Pool reopened last week after new, specialized drain covers were installed, as required by a federal law. The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act called for safer covers be installed on the main drains of swimming pools and spas open to the public by Dec. 19. The covers for the Atkinson facility were late in arriving, however, after being ordered last month, town officials said. With the new drain covers installed by a scuba diver, the pool reopened for the morning of Christmas Eve, and then after the holiday resumed its scheduled operating hours. For more information, visit www.pool.sudbury.ma.us. - John M. Guilfoil

AUDITIONS FOR SWEENEY TODD - The Westborough Players' Club is holding auditions for its production of a Stephen Sondheim musical, "Sweeney Todd," Jan. 9 from 7 to 10 p.m. and Jan. 10 from noon to 4 p.m. at its 20 Phillips St. headquarters. Anyone age 16 or older is welcome to audition; organizers request that candidates prepare to sing 16 measures of a Broadway song and bring a copy of the sheet music. Brian Kelly was picked to direct the production, which is to be performed in May. - Megan McKee